by Mia Ford
I glance over his head, refusing to acknowledge his remarks. It’s all well and good saying that to me, but it doesn’t help me while the anticipation is so hot. Even if I do think it’ll go smoothly, I just want to get started.
“Why isn’t she here yet? I told her to meet me here. Her mom is supposed to be helping out with Jordan…”
“It’s only just seven,” Jones replies while looking at his watch. “I wouldn’t worry too much.”
I’ve hired out the whole Italian restaurant where me and Cici had our very first date all that time ago, and Jones has been with me decorating it. He could go now, I’m sure he’s got plenty of other things that he’d rather be doing, but he’s waiting with me because he can tell that I need it. He’s good like that, it’s why I like him. He might make mistakes along the way, but he always learns from them, and I respect that a lot now.
While I wait, I idly rub my finger along the scar on my torso. I used to do that with the one on my cheek, but that injury is much less prominent in my life now. Yes, I survived the knife attack, but what I survived the second time around was so much more significant. I lost a lot of things then and I almost lost more. I almost ruined everything. Thank God Cici gave me a second chance, and I’m so glad that I’ve used that to my advantage. I’ve been romantic, attentive, a better father… I’ve really made sure that she’s happy with my second chance. This scar represents that, it reminds me that I always need to be the best version of myself because Cici deserves that.
“Ah, there she is!” Jones’s tone grows in excitement. “It’s time, boss. I’m going to get out of here.”
As he pats me on the back, I grit my teeth and ignore the fact that he’s called me ‘boss’ again. Somehow or another, I’m going to have to knock that out of him. I can’t have him calling me that forever.
“Wish me luck,” I grunt back. I hear him say good luck to me, but I’m barely listening anymore. My eyes are fixed on the vision of beauty who’s floating into the room like an angel sent down from heaven. She truly is gorgeous, I’m the luckiest man alive. Her red hair fluffs around her pale face, her eyes sparkle at me, and the black dress that she’s wearing clings to every curve perfectly. I’m the luckiest man alive.
“Hey there!” she calls out to me while raising one hand. “What is this? I didn’t think it was going to be so fancy.” She glances down at her outfit. “I don’t know if I’m really dressed the part.”
I let out a bellowing laugh. “Oh, Cici, you are funny. You’re dressed far too fancy for pizza.”
“Yeah well.” She shrugs defensively. “It’s not like I get to go out much, is it? I usually have my baby with me. So, if I get offered the chance to be taken out on a date, then yes, I’m going to dress up nice.”
I pouf up her hair, loving the soft strands, and smile. “Well, you look gorgeous so I’m glad.”
“You’re dressed up too.” She points to my charcoal suit. “So, you can hardly argue with me.”
“Yeah, that’s true.” I rush to the table that’s been set up especially in the middle of the room. “Please, take a seat. The waiter will be over to take your order any minute now.”
She glances around the room, clearly suspicious. “What’s going on? There’s no one else here.”
“Never you mind that.” I give her a wink. “Take a seat.” Thankfully she does what I ask. “Good, now what would you like to eat? I hear they do the most amazing pizzas here in the world.”
Cici laughs, thankfully seemingly distracted from the lack of other customers. I want her to know that this is a special night, but I don’t want her to guess exactly what I have planned just yet. I want it to be a bit of a surprise when it happens. It’s been a while, things have been going on between us for nearly two years now, but in a weird way it still feels like this is a bit quick. I suppose that’s because I was checked out for a lot of it. Well, all that mess might have stolen some time from us, but it won’t have any more. We’re moved on from it. Annabelle and the other people left from the operation are all rotting in jail, where they’ll be for most of their lives, and me and Cici are moving on. We truly are the winners in all of this. We get to have our lives.
I stare at her as she examines the menu, admiring her beauty. She’s so graceful and wonderful, the perfect mother and wife. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her. I used to believe that commitment wasn’t my thing, that I didn’t ever want to settle down, but truth be told I simply hadn’t found the right person.
Now, I have her for sure. Cici is the one, the woman of my dreams.
I had a whole plan, there was a way that I wanted to do this, but all of that feels staged now. I just want to say it before I lose my nerve. I’ve built this up, made it something insane, but it’s time to just do it. I rise up, I make my way over to her, and I immediately drop to one knee in front of her. My fingers dig into my pockets.
“What are you doing?” Cici asks me curiously. “Have you dropped something?”
She must be the only woman in the world who wouldn’t immediately know what I’m doing, but that’s why I like her so much. Cici isn’t like anyone I’ve ever met before and I’m sure I won’t again. Finally, I find the box and I pull it free. I flick it open to reveal the emerald ring inside, sitting in a gold band.
