by Levine, Nina
I’ve just made a coffee when his deep voice sounds from the door. “Lorelei.”
The way this man affects me is something I’ve never experienced before. I’ve fallen in and out of love a few times, and I’ve had many crushes, but none of that comes close to the way I feel about Ashton.
I love him at a much deeper level. One I can’t quite explain even to myself. My love is all-consuming. It’s fierce and soft, and intense and gentle all at once. Unhurried but also frantic and desperate. And above all else, it’s unconditional. Never again will I walk away from an argument and tell him I need space to figure out if I want to be with him. I want to be with Ashton forever.
He enters my office, and I can’t stop my gaze from dropping to take in his dark blue suit. Good God, the man can wear a suit.
When he reaches me, I place my hands to his chest and slide them under his jacket. “Hey.” I greet him with a smile.
Desire races through my veins from the intensity he watches me with. It’s not even ten in the morning, and I’m ready to get naked with him. As much as I love that suit, I’d love to take it off him even more.
His eyes search mine for a few moments before he finally gives me what I want—a kiss.
Snaking a hand around my waist, he pulls me close as his mouth crashes down onto mine. This isn’t a gentle kiss to say “I’m happy to see you.” It’s a bruising, claiming kiss that says “I fucking love you and never want to be separated from you again.”
It’s exactly the kiss I crave.
When he lets my mouth go, he keeps his hands firmly on me and rasps, “I hope you’ve blocked the day off.”
My knees go weak. God, how I’ve missed his bossiness. There’s nothing quite like being loved and wanted by Ashton. “Yes, I’m all yours for the entire day and night.”
“Good. I have plans for later, but first I want to take you somewhere special.”
I’m intrigued as to where he wants to take me, although it does surprise me that he doesn’t want to get me naked first. When I arrived in LA the other week, he hadn’t been able to keep his hands off me.
“Okay, I’ll just grab my bag and lock up.”
He waits patiently, keeping his eyes on me the whole time. There’s something in his mood that I’ve not experienced with him before. It’s edgy and wired, and it’s rubbing off on me. My excitement grows as I try to figure out where he wants to take me.
When I’m ready to leave, he ushers me out to his car and drives me to our destination. I’m surprised when he pulls into a car park outside my building on Willow Street.
Lifting a brow questioningly at him, I ask, “Why are we here?”
“There’s something I want to show you,” is the only answer I get before he exits the car and comes around to open my door.
I step out and let him take hold of my hand so he can guide me. We walk down the street towards Francesca’s café, and I see her watching us approach. As we draw closer, she smiles at Ashton, and it’s a knowing smile that makes me feel like I’m the only one here who’s not in on something.
“The table is ready for you,” she says to him.
He nods at her. “Thank you.” He then leads me to a table in the back of the café that has been decorated with a beautiful tablecloth and flowers.
Glancing around the café, I note it’s empty, which is unusual for this time of the morning.
As he pulls my seat out, I ask, “What’s going on, Ashton? Why are we here?” God, I hope he’s not about to tell me something I don’t like. Is that why he’s on edge?
Nerves flutter in my tummy, and I do my best to hold myself together.
He sits across from me. “It was either bring you here or take you to the McDonald’s where we went that day after the soccer match.”
I frown. “I’m lost. What do you mean?”
His eyes burn with intensity again. “I mean I wanted to bring you to the place where I first decided to make you mine. Looking back, I couldn’t quite decide if that was at McDonald’s or here. Since Willow Street is so important to you, I chose here.”
The nerves in my tummy turn into butterflies as I realise why he’s brought me here. Or at least, why I think he’s brought me here.
I’m still trying to get my thoughts in order when he continues, “Before I met you, I had a clear plan for my life. I knew exactly where I was going and I knew how to get there. I thought I knew everything.” His eyes demand my complete attention. “Turns out I didn’t quite know everything.” He reaches into his suit jacket pocket and pulls out a piece of paper. Placing it on the table, he slides it across to me. “My father taught me to approach my life the same way I approach business—with little emotion. Life is a challenge to be conquered, and everything in it is something to be owned. I win one battle, and then I move swiftly to the next. I forgot along the way what my uncle taught me about allowing passion to guide me and about getting my priorities right. And then I met you, and you changed everything.”
I can hardly breathe.
The emotion blazing from Ashton is causing my heart to beat so fast. I have no idea what’s on the piece of paper he’s given me, because I’m waiting for him to finish speaking before I read it. And I’m not sure where he’s going with all this. I thought he was going to propose to me, but this doesn’t feel like a proposal.
I stay quiet while he continues, “I told myself I wanted Willow Street because it made good business sense. And it did. But there was so much more to it than that. I just wasn’t willing to see it for anything more than business, because without my work, what purpose did my life have? Lorelei, you’ve opened up my world and reminded me of the parts to myself I buried a long time ago.” He nods at the paper. “Open it.”
“Ashton,” I start, all flustered and confused as to where he’s going with this.
He cuts me off, all bossy, “Open the letter, Lorelei.”
My hands shake as I do what he says. Whatever this is, it feels momentous, like it’s going to change something in my life.
