AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How?” I ask.
He waggles his brows mischievously. “I have a secret weapon.”
26
Beast
Ashely has beenmy right-hand woman for the past year. She came to me from Bryant Bachman, one of the daddy doms of the family who lives at The West in Manhattan. He runs a successful tech company and Ashely was his PA. He couldn’t speak more highly of her than he did when he called me to ask if I needed a Bachman-friendly employee to help me run things at the castle.
Apparently, Ashely had a bit of a crush on him and was brokenhearted when he found the woman of his dreams in a young woman named Reece. Ashely put in her notice and started looking for jobs, but Bryant didn’t want the family to lose her, she’s too valuable. Every day I’m grateful she’s here. Her organizational skills and get-it-done attitude are the main reason the interior of the castle is exactly how I want it.
When we found out the modern style chandeliers I wanted were collection only, Ashely took a weekend trip to Italy to retrieve them. When I found my dream thirty-five-foot riverboat for the waterway boathouse, it needed work, and Ashely found a man on the mainland to take care of it, a recluse with a long gray mustache and a plaid driver’s cap always perched on the top of his head. He lives in a cabin at the edge of the shore, spending his days bringing boats like mine back to life. When we needed donations of clothing and accessories for the women, Ashely went to the city to pack everything up and bring it down, never asking a single question as to why I needed those things.
I wouldn’t put Charlie in the position of planning a wedding this quickly if I didn’t have Ashely’s help. She’s that good. And one thing I will not do, no matter how much I want my ring on her finger and the word “husband” on her lips, is stress out the mother of my child.
“How on earth are we going to pull off throwing a wedding before this little one arrives?” Charlie asks. “What’s your secret weapon?”
“Ashely,” I say. “Ashely can work magic.”
“She is amazing, isn’t she?” Charlie’s brow knits as she rubs her belly. “How soon are you thinking?”
“Four weeks,” I say. “It’s the most I can do.”
“Four weeks!” Her jaw falls open. “That’s unheard of. Even for someone like Ashely.”
“She can handle it. Trust me. We’ll talk to her, but in the meantime, let’s go do the fun stuff.”
“Like what?” she asks.
I want to get something done today. We need to get started on this wedding. Ashely is obsessed with weddings and working alongside her, I’ve received an education that could give me a PhD in event planning.
I think of the family shops. “We could get the cake chosen and ordered. And, if you wouldn’t mind me seeing it ahead of time, we could go down to Daughtry’s and pick out the dress.”
Her nose wrinkles adorably as she gives it a think. “Hmm… well, to be honest, I don’t want to do anything without you. If you saw my dress ahead of time, it wouldn’t bother me. I mean, plus, I’m already pregnant. That’s out of the norm too.” She smiles. “I actually really love the idea of you and me shopping together. I want to know you love the dress.”
“Then it’s settled. Let’s go.” I stand, grabbing her coat from the back of her chair and helping her slip into it.
We start with the dress. Daughtry’s has racks of white, ivory, and cream-colored gowns. Any one of them would look lovely on her.
The saleswoman sees us browsing the dresses and approaches us, giving me a curious look. “Groomsman?”
“Groom groom,” I say.
“Oh, that’s unusual. Just a moment.” She rushes off, returning with two glasses of champagne.
I take both glasses, sinking down into the cushy leather chair that’s calling my name. I sip on champagne and wait while Charlie and the saleswoman choose a few dresses for Charlie to try.
When she steps out in the first dress, I’m almost brought to tears. The silky white fabric shimmers as it hugs the curves of her body; her slightly rounded belly protrudes adorably. A silver sash rests just above her waist, the ties trailing elegantly behind her.
She looks like a goddess. The prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.
She gives me a shy smile. “You like it?”
“Damn.” I set the glasses down on the table beside me and stand. “You look stunning.”
I’m torn between wanting to grab her in my arms and hold her, careful in how I touch the dress for fear I’ll mess it up, and wanting to tear it off her and relieve the stirring in my cock that started the moment I saw her in the dress. “I think that’s the one.”
She gives a little twirl, the hem of the dress swishing around her ankles. “Are you sure?”