“Cici, I told you once that I wanted to marry you, that I wanted to make you my wife, but I haven’t ever made good on that promise. That isn’t to say that my desire has lessened at all. I’ve wanted to marry you ever since I first realized that I’d fallen in love with you.” Cici claps her hand to her mouth in shock as all the jigsaw pieces fall together and she understands. “You are the most incredible woman in the world. You’re sweet, kind, caring, resilient as hell, and a kick ass mother on top of that. I couldn’t ask for more. Once upon a time, I asked you for a second chance. I wanted to be able to make up for my past mistakes and make you happy, and thankfully you said yes. I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done otherwise. All I want to do is make you happy, I love seeing that smile on your face, I adore knowing that we are perfect for one another, that we can make it through.”
“Oh, Will.” Cici shakes her head as a tear streams down her cheek. “I can’t believe this.”
“Cici, plain and simple, I want you to be my wife. I want your face to be the one that I wake up to every single day. I want you to be the woman who I grow old with, I want you to be my wife.” I let out a little chuckle before I finally get to my question. It feels great to finally set it free, it’s been weighing on me for too long now. “So, what do you say? Will you make me the happiest man alive and agree to be my wife?”
Cici pauses for a beat too long, but thankfully it’s only because the emotion has caught her, not because she’s debating what her answer should be. “I can’t believe you, Will, this is so unexpected.”
“That doesn’t sound like an answer,” I tease her. “Come on, don’t leave me hanging here.”
“Of course, I will, silly”. She extends her finger and lets me slide the ring on. “As if I’d say no.”
I jump up and wrap my arms around her, holding her close to me. There was a time when it seemed like our attraction to one another might turn out to be fatal, that it was a terrible idea and that the only reason we were sticking it out was for our son. But not anymore. Now, we have a beautiful, bright future spread out in front of us, and it’s going to be wonderful. I can’t wait for me and Cici to get started towards our happy ever after.
Epilogue – Cici
The beautiful white lacy dress clings tightly to my body and swishes around my feet. It makes me feel so stunning, I absolutely love it. I wish all of my clothes were as pretty as this… not that I have time for all the fuss, I suppose. I look nice, but it took me hours and a stylist to get me to where I am right now.
“Are you okay?” Michelle asks me curiously. “You aren’t thinking about backing out, are you?”
I let out a hollow laugh. “Of course not. There’s no way! Th
is is the right thing for me to do, I’m just nervous is all. It’s pretty crazy to think that we’re here, on our wedding day, after all this time.”
“What’s crazy is that I didn’t like Will at first,” she muses. “I even tried to talk you out of it. I suppose if I knew what was going to happen with your idiot cousin and her husband, I might have still done that, but if I knew how much he was going to protect and love you, then definitely not.” She straightens down my dress and checks me all over. “I suppose he’s proof that you can change the bad boy after all.”
“I still maintain that he wasn’t ever a bad boy really. He’s a cop after all, but I know what you mean.”
Michelle reaches forward and she rests her hand on my stomach. “Well, you two are proof that anyone can find love, even in the most unsuspecting of places. Maybe Bill the guy from the supermarket will end up being my one.” She shrugs and smiles. “I suppose anything is possible, right?”
I nod, understanding her completely. “Yes, I think you’re right. Anything is possible, although I really don’t think Bill is the one for you. Judging by your tone of voice you’re already bored of him.”
“You know me too well.” Michelle nods quite seriously. “But I will find love eventually. I know that now.”
I hold her hand where it rests on my stomach. “I know that I’ve said it before, but I want to say it again. Thank you so much for everything that you’ve done for me, and I’m so sorry that you got caught up in all that mess.”
“Oh, don’t mention it.” She waves her hand dismissively, as if it’s nothing but I know that it isn’t. It was a nightmare, it left her traumatized for a while. She doesn’t like to speak of it now, but we both know. “It’s fine.” She rubs her hand up and down over the swollen size of it. “Now, let’s get you down that aisle before this baby comes. Your mother will never forgive me if you give birth in the dress that she made especially for you.”
“Michelle, I’m only six months along,” I laugh. “I know I look bigger because it’s twin girls, but I still have a while yet. And Mom didn’t make the dress, she just had to adjust it when we found out.”
Another surprise, but a very happy one. With Will, it’s easy to just go with the flow because we know that we can take on anything. Two more kids are no issue when we’ve faced death and come out the other side.
Michelle slips her arm through mine and she guides me towards the hall where we’re having the wedding. It won’t be a grand affair like the Annabelle and Landon had, we only have a very few people there; my mom and auntie, our friends, some of the police officers, but it’ll be so much more real. It doesn’t need to be fancy, because it’s us and our love shines through. That’s all that matters to us.
As we reach the room and I see Will at the end of the aisle, his face lights up with glee. He’s giving me that look again, the one where I can see the intense love behind his gaze. It always makes me feel incredibly special when he looks at me like that. A shiver runs up and down my spine and I can’t keep the smile off my face.
‘Hi,’ I mouth silently at him with grin.
‘Hey, he mouths back, as if this is a casual conversation. I want to laugh at how ridiculous we can be.
