Tempting: A Cinderella Billionaire Story

by Sophie Brooks

  Epilogue

  THE VOICES of senior citizens rang out from all sides.

  “Darcy, the lemonade fell over!”

  “Darcy, I think I’m allergic to the strawberries I ate!”

  “Darcy, Mr. Jensen dropped his cane in the pond!”

  “Darcy, I caught a fish!”

  There were seven other staff members here at the annual Hampton Acres May Day picnic, but everyone was calling for me. Luckily, I had a secret weapon—a secret weapon with superpowers. I turned to Luke and pleaded with my eyes.

  “I’ll get the cane and the fish,” he said, and I gave him a quick hug of gratitude. And later tonight, when we were alone, I was going to show him exactly how grateful I was.

  As I rushed around putting out fires—including a literal one set by a resident who’d dropped a match—I reflected how I’d miss this. Hanging out with my favorite senior citizens by this beautiful little pond surrounded by willow trees. But this would be the last time, at least in this park. Our retirement center was expanding, and we’d be moving to a new building twenty miles away in June.

  It was good that our center was growing, and I was happy to know I’d been a part of that. Still, I wasn’t thrilled about the upcoming move, because I finally felt settled. Content, even. I had a great career, a great apartment, and a great boyfriend. But who was I kidding—it was Luke I was concerned about. Once our center relocated, I’d be adding an extra thirty-five minutes to my drive each way. And that was over an hour that I could be spending with him if I lived closer to my workplace.

  “Darcy, you’re almost out of drinks and ice.” That voice was quite familiar. I smiled as Mrs. T. hurried over. “John’s making a run to the store, and he asked me to get you. Bring Luke—he can carry those big bags of ice.”

  I suppressed a grin. Mrs. T. hadn’t changed much. Her fears that her brain would turn to mush the minute she set foot in a retirement center were clearly unfounded. I did a quick survey of the grounds and saw that the other staff members had things well in hand. Luke was game to go, too. Quite frankly, I think he was relieved to escape the half dozen seniors who wanted their hooks baited time and time again.

  Luckily, they hadn’t caught much, so he didn’t smell too fishy. But I would’ve kissed him, as I did when he opened the door for the shuttle for me, even if he had.

  “Are you sure this isn’t a beer run?” Luke asked once we were settled in the second row. John and Mrs. T. were up front. “Because I’ve been on beer runs, and this is what one looks like.”

  “Don’t pay him any attention,” Mrs. T. told John. “He used up all his brain cells taking his final exams last week.”

  John chuckled. “Congratulations, by the way. Darcy told me you graduated. What are you going to next?”

  “I’m hoping to get a managerial position at a nicer hotel. Mine’s not as much fun now that Darcy and Mrs. T. aren’t there any longer.”

  “Is that horny idiot still there? Larry or Gary or whatever?” Mrs. T. wanted to know.

  “Yep. I think he’s the only one from your time who’s still there.”

  John pulled the shuttle into the parking lot of a convenience store. Luke and I hopped out, but Mrs. T. waved off our invitation to join us.

  We bought chips, soda, and three bags of ice, which Luke quickly transported to the back of the shuttle. When we’d loaded the last bag, he glanced back at the store. “I forgot something. Wait here, okay?”

  I leaned against the shuttle as I looked up at the blue sky. The late afternoon sun felt good on my skin. Usually, I was inside working at this time of the day.

  A minute later, Luke jogged up, a white plastic bag in his hand. “All set?” I asked him.

  “Just one more thing,” he said, and he put one hand on the shuttle above my head as he leaned in. My eyes closed and my head tilted back as he moved in, claiming my mouth with his own. Even after dating for seven months, his touch still made my heart pound. Made my blood race. Made every part of my body yearn for him.

  He pressed me against the van as he thoroughly explored my mouth. I fisted my hand in his hair, holding him close to me. Like I never wanted to let him go.

  When he finally pulled away, he buried his face in my hair, whispering in my ear in a sexy, rumbly voice he knew drove me wild. “Have I told you today how beautiful you are?”

  “Just twice,” I said, my voice low and husky to my own ears. His kisses had that effect on me.

  “Then I’m a crappy boyfriend. You’re beautiful, Darcy.” He smoothed my hair back from my face and smiled down at me, planting a quick kiss on the tip of my nose. Taking my hand in his, he led me around to the shuttle door. He slid it open in time for us to see John and Mrs. T. jumping away from each other. For a long moment, we stared at the spot where their heads had been a moment before. Looks like Luke and I weren’t the only ones sneaking in some kisses.