Once I have the letter opened, I read it, and stunned doesn’t even come close to describing my reaction. If I thought my heart was beating fast before, it’s practically leaping out of my chest now.
My head jerks up and I meet his gaze again. “Oh my God….” No more words come. Ashton has stolen them all.
The letter is from his lawyer. It details that Ashton and I are now the owners of every property on Willow Street. Equal owners. It highlights the fact that I have an equal say in any development of Willow Street, and that without my consent, no development can go ahead.
Ashton stands and comes around the table to where I am. He kneels and pulls a blue box from his pocket.
My chest squeezes with love.
Taking hold of my hand, he says, “I don’t want to go through life without you. I want you by my side. Challenging me. Pushing me to be a better man. I want you to pull me back when I forget my way. I want to raise children with you, and chase my passions with you, and grow old with you.” He lets go of my hand and opens the box for me to see the exquisite diamond ring inside. “Lorelei Winters, I love you. Will you marry me?”
Tears fall down my cheeks as I nod. “Yes.” I’m a mess of emotions as I scramble off the chair and throw myself into his arms. Taking hold of his face, I continue nodding like a mad woman. “Yes, I will marry you, Ashton Scott.” My lips crash into his and I kiss him for the longest time. I don’t ever want to stop kissing this man. He is my everything.
When he finally manages to end the kiss, he blasts me with the smile of his I love. The one I can’t get enough of. I love Ashton’s intensity and his passion, but when he smiles at me, I feel I’m home.
As he slides the ring on my finger, I say, “Are you sure you know what you’re doing with those Willow Street properties? You know I won’t make it easy for you to do what you want with them, right?”
His smile doesn’t leave his face. “I’m counting on it, baby.”
Oh God.
He stands, bringing me up with him, and pulls me close. “You know I won’t make it easy for you either, right?”
I hit him with a sexy smile. “I’m counting on it, baby. Oh, and one other thing?”
He arches a brow, questioningly.
“I’m gonna need that butt plug back.”
I can do all the things he asked me to in his proposal. I can challenge him, and push him, and raise children with him, and chase our passions with him, and grow old with him, because loving him is the only thing I want to do for the rest of my life. He thinks I changed everything for him and opened up his world. What he doesn’t know is that he gave me the world. And I’m going to hold tightly to him forever.
Epilogue
Ashton - 8 Years Later
“Daddy,” Dana says, wrapping herself around my leg, “Mummy said you need to help me get dressed for the party because we’re late now.”
I reach down and pull my daughter into my arms. Her red hair shimmers in the afternoon sun that streams in through the window of our Hawaiian home. She and I spent far too long outside this morning, and when we finally came inside, Lorelei gave me the look that tells me I’ll be the death of her. On a normal day, she wouldn’t have cared how long Dana and I stayed out swimming and playing on the beach, but today she had things she wanted me to do.
Touching her nose, I smile. “Have you chosen your dress for today, princess?”
She grins and nods. “Yes, but Mummy said I can’t wear it.”
I force down a chuckle. Of course Dana has selected something Lorelei said no to. My daughter is as stubborn as my wife. And while I often go to bat for Dana, there’s no way in hell I’m going against what her mother has said about this dress. Not when Lorelei’s hormones are all over the place after the birth of our third child less than three months ago. My balls are worth more to me than that.
“How about we choose another dress together?”
Her little face scrunches into a frown. “No! I wanna wear the purple dress!”
I walk us from my bedroom to hers and deposit her on the floor. “You’ve hardly worn the blue one I bought you. I’d really like it if you picked that dress.”
She stares up at me while I search for it, her big green eyes blinking while she tries to decide. Finally, she says, “Okay,” but it’s drawn out like she’s not quite convinced.
I pull the dress from the closet and lay it on the pink Barbie blanket that covers her bed. The blanket Alessandra bought when she also bought her a million other Barbie products. Spoiled doesn’t even cover the way my sister loves my children.
Sitting, I motion for her to come to me. “I’ll help you get dressed, and then we might have to find Auntie Aly to do your hair.”
Her eyes light up. “Yes!”
Dana is a fidgety four year old, so dressing her takes a lot longer than it should, but I make it a point to remain patient with her always. I will never be my father and rush my children or push them away.
I’ve only just managed to do up the last button on her dress when she starts jumping up and down, a look of pure joy on her face. Following her gaze, I find Alessandra standing in the doorway, a huge smile on her face. The joy in her eyes matches that in Dana’s. These two share a special bond.
Entering the room, Aly spreads her arms for Dana to run into, and lifts her up. “Hello my beautiful girl. I see Daddy helped you choose a gorgeous dress.” She eyes me and adds, “And it’s one I know Mummy will love.”
Dana’s little arms fling around Alessandra’s neck. “Daddy said you will do my hair. I want a braid.”
“Do we have any magic words today?” Aly asks.
Dana nods. “Please!”
“Okay, how about you find your brush and hair tie, and I’ll do a braid. And Daddy can go and help Mummy with Autumn.”
“Are you good here?” I ask.
