“Have you talked to them?”
I know exactly who them are.
“Not Patrick, and I won’t. Not for a long while. I’ve seen my dad. They’re both out on bail, and they probably won’t see more jail time. I’m obviously not working this case for the city.”
“Good.”
“It’s a conflict of interest, and my dad doesn’t want me to work it because I’d put him in jail.”
“You’re angry.”
“Fuck yes, I’m angry.”
He nods, watching me from across the room.
“Are you done not touching me now?”
He’s across the room in less than a second, his arms wrapped around me in a tight hug. My ear is pressed to his chest and I can hear his heart beating fast.
“I missed you,” I murmur. “And I know there’s more to talk about, but—”
“But it’s enough for today,” he finishes for me before pressing his lips to mine. “Now, let’s go enjoy some of that happiness you were talking about last night.”
“Excellent plan.”
“This party is amazing,” I say to London a few hours later, after the toasts and we’ve all stuffed ourselves to the gills with incredible food.
“Louise is the best. Thank you for suggesting her. She told me that she’s starting a business, and I think that I’ll keep her busy with my wedding and some of my friends’ parties as well.”
“That’s awesome, thank you.”
“She earned it.” London clinks her glass to mine, and the music changes to a soft slow song that I love by Rob Thomas.
Suddenly, Quinn is standing before me, holding his hand out for mine.
“Dance with me?”
“Sure.”
London takes my drink and I walk to the dance floor with my man. He tugs me into his arms, slowly leading me across the floor.
“You have an easy way about you,” I say. “On the dance floor, that is.”
“Are you saying I’m not easy off the dance floor?”
“That’s what I’m saying.” I grin and thread my fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck. “But it would be boring if you were easy.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.”
We leave our pieces on the ground . . .
The song is swirling around us. No one else is dancing, which is kind of weird, but I’m so caught up in the music, and dancing with Quinn, that I don’t think much of it.
“You are everything to me, Sienna.”
His voice is strong and commanding. I look up into his eyes and catch my breath.
Quinn is an intense man.
“You are the best part of every day. You’re my home. You make me a better man. I know we haven’t been together for long, but I don’t do anything slow or halfway.”
A smile tickles his lips and every hair on my body stands on end.
“I live my life in the fast lane. I like it there. But it’s nothing without you in it with me, every single day.”
He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a ring, and my hand covers my open mouth in absolute shock.
Quinn drops to one knee as the whole room quiets. The music is gone, and all eyes are on us, listening with bated breath.
“Marry me, sweetheart. Be my partner, my companion, my love. I swear to you, there won’t ever be a dull moment.”
I’m caught up in his eyes, in the sincerity there, and the confidence in the way he’s holding my hand.
Quinn is my rock. My constant. And I know I don’t want to do this life without him.
“Yes.”
The room explodes in whoops and whistles, and Quinn catches me up in a fierce hug, then plants his lips on mine and kisses me until Finn yells out, “Get a room!”
I glance around, surprised to see not only my mom and Louise holding hands and crying, but Rich too. We’re surrounded by excited family, wanting to see the ring, and congratulate us, but I’m still caught in Quinn’s gaze, trying to soak it in.
“I’m getting married.”
“Damn right you are,” Lou says before hugging me. “And I get to plan it.”
We’ve been at the beach for three days, and I don’t ever want to go home.
Quinn had studio supplies set up for me, and I’ve spent hours painting watercolors: of the ocean and of London’s beach house for their engagement gift.
I brought my pencil and paper down to the beach to do a rough sketch. I haven’t used pencil before, but I think it could be something fun to try.
Quinn’s taught me that it’s worth it to try new things.
But I keep getting distracted by the light on my ring. I know, it sounds cheesy, but Quinn didn’t skimp on this rock. It’s a princess cut, must be two karats, and fits my finger perfectly.
He says we’ll get something fancy for the wedding band, but I think he’s nuts. This is plenty fancy for me.
“Hey there, pretty girl.”
I glance up, shielding my eyes from the sun, and smile when I see Quinn walking toward me, wearing his signature cargo shorts and T-shirt.
“Hey yourself.”
“Are you about done?”
“Just finishing up.”
“Good because I’m hungry.”
I grin and walk with him into the house where I’ve had chili simmering all afternoon. While it’s still summer, it’s cooler at the beach, and I’ve been hungry for a pot of chili.
“I just have to whip up the cornbread.”
“How long will that have to bake?”
“About thirty minutes.”
A slow smile slides over his face. “Not quite as long as I was hoping for, but I’ll take it.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“When it comes to my fiancée? Absolutely.”
Fiancée.
Am I ever going to get used to that? Probably not.
“So I’ve been thinking,” Quinn says as he opens the lid of the pot on the stove and gives it a stir. “Damn, this smells good.”
“What are you thinking?”
“Come work at the firm.”
I slip the cornbread into the oven, then turn to stare at Quinn.
“Right.” I laugh and shake my head, certain that he’s joking.
“I’m serious.”
“Quinn, I’m not quitting my city job. You know that I love it there.”
“I know you love the hours there,” he replies. “Here’s the thing, Si. I can’t ever be in the same situation that I was in with Bruce. I can’t withhold information from you. It made me crazy.”