The music starts up and I glide as smoothly as I can down the aisle with my big baby bump while keeping my eyes fixed on him the entire time. He looks so incredibly handsome that I just want to scream. I need to yell out into the world to let them know that this man is going to be my husband. Mine forever.
“Momma!” Jordan bursts free from my mom’s arms and he runs as fast as his little legs can carry him towards me. I extend out my hand and let him walk with me. “Momma, you’re pretty.”
Laughter bursts out around the aisle, which I don’t mind at all. This isn’t a regimented affair where I need eyes to all be on me, this is a family even which involves all of us. If Jordan wants to be with me then so be it. After all, this affects him too. I only don’t have him already because I wasn’t sure that he’d want to. Sometimes he can get a little shy and I didn’t want to put any pressure on him.
“Thank you, sweetie. Are you going to walk with me to daddy?”
He clutches on to me and walks me forwards, taking me nearer and nearer to the man who I’m going to love forever more. Will looks like his whole world is walking towards him, which I suppose we are. Me, Jordan, and our girls. The little family that seemed to come from nowhere and has led to the happiest time of my life. Our animalistic attraction has led to a happy ever after. Who would have thought it?
Tempt Me
Blurb
SECRETS need to be kept when so much is at stake!
Will they still give in to the temptation?
Evan Debroils
He has it all…money, women and a successful business.
He’s living the dream!
At least, that’s what it seems to the outside world.
But, in reality, his life is on a very shaky foundation!
Being a single dad to 6 years old Liam isn’t easy
Especially when memories of losing Victoria before our wedding still seem so fresh!
Katy Atwater
She worked herself to the bone to become the partner in a law firm.
She’s missed out on having any social life.
Romance seemed an alien thing.
But, none of that bothers her as long as she achieves her goal…
At least, that’s what she thinks.
When fate brings them to work together, neither expect sparks to fly.
But, soon their feelings get stronger and…
Its time, they decide if risking everything might be worth!
Chapter One – Evan
“I’m not negotiating with you,” I yell firmly down the phone. “I’ve given you my offer and that’s the end of it. I think you need to remember here that you need me way more than I need you.”
My heart thunders in my chest, boiling hot blood shoots around my body at a million miles an hour. I twirl the phone chord around my finger in a way that probably appears anxious... but anxiety isn’t how I’m feeling at all. It’s anticipation, adrenaline, excitement. I love it when a deal comes together, especially when it’s in my favor which this one definitely seems to be. I know how to get what I want and how to wrangle the best out of everyone. It’s what has made me so damn successful. Tech start-ups are never easy, but I’ve damn well done it and I’m proud of that. DeBroils Enterprises is successful because of me and me alone.
“Erm, yes, right, I see,” the weedy guy on the other end of the phone stammers like he’s crapping his pants purely because of my words. “I understand that, but my boss…”
“Are you not in a position to make any sort of decision?” I mock. “Do they not let you have that sort of power? I thought I was speaking to you for a reason. Please tell me I’m not wasting my time talking to you. I really wouldn’t want to hear anything like that.”
“No.” He sighs, I can hear the defeat in his tone. “Do you know what? Yes, that’s fine.”
I bang my hand down on my desk with glee. “Brilliant, thank you very much.”
Once I hang up the phone I cackle to myself. Maybe it isn’t the most ethical way to behave, railroading these weaker business owners, but to be honest they should know what they’re up against. I do have a reputation for putting myself and my company first, and I do know I’m not the worst. These people need to toughen the hell up. I sure don’t feel guilty. I had to learn the hard way too.
I have stakes, I need my company to succeed. Nothing else will ever matter.
“Knock. Knock.” The smile on my face only gets brighter when I hear the silky-smooth voice of my extremely well chosen personal assistant.
Ally, pops her head around the door. “Can I come in?”
I lean back in my chair and run my eyes all over her. Her heavily made up face excites me, because I know she does it just for me, especially those painted red lips, she knows I love them. They turn me on like craz
y, no matter what.
“Yes, please do. You know my door is always open for you.”
I mean that as well. I hired Ally over many other more qualified candidates because of those stunning good looks of hers. That, and the fact that she instantly made it clear that she had the hots for me. I always like to have someone who’s up for it around me. Just in case. She’s good enough at what she does, I pretty much always know where I’m supposed to be and when. And the best thing I like about her are those sexy lips. When they are wrapped around me… well, there’s nothing better!
“I’ve just come to let you know that Mr. Wong has cancelled your conference call this afternoon, citing family issues, so you have the whole afternoon free now.” She perches on the edge of my desk and leans forward so her cleavage pops out the top of her shirt. Her blonde hair falls forward, but luckily for me it doesn’t get in the way of the incredible view. The only thing distracting me is that awesome slit in her skirt. “So, you can do whatever it is that you want.”
“Oh I can, can I?” I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively at her. “Hmmm what shall I do?”
Ally flips her hair and pushes her breasts out even further at me. “I have a few ideas…”