by Ellis, Eliza
Robin and Kori laughed.
“What are you going to do with all the money?” Robin asked. “You don’t have to answer, of course.”
Kori responded right away. “I’m going to start my own virtual assistant business. Probably take my mother on a cruise somewhere, just the two of us. And…I’m going to give you a raise.”
“Cheers to that!”
They clinked glasses.
Chapter 23
Marshall squeezed into Kaye Kakes and marveled at the number of patrons seemingly desperate to get to the front of the line. Business was booming for Kori’s sister Kat, and he hoped there were enough sweets left for him to purchase by the time he got to the front.
Sabrina had given him the wrong address for Kori’s mother. It seemed there were new owners in the home. But he did recall Kori mentioning her sister’s bakery, and it was only a matter of Googling to find its location. It was a long shot finding Kori here, but Marshall was all about taking risks.
He should’ve called, but he felt what he had to say would be best done in person. After leaving Italy, he had visited Sabrina for a few days to catch up with her and apologize. His step-daughter had forgotten how mad she was when she’d first been told about him falling in love with Kori. She gave him her blessing to marry Kori—if she would have him.
When he finally reached the front of the line, he told the register attendant his name and asked if he could please speak to the owner, if she was onsite. Luckily, she was, and after placing an order for a dozen assorted cupcakes, the attendant went into the kitchen.
A tall woman who looked similar to Kori emerged with a hairnet and apron on. She actually bakes the treats herself? He liked that. He’d done a lot of the groundwork himself when he first built his own company. Now that he was doing it again, he wondered why he had ever gotten away from it. He worked best when actually laying the foundation for the vision.
And if the one woman he wanted to see would return to him, then he’d spend as much time as he could laying the foundation for his future life to come.
“Thank you for visiting today. May I help you?”
“Hi. I’m Marshall. I’m looking for—”
“My sister Kori. I’m Katrina.” She smiled and offered her hand.
Marshall shook Katrina’s hand and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I’m looking for Kori.”
Katrina raised her brows, and her smile turned knowing. “You’re in luck. Kori’s in the back helping me out. Follow me.”
Marshall’s heart sped up, and his palms began to sweat. He shoved his hands into his pants pockets to dry them. Kori was feet away. He’d prepared a speech, but what if she said no? What if she had moved on now and didn’t want anything to do with him? The last time a woman had rejected him, he’d lost his marriage. If Kori said no, he’d lose his heart.
He couldn’t come back from that.
He entered the kitchen and scanned the expansive space. He saw several workers in various bright-colored aprons and hairnets. He tried to pick out the tall, brown-skinned goddess he had remembered from Italy. A few backs faced him keeping their identities hidden. Panic started to rise from his gut.
“Kornelia!” Katrina’s singsong voice rang out. “You have a visitor.”
One of the backs straightened and turned.
Marshall’s heart stopped. There she was. There was the woman he had dreamed about since she’d stepped off the plane on the runway in Italy. She looked beautiful in a dusty apron and hairnet, flour smudged on her chin. His tongue felt thick in his mouth, and his feet were cemented to the floor.
“Marshall?”
He willed himself to be a man and speak. “Kornelia.” He still couldn’t move. It was taking a lot of effort.
Kori placed the tube of icing she had in her hands on the counter. She stood still, her lips slightly parted, her eyes full of surprise. Marshall mustered the courage and moved forward.
“If you two want to talk, you can use the break room,” Katrina said, while gesturing to a door off the exit, leading to the back of the store.
Kori nodded and led the way.
Once inside and the door shut, Kori faced Marshall, her expression unchanged.
Marshall smiled and looked her over. “You look…good.” Kori touched her hairnet, her gaze dropping and her lips twitching upward. “I mean…you always look fantastic, but… I didn’t know you baked. Or—”
“I’m just helping out when I have free time,” she said softly. Her eyes remained downcast.
“Kornelia—”
“Why didn’t you call?” she said accusingly.
Her eyes snapped up, and the fury in them made Marshall take a step back. He landed in the door. He took a deep breath and surged forward, but then Kori took a step back, so he paused his pursuit. “I should’ve called, you’re right. When you left—”
“I’m sorry,” she rushed to say. She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have left that way. You were right not to call. I should’ve been the one.”
“I…I went to visit Sabrina after I left the company, because I wanted to apologize and—”
“You left the company?”
He nodded. “I did.” He grinned widely. “But I’m starting another one. Completely different. Remember Daemon? He gave me an idea. By the time I get it up and running, I was thinking of partnering with him when Bendola is ready to receive support.”
“Marshall, that’s wonderful. Congratulations.”
She looked confused, and he wondered if she wrestled with feeling happy for him while at the same time being mad that he hadn’t reached out to her. He understood. He was showing up unannounced. What if she’d moved on by now? He hadn’t and probably wouldn’t ever move on, but he was only sure of how he felt. He hadn’t heard from her own lips that she loved him.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “I…I swore Sabrina to secrecy, about my coming back.”
“I haven’t heard from her in days.”