  “Don’t you know how to knock?” Mrs. T. snapped as John started the engine. But as he pulled out of the parking lot, I could see a flush of redness and a faint smile on her face.

  Luke pulled out his phone while I looked out the window. A moment later, my phone vibrated. The text was from him: Did you know we were on a double date?

  Stifling a laugh, I texted him back: When the women of Hampton Acres find out John’s taken, there’s going to be a riot.

  He replied: I’ll protect you.

  I looked over as he set his phone down and flexed his muscles. Laughing, I slid across the bench and his arm went around me. I reached up and placed a quick kiss on the side of his face. “I know you will,” I whispered.

  Hours later, all the residents were back at the center, either taken by John in the shuttle or their families. I’d stayed to supervise the cleanup, but that was mostly done, too. Luke loaded the last of the picnic supplies into my car and then found me out by the lake. Now that it was quiet, it was a beautiful spot. Weeping willow branches grazed the water.

  He came up next to me and took my hand. “You know, this place is a lot prettier when you’re not handling bait and pissed off fish.”

  “Most places are,” I said, turning to him with a smile. He was holding that white plastic bag he’d gotten from the convenience store. I still didn’t know what was in it. “So I take it that fishing is not one of your many superpowers?”

  “Fortunately, no,” he said, with a wicked gleam in his eyes, probably because the majority of his so-called superpowers involved things we did in the bedroom. “Are you excited about moving into the new facility?” he asked. “Your first office with a window. Not everyone achieves that in their mid-twenties.”

  “Yeah, I know. I think it’ll be good, but it’s a longer commute. That means less time spent with you.” That thought still saddened me. Things we really good between us, but I wanted more Luke time, not less.

  “I’ve been thinking about that,” he said. “So I got you this.” He handed me the bag, and I opened it, pulling out a copy of today’s newspaper.

  “What’s this?” I said, surprised.

  “It’s a newspaper. It’s kind of like an online news feed only it updates slower and smudges more easily.”

  I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help but laugh. He was so damn cute. “Thanks for that history lesson, but why am I holding it?”

  “Because, right here in the middle, after the headlines but before the comics, is the classified section. Which has many categories including apartment listings.”

  “You’re thinking of getting your own place?” I asked. He’d shared an apartment with his brother to save on costs while he was putting himself through school. But now that he’d graduated and was looking for a better job, maybe he could get an apartment of his own.

  “Actually, I was thinking maybe we could look for our own place. Somewhere by your new work.”

  “When—” My next question faltered as I replayed his words in my head. Was he suggesting that we move in together? “You mean—you mean we’d live together? As a couple?�
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  He chuckled at my look of astonishment. “That’s exactly what I mean,” he said. “Live together. Eat together. Sleep together. Shower together.” That last one was accompanied by a sexy wink.

  “Oh my god, really?” Happiness bubbled up inside me and threatened to burst out the top of my head. I dropped the newspaper and threw myself into his arms. “Really?”

  “Really,” he said. “I’ve been interviewing at some hotels down that way, and I have a callback next week.”

  “That’s great!” I said, reaching up to kiss him on the lips.

  “So I take it that’s a yes?” he said, grinning down at me.

  “Definitely a yes,” I said.

  “Good. Because I want you in my life Darcy. I don’t want to spend anymore time apart from you. I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” I said, and I held him close, squeezing him so tightly it would have hurt someone with lesser strength. But I couldn’t help it—I was so damn happy. Everything was working out. My career was on a good track. His would be soon. He loved me, and I loved him, and we were going to be together, every single day.

  I wouldn’t trade that for all the superpowers in the world.

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  Also by Sophie Brooks

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  Except with Ford. He’s the one man who never asks for fake moans or empty flirtations. He wants the girl behind the fantasy… the real Autumn. And she can’t help wishing he were more than a voice in the night.

  When Autumn’s in danger and Ford rushes to her rescue, their unlikely connection becomes a Cinderella story. But Autumn has a secret of her own… one that could tear apart their fairy-tale romance.

  Bad Boys By Night

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  Meet your new book boyfriend! Will it be Callum, the scorching hot celebrity chef of Cheyenne's dreams? Or Jake, Fiona's ex-boyfriend who will stop at nothing to win her back? Or Luke, who is Darcy's friend but wants to be so much more? Or Ian, whose wife Alyssa challenges him to make their relationship sizzle again? Or maybe Justin, who finds out how hot it can be when he and his girlfriend Lily take their relationship in a new direction?

  Five sizzling hot men. Five happily ever afters. No cheating. No cliffhangers. Read through Kindle Unlimited or buy on Amazon!