“Yes, you go help your wife.” As I head towards the door, she calls out, “Oh, and if you see my darling husband, please tell him it wasn’t me who put that dent in our rental car while I was out today. I found it in the carpark like that.”
I frown. “Why do you want me to tell him?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” At my puzzled expression, she adds, “You know he thinks I drive around all day trying to find cars to crash into. Well, this time it wasn’t my fault, and if that news comes from you, I’ve got half a chance of him listening.”
I shake my head. My sister never fails to amuse me. “He’s hardly going to pay attention to anything I have to say about it.”
She turns Dana around and brushes her hair while muttering, “Honestly, you men. Just trust me. I know my husband.”
“I know your husband, Aly, and I also know you. And I think we all know you’re just trying to avoid having to tell him about the dent.”
Waving her hand at me dismissively, she says, “Either way, please tell him. And also, Mum just arrived. With Marty. I thought you said he couldn’t make it?”
In the eight years since Mum left Dad, she’s dated some interesting men, Marty being the most interesting. He’s not the kind of man I would have chosen for her, being that he’s somewhat impulsive and a little too free-spirited for me, but I can’t deny he’s made her the happiest she’s ever been in her life.
Alessandra is not a fan. Marty is too loud and crude for her.
I shrug. “It was always a maybe.”
She purses her lips. “Well, if he starts telling those filthy jokes he loves, I’ll be having something to say about it. I cannot stand another night of his vulgar mouth. I just can’t fathom what Mum sees in him.”
I can. He’s the complete opposite to our father, and I’m convinced that’s what she sees in him. And for her happiness, I’ll put up with a few rude jokes here and there.
Checking my watch, I say, “You girls have ten minutes, and then I want you downstairs.”
Dana wiggles on the spot, her smile fixed on her face. She’s been looking forward to this party all week. She certainly takes after her aunt with her love of parties. “Yes, Daddy!”
I head into Lorelei’s and my bedroom before I go downstairs to find her. I have a gift I want to give to her before the party is in full swing.
I’ve just entered the walk-in-robe and slipped the gift into my pocket when Lorelei’s hands slide around me from behind. “I know this is your birthday party, but I really want everyone to go home so I can have you all to myself,” she murmurs.
Turning, I grip her waist and push her back against the mirror. Dipping my face to her neck, I kiss her there and then along her collarbone. The strapless dress she’s wearing always draws my mouth to her skin.
“It was your idea to throw a party,” I say as I make my way to her lips.
She reaches for the top button of my shirt and flicks it open. “Well, it doesn’t technically start for another ten minutes. That’s long enough for me to wish you a happy birthday.”
“Who has Autumn?”
She flicks the next button. “Jack. You know how much he loves babies. Seriously, his wife needs to give him another child.”
“I don’t see that happening any time soon. He was lucky to get one out of her.”
Her hands move deftly down my shirt, unbuttoning it. Dropping her gaze to my body, she presses her hands to my abs and bites her lip. “I swear you get hotter with every passing year.”
It’s not what she says, or that she touches me, it’s the way she bites her lip that causes me to spin her around and grind my cock against her. Sweeping her hair to the side, I growl against her ear, “If I didn’t think one of our family members was likely to walk in on us, I would bend you over and fuck you so hard you’d have trouble walking out of here.”
A moan escapes her lips. “No one’s going to walk in.”
We both know that’s a lie. Our family lacks boundaries when it comes to privacy. Between my sister, mother, and Jessica, one is bound to come looking for us if we disappear for too long.
<
br /> I kiss her neck. “I have a gift for you.”
“So no sex? I mean, I’d settle for your mouth on my pussy.”
Fuck.
My wife loves to drive me wild by slipping in dirty talk when I least expect it. She tells me it’s my fault. That I taught her well when we first started dating. I tell her she’s perfected the art over the years and that she can ease up now. To that, she always laughs and carries on.
I pull out her gift and hand it to her. “If you continue teasing me tonight, there will be no spanking for you later.” These days I don’t threaten to spank her; I threaten not to. I always get what I want after that.
She turns around and pouts. “You’re no fun.”
“Open your present.”
She unwraps the gift, muttering, “Still as bossy as ever”—her mouth falls open—“oh my God, this is beautiful!” Pulling the necklace from the jewellery box, she spends a minute reading what’s written on the two interlocking hearts before looking up to find my eyes. “Thank you, it’s perfect.” One heart has our names engraved on it, while the other heart has the names of our three children.
The love shining from her hits me fair in the chest, causing my heart to squeeze. I love Lorelei more now than ever. Some days the feeling overwhelms me, and today is one of those days.
Taking the necklace, I lift my chin at her. “Turn around.”
She does as I say and scoops her hair out of the way so I can fasten the necklace around her neck. When I finish, she faces me again. “I think I’ll keep you.”
I arch a brow. “There was never any possibility you wouldn’t. And if it ever crosses your mind, I’m having no part of it.”
She quirks her brow. “You’ll just boss me into staying, I expect.”
“You know me well, Mrs. Scott.”
Taking hold of the hearts, she says, “What if we have another child?”