“I’m sorry about that. She said no contact would be the only way she could do it, and that you’d probably hate her for it. Please don’t blame her. I…I wanted to surprise you.” He gave a weak smile, feeling he was losing her when she hadn’t yet looked pleased to see him. “Kori—”
“Marshall, I am happy to see you. I…I had thought that…” She shook her head and chuckled. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m glad to hear you’re starting again, although I am sorry that you lost your first company.”
“I didn’t lose it. I let it go. The board was willing to keep me if I fired you. I told them I wasn’t about to do that. I would resign first. They wanted a few days to think it over. When I came to tell you about it, you were gone.” She looked away. “No goodbye.”
“I thought it would be easier that way,” she whispered. A finger went to her eye.
She was crying. That broke Marshall. He quickly drew her into his embrace.
“Marshall—”
“Kornelia Kaye, I am in love with you,” he breathed. “Please look at me.” She met his gaze, and tears slipped down her cheeks. “I want you. I need you, not just to help me with this new company—so I’m offering you a job, but we can talk about that later—but because my heart won’t be able to take it if I lose you. Please, please tell me that I haven’t made a mistake in coming here.”
The corners of her mouth—her glorious, plump mouth—rose. “You haven’t made a mistake,” she whispered.
He grunted and captured her lips with his. Desperation drove him to devour her in a wild, hungry kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. He crushed her into his chest, not wanting any space between their bodies. All he wanted to feel and taste was Kori.
“Marshall, Marshall…”
He heard her cry out when he allowed her a moment to breathe before he was back to demanding her full surrender in the kiss. He lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her back until they bumped into a counter. He sat her down, cradled her head in his hands, and tende
rly brushed his lips across her mouth over and over, cherishing the feel of her lips as they pressed into his. Her legs remained locked around his waist, but the counter was getting in the way, so he dragged her off it and held her close, deepening the kiss.
This is where he wanted to be at all times.
A throat cleared behind them. With Kori still hoisted up, Marshall turned around. Katrina’s toothy grin greeted him.
“I was just checking. Making sure everything was okay here and that you were treating my sister with the respect she deserves.” Her eyes scanned the two of them. “I can see you are giving her all the respect she wants.”
Kori buried her face into Marshall’s shoulder and untangled her legs. Marshall didn’t want to set her down, but he did. “I am.”
“Kat, could you give us a minute please?” Kori asked without facing her sister.
Kat chuckled. “Take more than a minute.” She winked and then shut the door.
Marshall laughed. “I like your sister. I think I won her over.”
“Kat’s the sweetest and the most romantic out of all of us. She’s definitely your ally.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
Kat stared up at him, uncertainty in her eyes. “Are you sure, though? About us?”
“Do you doubt me?” He cupped her face. “Kori, I am absolutely certain you are the woman for me. There are just a few words that I’m waiting to hear.” His brows raised in anticipation.
“Before that…” Marshall’s brows angled down. “No, don’t look like that,” Kori chuckled. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “I just want to say thank you for what you did for me—helping me win my case against Brigham. Why didn’t you tell me he had contacted you?”
“It was a voicemail he’d left and I never listened to it all the way through. I only remembered it later on. Either way, you were my employee. It was my job to have your back and protect you. And I didn’t want you distracted when we had so much to do. Brigham’s predatory, and I figured I was enough of a barrier to keep you safe.”
Kori smiled, her gaze full of awe. “You did. You should’ve seen Brigham’s face when Robin quoted his voicemail.”
“Yeah, what an idiot. He sounded drunk when he left it. I guess he just had to have his say.”
“I can’t believe he threatened you and your company. Your board must’ve been so afraid for its bottom line.”
Marshall snorted. “Bunch of wimps. I’m sorry they didn’t have faith in me—in us.”
She cupped his cheek. “You don’t have any regrets, do you? About leaving your company?”
Marshall kissed the tip of her nose and then softly brushed his lips over hers. “None. Although I’m sure they regret letting me go. Letting you go too, since wherever you go is where I want to be.”
Her full lips parted. Her mouth was driving him crazy. There were three words she hadn’t said, and he was torn as to whether to wait to hear them or just kiss her senseless.
“Marshall, are you sure?”
“Positive. Do you want to stay here?”
Kori shrugged. “I’m not married to here either way.”
“Okay, Kornelia, I can’t stand it anymore. You’ve kept me in suspense long enough. Now, you know I love you, how do you feel about me?” He pinned her with his sternest gaze, hoping she got the idea that he meant business.
She fingered his shirt and drew her finger around the curve of his mouth. His lips crashed into hers. She laughed. “I love you! I love you! I love you!”
He picked her up. “Finally,” he said with a growl, laying her on a table and placing firm kisses along her neck, his teeth nipping at her flesh.
“Stop!” she said, laughing. “Stop! I’m at work.”
He paused, his body angled over hers. “You want to work with me?”
“You mean for you?”
He shook his head. “I mean partners. I couldn’t be with you if you were my employee.”
She grinned, showing teeth. “What’s the compensation package?”
