Seriously? Does this little trait ever go away?
“And what did Wade have to say?”
“Not much. Too much. A lot. Nothing.”
“Yeah?” He brushes his fingers over the mark that he left at the base of my neck the night before last before pulling away from me enough to make eye contact.
“He knows.”
“About what?”
“Everything. You. Me. Us. The baby.”
“Should I set up a wall of security around myself, so he doesn’t castrate me?”
“No,” I breathe out as I reach over to undo the top button of his black collared shirt.
“Am I allowed to take you ring shopping or will I have to go through him first?”
“Liam, don’t be preposterous. Of course you can take me.”
He leans in and sinks his teeth into my bottom lip as his hands move underneath the fine material of my shirt. I moan against his lips on instinct, completely forgetting that we aren’t alone in the library.
“I swear to God, if you two don’t get a room, I’ll pull my pants down and start getting myself off because of all the sexual tension in here right now.”
He laughs against my lips before moving away from me. “It’s Eden, right?”
“It sure is.”
“Take care of my girl while she’s here. I don’t need her lifting anything heavy either in the state that she’s currently in.”
She salutes the bastard and turns back around to stock the shelves. Liam knows how to get what he wants out of women, but who can blame her? I mean, look at him!
“Are you ready to go?”
“I guess. I’ll go grab my keys.”
“No need, doll. I did a little shopping of my own earlier today.”
“Oh? Buying what? A sex doll?”
“You’re all the doll I need, Isla. Come on, I’ll show you.”
He reaches down and takes my hand, leading me through the front door of Blended and into the sunshine to the only car currently parked in Blended’s customer lot.
He reaches into his pocket and unlocks it before we reach the passenger door. “Wait. You bought this?”
“Yeah. I was going to go with something a bit sportier, but since we’re expecting, I figured that this beauty could pass as a dad vehicle as well as Jensen wheels.”
Instead of taking a seat in the blacked-out Maserati Quattroporte, I turn into his body and kiss him fervently. God, I love this man. He might know how to spoil himself, but he takes care of what’s his, no matter what.
“I think that you’ve made a good choice,” I say, feeling rather lightheaded from that kiss.
His hand lands firmly on my ass before he takes a step back and holds the door open for me. “Get in.”
I do as I’m instructed and take a seat on the lush dark-brown leather, running my hand over the center console, and watch as Liam climbs into the driver’s seat.
“I think that it’s my turn to be horngry.”
No man should ever look the way Liam does right now as he backs out of the spot he was in and pulls onto the street.
He glances behind us to the backseat, and a proud smirk appears on his chiseled jaw. “We could make it work in here, doll.”
“I’d like to try.”
“I think I’m digging these hormones. You’re getting adventurous. Maybe next time, you’ll let me fuck you while we’re at the ballpark. It’s always been a fantasy of mine.”
I chew on the corner of my lip as he whips us around a corner and I squeal when he comes to an abrupt stop at the stoplight.
“Holy shit, cowboy, don’t kill me before you’ve put a ring on it.”
He shakes his head and starts driving like a grandma when the light turns green.
“Jesus. Liam, just drive the damn thing like you mean it.”
His hand moves to my inner thigh, and he slowly edges his fingers between my crossed legs. He enjoys holding me like this, and I don’t mind it one bit. It’s as if he’s securing himself to me while his body is otherwise occupied.
“I’ve been thinking about heading down to see my folks tomorrow. Are you game?”
“Tomorrow? Liam, Blended just reopened its doors after the expansion. I cannot leave them high and dry. Especially not now.”
“Well, it’s a fuck-lucky thing that we know the owner then, isn’t it?”
“You didn’t,” I gasp and slap the back of his hand with mine.
“I did, and we’re leaving after your shift tonight. My jet will be ready and waiting to take us down to the Keys.”
I settle back into the seat and glance over at him. “All right. Whisk me away on your big boy toy. I could do with a tan, and I’d love to stick my toes in the sand. Plus, I’ll get to see where you grew up.”
“That you will. I’d prefer to get a hotel, but if you’d like to stay with my mother, then we can do that as well.”
“I think that we’d knock the house off of its stilts if we stayed with them.”
His warm chuckle fills the Maserati’s interior, making me shift in my seat as he pulls up in front of Harry Winston. I look out the window, and my jaw drops open.
“What? No, this is too much.”
He puts the vehicle in park and swings his door open without a care in the world and walks around to open my door. “If you don’t get out, we’ll miss our appointment.”
“You have an appointment?”
“Yes, we have an appointment. Now, are you going to let me do this or not?” he asks as he looks down at me like I’ve lost my mind. I squeeze my thighs together and unbuckle the seatbelt before taking his hand.
We’re greeted as we walk inside and then shown around the boutique before we’re given the space to walk around together. We’re the only ones in here, and I’m taken aback by the attention that is provided to us. After looking over a couple of the rings, my eye keeps catching on a cushion-cut diamond micropave engagement ring. Liam seems to take notice and laces his fingers through mine before asking to see the ring.
