by Maree Green
She studied me for a minute. “So, are you going to tell me, then?”
“I’m staying in San Diego.”
Her gaze flickered from one of my eyes to the other rapidly. My heart rate instantly picked up. She didn’t seem to look happy.
I tried to calm down. “Will you come with me?” I asked, hating the way my voice sounded so uncertain.
She didn’t say anything. She just continued to nervously search my face.
After what seemed like an eternity, she climbed from the bed and walked across the floor. I watched her stop by my bag and pick up my USMC shirt from the top of my suitcase and slip it over her head before pacing back to the other side of the room.
My heart was in a complete nervous sprint now. I pushed myself up to stand on shaky legs. “Amy?”
She stopped and looked at me, her mouth opening, but no words came out. Her expression turned more and more worried the longer she studied me.
I was sure I was about to have a serious panic attack. “Baby? What’s wrong?”
“This . . . ” she said quietly. “This is hard.” I watched her twist her fingers together in front of her. “I want to go with you—you have no idea how much I want to go with you, Daniel . . . ”
I frowned. I was so fucking confused. “So what’s stopping you?”
“My job, Daniel!” she said, slightly hysterical. “Alex didn’t have to give me the job. I know he just felt obliged because Amber begged him, but that doesn’t change the fact that he gave it to me. And he’s taken so much time training me. I’d feel awful leaving and making him have to train someone else after he’s shown me so much generosity . . . ”
I watched her glance around the room, her head obviously trying to sort through everything that was happening.
“But it’s not just that . . . ”
I braced myself. I didn’t know what she was going to say, but I got the feeling it wasn’t good.
“I’ve kind of found my independence now, Daniel. I mean, I know I don’t have my own place, but I have my own job, I pay my own way, and I’m doing it without anything from my parents . . . ”
I got it immediately. “You’re scared I’m going to take your independence away from you.”
After a few heartbeats, she nodded. Slowly, I moved toward her, until I was almost touching her. Then I reached out and softly stroked the back of my hand down the side of her face.
“Baby, I don’t want to take away your independence. I love that you’ve finally found it. I’d never do anything to make you feel like you don’t have it. People can be together and still have their own identities, Princess, and I think the fact that we already recognize how important it is, is a head start for us. I don’t think most couples know it until it’s too late.”
Her gaze flickered over my face again, and I knew she was processing my words. Slowly, she nodded her understanding. “You’re right.” She inhaled, and her shoulders relaxed a little. “But I still don’t know about moving with my job. I can’t do it to Alex after he’s shown me such kindness, Daniel.”
I took her face in my hands. “There are always solutions to every problem, Princess. You don’t have to move with me straightaway. What if you waited until Alex interviewed and found someone else suitable, then you could train them for him so he wouldn’t have to?”
Her eyes lit up with hope, and she gave me a tiny smile. “You’re right. I’m sorry I flipped out on you. I don’t know why, because I knew that’s what would happen, but I just wasn’t expecting it for some stupid reason.”
She walked into my arms and pressed her face into my chest. Wrapping my arms around her, I held her close, suddenly very aware of how naked I was and how very sexy she looked in my shirt.
Pulling back from me, Amy glanced down at my now rock-hard cock and raised her eyebrows. “Again?”
I didn’t think she understood just how much she affected me. “Baby, I always want you.”
Desire lit up her eyes, and this time, I was ready for the long challenge.
Picking her up, I carried her over to the bed, to love her properly this time.
Chapter 21
Amy
Hoisting my bag higher on my shoulder, I stepped into the cool air inside Crawford Developments’ office building and made my way to the elevators.
“Good morning, Amy,” Penny said from the front desk as I passed.
“Morning, Penny.”
Speeding up to the fifteenth floor, I stepped out and walked down to the end of hall, sliding behind my desk and plonking my bag on the floor beside me.
Quickly checking over the day’s schedule, I put everything in order before going to the kitchen to make myself and Alex a coffee. Adding a dollop of creamer to my own cup and leaving his black, I went back down the hall and knocked on his door before entering.
“Morning,” I sang happily.
Alex looked up from his papers and raised an eyebrow. His mouth cocked up on one side as he looked at me. “Good morning. Someone seems happy this morning.”
I grinned wider. “I am. Daniel came home yesterday.”
Alex’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s great.”