He looked down at his body. “Me, obviously.” She closed her eyes and laughed out loud, but he wasn’t embarrassed. “And it’ll be six figures, I promise. Right after we get it off the ground.”
She drew his face down to hers. “I accept, but I only want you.” She kissed him full on the mouth, and he savored the sweet flavor of her kiss.
Epilogue
Kat and Keke stood behind Kori on either side of her, holding her train. Their mother took Kori’s hands in hers. “Are you ready?”
Kori nodded. Her cheeks hurt from grinning all morning—and in her sleep the night before.
“Good.” Mary patted Kori’s hand. “I’m so happy that all of my daughters have found the loves of their lives. Men who will treat you and your future daughters with love and respect.” She looked over Kori’s shoulder with concern. “Keke, honey, please don’t let that massive ring get snagged in Kori’s train.”
Keke groaned. “It’s fine!” She rotated the engagement ring Pete had given her into her palm.
Kori chuckled. “It’s a gorgeous ring, Keke. Congratulations.”
“Kori, I know you’re marrying my dad and I couldn’t be happier for you two,” Sabrina said, giving Kori a hug. “It’s still a little Game of Thrones icky.”
Kori rolled her eyes. Sabrina had insisted on calling Marshall “dad” as much as she could around Kori to torment Kori and remind her of their age difference, which was barely fifteen years.
Kat shrugged. “Still hot for his age.”
Keke laughed.
Marshall wasted no time, proposing a month after they reunited. He and Kori had settled on Denver as the place to live and start their business. Kori already had a few clients signed to her virtual assistant firm, the money they generated being more than enough to keep her employed. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with Marshall and get their company off the ground.
Marshall was a money guy at heart, but he always had a thing for investigation. Fraud was a natural choice. They had partnered with Daemon Knight, and would officially launch a fraud investigative unit after the honeymoon.
Sabrina followed both Kat and Keke down the short aisle as the maid of honor. Mary escorted her daughter.
Kori took in the gorgeous Italian sunset backdrop; deep hues of purple, orange, and blue reflecting off the waters that surrounded their yacht. Treating their closest friends and family to a destination wedding had been the perfect idea. Since Kori didn’t have a chance to see much of Italy, she and her husband would go on a cruise, followed by a European tour, a few nights in Bora Bora, and then a quick stop in Fiji.
He was determined to give her the vacation of a lifetime.
At the altar, Marshall took Kori’s hands in his own. “You look stunning,” he whispered.
“Thank you, so do you,” she said while allowing her gaze to roam over his body fitted perfectly in his off-white tuxedo. He was going to be all hers in a few moments. Her body hummed with excitement. Kori couldn’t wait.
Neither could Marshall, but Kori insisted on taking three months to plan the wedding so Marshall could be sure. She never should’ve doubted his intentions. He was as driven in his pursuit of her as he was in their new business venture. Their three-month engagement seemed like forever. She had a whole life to look forward to with Marshall.
And he wanted children right away. Although fitness was important to his lifestyle, Marshall didn’t like the idea of being on social security by the time his kids were in college. Kori couldn’t imagine Marshall being old enough for social security, but she agreed starting a family would be the sweetest way to start their new life together—other than eating the wedding cake Kat specifically baked for them.
Her lips met Marshall’s in their first kiss as a married couple, full of protection and promise. They faced a cheering crowd. Mary’s face was wet with tears, her grin stretching up her cheeks to the outer corners of her eyes. Kori smiled at her mother and then her sisters.
They had made it. Despite everything, there truly was such a thing as happily ever after.
Advance to start reading Hers to Hold
Hers to Hold Chapter One
Is it always like this?
Kadynce Martin squeezed her shoulders up as people on either side of her reached across the counter to pick up their orders.
“You couldn’t have come at a better time.”
“I can see,” Kady agreed with the assistant manager as she surveyed the bakery.
Katrina Kaye’s bakery—Kaye’s Kakes—was legitimately the place to be on an early Monday morning. The modest-sized shop was packed wall to wall with people either eating, waiting for orders, or trying to place an order. Kady heard the one-time pastry chef had elevated herself to national cooking-show stardom in a matter of minutes. Looks like she’s the real deal. Kady considered ordering a cupcake to be in the know.
But she wasn’t here to eat the products; she was here to sell them.
“I have an appointment for nine,” she shouted over the crying baby squirming in its mother’s arm beside her. “To interview for the counter position.”
“Yes! Yes, I know,” the manager nodded. She passed the mother a box. “Here’s your order, ma’am. We apologize for the wait. A dozen special order cupcakes. We’ve included an extra cupcake for free. The newest flavor. We hope you enjoy it.”
“Oh! I’m sure I will. See you on Saturday!” And the woman sliced through the crowd using her box of cupcakes as a sword.
“Whew! One down, about a hundred more to go.”
Kady read the woman’s name tag. Olivia. She looked about the same age as Kady, late twenties, even with her baker’s hat on and a streak of flour running across her cheek. Shouldn’t she be in the back baking?
Maybe that’s why they’re hiring.