“This is too much,” I say under my breath, but he doesn’t listen to me when the ring is placed on a velvet tray in front of him. He picks it up and admires it for a second before his striking dark eyes meet mine. He reaches for my left hand and slowly slides the cold metal onto my left ring finger.
“This one is three and a half karats set in platinum with the micropave frame and band,” the saleswoman says, but all I can focus on is Liam.
“Do you like it, beautiful?”
“I love it,” I say softly and move my frame into his larger one as his arms move around me, securing my body to his.
“I love you, Isla.”
“Love you, dickweed,” I say against his shirt.
His frame vibrates silently against mine as I rest my head against his chest. This is where I want to be. Right here with him. The entire world could fade away around us, and I’d still be in this bubble with him.
“I’ll give the two of you a moment,” she says and starts to walk off, but Liam stops her before she can get too far.
“No, we’re ready to finalize the purchase.”
“Yes, sir. If you’ll both follow me, we’ll get everything squared away.”
I haven’t let go of Liam as they speak, but now I have no other choice but to detach as we follow her to a private room. I hand over the ring to her before taking a seat next to my fiancé.
Holy fuck me.
He reaches over and wraps his fingers around my thigh as they start to discuss the ring’s lifetime warranty and payment methods. When she slides the detailed sheet of paper in front of him with the five-figure price tag on it, I almost pass out.
I grip onto the table and throw a glance at him. “Liam. That’s too much.”
He looks over at me and shuts me up with his lips before pulling back. “Stop putting a price on what we have.”
I glance down at the paperwork and truly let the price of it sink in: it costs more than the average car does, but I know bet
ter than to argue with him. This man is stupid-crazy for loving me, and mad-crazy for making me tear up right now.
“Hey,” he says to draw me away from my thoughts.
“I’m sorry, I’m just emotional.”
He squeezes my thigh and genuinely smiles at me. “You’re beautiful.”
I blow out a deep breath while staring up at the ceiling to halt the tears that are begging to surface. Before he turns back to the saleswoman who I’m sure is going to make one hell of a commission on this purchase, he squeezes my thigh again. I rein in my emotions as they continue their conversation. Liam has his checkbook out and at the ready. This man is absurd.
As it turns out, they didn’t have my size in this particular store, but Liam agreed to pay extra to have it flown in from New York City by tonight. Extra meaning that he spent the same amount as the ring on this little arrangement. He insisted that it was worth it when he’d show up at his parents’ house with the ring sitting pretty on my finger.
Today he’s being careless and reckless when it comes to his money, but I don’t want to deny him what he wants. It’s rather rare to have him spend this kind of money on himself when he has Remission Worldwide to concern himself with. I know that I shouldn’t think twice about it because the amount of money that he has in stocks and bank accounts rivals what Waylon has. He’s a smart man, despite what people assume. Once he signs off on the papers, he puts ink to his checkbook and writes one out for the full amount before handing it off to the saleswoman.
If this is how he’s going to spoil me, I cannot begin to imagine what it’s going to be like in seven months.
“You didn’t have to do any of this, you know.”
“I know that, doll, but I wanted to. I need to see that ring on you, or I might fucking combust with envy if one more man dares to look at you.”
“You won’t have to worry about that for too long. I’m going to be the size of a small whale before you know what hit you.”
“Don’t doubt yourself. I’m excited to watch you grow with my child. Now get your ass back to work.”
I giggle and lean over to kiss his cheek, but he turns his face, and we spend the next fifteen minutes making out in the parking lot in his new ride like we’re seniors in high school.
I break away from him long enough to open the door and step out, but he reaches for me once more.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you that you’ll have a security detail around you for a while after the break-in at RW. I’ve flown a couple of my men in from Australia. I trust them, and Grady will be the one taking care of you for a while.”
“I have a bodyguard? What could be so bad that I need one?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Implicitly.”
He nods and winks. “Then trust me.”
I sigh at how absurdly handsome he is once I’ve closed the vehicle’s door behind me and blow a single kiss in his direction as I walk back into Blended.
We’ve been slammed at Blended all night long, and I’m beyond worn out, but the bubbling excitement to head somewhere with Liam is what seems to be getting me through the long night.
I sit down at the desk in my office for the first time tonight and let out a soundless exhalation as I take in the silent reprieve and sore feet.
After a few moments of quiet, I dig my phone out of my pocket, and a giddy feeling slides over me at the sight of Liam’s text: I have Hadley over packing a bag for you. I hope that you don’t mind.
This man. I swear. He’s so damn impatient.
Ever since I told him that I’m in love with him, he seems to go out of his way to make sure that I have everything that I need, but if I truly think about it, he’s been doing that since day one.
I tap out a response on my phone before hitting send: Hi, stranger. I’m sorry that I’m just now getting back to you. I don’t mind, just as long as she packs all of my bikinis.
He’s the purest of distractions that my mind needs right now, and I’d much rather be naked and contorted around him than feeling run-down and too exhausted for my liking. My phone goes off, and I close out of Instagram to read his message.
I believe she did. I’m about to walk into Blended. We’ll get a car to the airport.