“And I love you for that, I do. But there are other ways. For one thing, we make sure that we aren’t ever opposing counsel again. I work in the Bronx, and you work in Manhattan. The odds of that happening again are extremely low.”
“That’s the other thing,” he continues. “I don’t love the idea of that commute for you.”
“You mean for you?”
His mouth opens and closes like a fish on land, and I secretly laugh.
“Who says I’m the one who has to move?”
He pushes his hand through his hair. “Well, I hadn’t considered that we’d live anywhere but the condo. Don’t you like the condo?”
“Sure, I like it. I also like my house.”
His eyes narrow. “Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“I guess I’m commuting.”
I blink quickly. “Just like that?”
“Sienna, haven’t you figured it out? As long as I’m with you, I don’t give a fuck where we live. You are home. It doesn’t matter what the address is.”
“You’d give up your fancy condo for me.”
“Well, to be fair, I probably wouldn’t sell it.” He shrugs as I let out a loud laugh. “But if you want to live in your house, fine.”
I can’t hold myself back any longer. I rush to him and launch myself into his arms. He catches me easily, his hands planted on my ass and my legs wrapped around his waist, as he kisses me senseless.
He backs me against the wall, grinding himself against my core, and I gasp.
“I had you this morning, and I want you as if I haven’t had you in months.”
“Same,” I breathe, reaching between us to unfasten his shorts. Finally, we’re stripped bare, and he pushes inside me, making us both gasp in ecstasy.
“God, I’ll never get tired of the way you feel,” he growls against my neck. He’s holding me up with one hand, the other is planted on the wall beside my head, and he’s moving in a fast, steady rhythm that makes my eyes cross. “You’re so fucking amazing.”
“It’s us,” I say breathlessly, holding on for dear life. My toes are clenched, my fingers tight in his hair, and he changes it up, pulling out of me, setting me on my feet and spinning me face-first against the wall. He bites my shoulder, where it meets my neck, and I see stars.
“Damn right it’s us,” he says, kissing his way down my back to my rear, where he sinks his teeth into my cheek. “Have I told you how much I love these dimples above your ass?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, I do.” He presses a kiss to each of them, and then he’s standing behind me again, the head of his cock pressed to me. Every time I think I’ve never been more ready for him, and then it happens again and I’m even wetter than before. How is that even possible? “I love everything about you.”
The rhythm is faster now. He’s a man driven to make me completely crazy, and it’s working. My legs shake as I come apart, and he calls out my name as he falls over the edge with me, just as the timer dings on the oven.
“Good timing,” he says with a grin. He kisses me softly, completely opposite of the frenzied lovemaking from just a few moments ago. “I’m hungry.”
“Me too.”
I pull my clothes on and take the pan of cornbread out of the oven.
“So what do you say about the job?” he asks.
“Oh, we never finished that conversation, did we?”
“No.”
“You work an insane number of hours, Quinn. I’m not afraid of hard work, not in the least, but—”
“Come on part-time,” he suggests and cuts himself a bite of the hot cornbread. I’m too surprised to tell him hands off. “Then even if you’re working extra now and then, it’s still within the number of hours you want to work.”
“You know, I have excellent benefits at the city.”
“You’d have better benefits at the firm.”
He wiggles his eyebrows, making me laugh.
“Let me think about it.”
“Do that. The offer’s always open. So . . . we’re going to live in the Bronx?”
“Oh, no. We’re totally living at your condo, I just wanted to see your reaction when I said I wanted to stay at the house.”
“Our condo,” he says, and then swats me on the butt with the palm of his hand. “Smart-ass.”
“Get used to it, ace. It is what it is.”
“Never a dull moment,” he says, repeating what he said the other night, which only reignites the excitement in my belly.
No, life’s not going to be dull. It’s going to be thrilling, and fun, and maybe a little scary sometimes.
And you know what? I can’t fucking wait.
About the Author
KRISTEN PROBY has published close to forty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists. She continues to self-publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion and Romancing Manhattan series.
Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana, with their two cats.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Also by Kristen Proby
The Romancing Manhattan Series
All the Way
All It Takes
The Fusion Series
Listen to Me
Close to You
Blush for Me
The Beauty of Us
Savor You
The Boudreaux Series
Easy Love
Easy with You
Easy Charm
Easy Melody
Easy for Keeps
Easy Kisses
Easy Magic
Easy Nights
With Me in Seattle Series
Come Away With Me
Under the Mistletoe With Me
Fight With Me
Play With Me
Rock With Me
Safe With Me
Tied With Me
Breathe With Me
Forever With Me
Stay With Me
Love Under the Big Sky Series
Loving Cara
Seducing Lauren
Falling for Jillian
Saving Grace
Charming Hannah
Kissing Jenna
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
all it takes. Copyright © 2019 by Kristen Proby. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
first edition
Cover design by Amy Halperin
Cover photograph © Getty iStock 824830952 licensed (couple), © Getty iStock 469906778 licensed (background)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.
Digital Edition JULY 2019 ISBN: 978-0-06-289269-0
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-289267-6
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower
22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M5H 4E3
www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida
Uttar Pradesh 201 301
www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com
All It Takes Page 20