I don’t mean to, but I jump up and manage to knock over my new desk chair as I run out into the front room of Blended that is buzzing with people and the sweet smell of cigars and whiskey.
Eden walks by me and gives me a skewed look as she hands a patron his tumbler. “You all right?”
“I’m great. Have you seen Liam? He said that he was about to walk in.”
She rolls her eyes at me and looks around the room. Thank God that she’s able to see more from her taller height’s vantage point than I can because she smiles and waves in the direction of the door.
“He just saw me. Have fun,” she says, and hip-checks me before walking back behind the bar.
I watch as the bodies move aside as he takes the last few steps toward me. He doesn’t slow down his rushed pace until he has me in his arms and my feet are off of the ground. His firm mouth claims mine, and I get absolutely lost in his scent, warmth, and love. He pulls his lips away from mine, and I almost whimper in need, but I somehow manage to contain it. Which, in turn, saves the patrons around me from figuring out just how fucking horny I am at the moment.
“I think that it’s safe to say that I missed you.”
“Liam Jensen, you have officially lost your mind, and you might be too young for this midlife-crisis bullshit.”
“As young as you are old,” he chuckles, and I smack his chest.
“Liam,” I scold and try to pull out of his arms.
“Uh-uh. You’re not going anywhere but with me.”
“Make me.”
He shrugs and lifts me up like I weigh five pounds before throwing me over his shoulder.
“What the fuck? Liam! I’m at work; you can’t do this here.”
“Oh, but I already am.”
“Dick,” I hiss as he walks us to my office and shuts and then bolts the door behind us before he sets me upright on my feet.
“I thought that you’d want to do this in the privacy of your office.”
“Do what?” I ask as I try to wipe the giddy grin off of my face.
I watch him reach into his pocket and pull out a ring box.
I start to giggle uncontrollably because this is actually happening . . . again. “You could have done this in front of thousands of people, and you know that I’d still say yes.”
“Yeah?” He raises his eyebrow and grabs hold of my hand.
Before I can complain, he’s dragging me back out and into the main room in Blended where he leads me to the middle of the floor and yells out to Eden to bring him a glass of whiskey.
She complies by taking the one she’s carrying to a member off of her tray and hands it to him instead. He takes a long drink before setting it back on her tray and turns to me.
“What are you doing, Jensen?” I ask hesitantly.
His answer? Well, the bastard drops down onto one knee, and my heart starts to beat wildly, almost knocking me out.
Holy motherfucking shit.
“Isla Madden. The first time I asked you this, I didn’t have a ring,” he says before he clears his throat and I slap my hands over my mouth to try and stop the tears that are already starting to roll down my cheeks.
The room has gone from bustling to a low hum with almost everyone’s eyes trained on us.
“I’ve confessed my truths to you, and you know the baggage I carry alongside me day in and day out. Yet you manage to look past all of that shit and see me for the man I am.”
I watch his Adam’s apple work as he swallows and opens the two sides of the navy ring box. Inside the box is the ring that I picked out earlier today nestled in a navy cushion.
The women around us who are able to get a good look at the ring all seem to gasp, and I cannot help the sob that escapes my lips as the tears blur my vision
.
“Baby doll, will you walk down the aisle to me in white? Will you grant me those classic red lips whenever I need them? Will you allow me to choose you without pause? Will you start this journey with me? Be incandescently happy with me, and say yes when I ask you to marry me?”
I’m a blubbering mess as he speaks, but he’s still looking up at me like I’m the only reason that he’s still on this planet. Before I get the opportunity to give him my answer, he speaks again.
“So, Isla, will you do this thing with me and wear this rock that makes you look engaged?”
I’m about to suffocate if I don’t allow my body to breathe. All I can do is start nodding down at him because I can’t say the words if I can’t get enough oxygen into my body.
He gets up and pulls me against his hard chest before engulfing me in his arms and whispering, I love you, I love you, I love you, over and over again into my ear.
I don’t know what’s happening around me, but all that I can concentrate on is the feel of his body along mine as I break down in his arms.
“Shh, beautiful,” he says as I pull away from him long enough to wipe the smeared makeup off from underneath my eyes.
“Do we have a deal?” he asks me quietly as he tilts my chin up with two fingers.
“Yes. We have a deal,” I somehow manage to get out through my quivering lips and all-too-raspy voice.
Another minute passes before I’m able to collect myself enough to move away from him, and when I do he reaches for my left hand and brings it to his lips. Instead of kissing me like I assume he’s going to, he takes my ring finger into his mouth and sucks on it for a second, which earns him one hell of a reaction from those who are watching.
I can’t help but be utterly turned on and anxious at the same time as I watch him pull my finger out from between his lips. He holds my hand out palm down as he slowly starts to push the platinum ring up and over my knuckle to the base of my ring finger where I hope that it stays for as long as I live.
“You own me.” His voice sounds hoarse with emotion as he stares at me.
“You love me.”
“I do. Should I have done that in private?”
I shake my head no and melt into his chest again as he holds onto me like I’m going to magically vanish.
Intertwined: A Redemption Novel Page 19