I watched the genuine smile spread across his face with elation. I knew how lucky I was to have this job. Alex was the best boss anyone could ask for. I also knew the job as Alex’s PA was very much envied, and not just because he was a great boss. He was one of the city’s most eligible bachelors.
I loved Daniel, but even I could admit to just how hot Alex was. Tall, with dark blond hair and green eyes, he had women falling over themselves to get to him wherever he went. The fact that he was a millionaire many times over seemed to influence them a little too.
I watched his smile turn into a frown with confusion before he spoke again. “Why didn’t you tell me? You could’ve had a few days off to spend with him. It’s been over six months, Amy.”
I smiled at his concern, until I remembered how Daniel had asked me to move to San Diego with him.
I bit my lips. I wasn’t ready to tell him yet. I hadn’t really worked out how I felt about it all. But I knew it wasn’t something I should hide from him.
“Daniel’s going to be stationed in San Diego again. He wants me to go with him.”
Alex sat back in his chair as he assessed me. “You know I won’t begrudge you leaving if that’s what you want to do, Amy. We all have paths to follow that can take us in different directions.”
I slumped down in one of the chairs across the desk from him. “I know. I just . . . ” I sighed. “This is the first time I’ve done something for myself, you know?”
He smiled at me kindly. “I know, but if you’ve done it once, you can do it again, and before you say anything about friends or favors, let me tell you, you got this job with your own merits. Yeah, it helped that I knew you personally, so I knew you’d be able to cope with the job, but the point is, you cope with the job. You have experience now, and if you leave, of course I’ll give you a good reference.”
“I don’t want to leave you without a PA, though . . . ”
He studied me. “Do you want to go?”
I thought hard before I answered. “Yes.”
He smiled. “Good. Then don’t worry about it. I can train someone else.”
“Daniel had a suggestion, though . . . If I was to leave, I don’t have to go when he does. I could stay and help you train a new girl.”
He nodded, running the idea through his head. “That could work. Let me know what you decide to do.”
“Okay. Thanks, Alex. I’ll let you know when Mr. Jamieson gets here.”
“Thanks, Amy.”
Pulling Alex’s door closed behind me, I threw myself into my work, not willing to worry over the move just yet.
By the time the office was due to close at the end of the day, I was missing Daniel like crazy. Saying a rushed goodbye to Alex, I drove straight to Daniel’s house, not wanting to waste any time by going home and showering first.
Danie
l was already out front when I pulled up across the street. Judging by the look of the sweat glistening on his bare chest, I guessed he’d just been for a run.
My tongue ran over my lips without thinking. Damn, he was hot. I’d already worked out he’d gotten bigger over the last few months during our lovemaking the night before, but seeing him so clearly on display while doing push-ups almost had me panting.
Glancing down the street, I saw I wasn’t the only one who was enjoying the view. A couple houses down, across the street, two teenage girls stood staring, mouths open, completely unaware I was looking at them.
Turning my attention back to Daniel, I took the opportunity to watch him work out. I thought about him going away again, this time for good, and something inside me felt like it was about to break.
Who was I kidding? There was no way I could just let him go to San Diego while I stayed here. Yes, I loved my new job, and yes, I loved having my independence, but what did any of it mean if I lost Daniel? I’d be alone.
Closing the door, I ran across the lawn and tackled him to the ground. Daniel laughed and rolled us so he was on top of me. “Hey, Princess,” he said, leaning down to press a quick kiss on my lips.
That was nowhere near enough for me. Gripping the back of his neck, I pulled him down to kiss me properly.
“I’m all sweaty, babe.”
I groaned. “I know . . . ” Then I kissed him again. Heatedly.
Daniel gave up fighting and let his weight settle on top of me before kissing me thoroughly. When he pulled away, I was panting like I’d just gone a round of cardio.
Daniel chuckled. “If we don’t stop, I’m going to take you right in front of all the neighbors, and I’m not sure if those young girls across the street will enjoy the show . . . ”
“Oh, they were enjoying the show all right . . .”
“So were you,” he said, leaning down to kiss me again.
I grinned. “Yes, I was.”
“Hmmm . . . ” he murmured. “I kinda like that.”
Running my hands over his shaved head, I inhaled with deep satisfaction. “I spoke to Alex today,” I said. “I told him we’re moving to San Diego.”
He pulled back to look at me, his expression serious. “You’re definitely coming?”
I hummed my assertion with a smile.
Daniel’s gaze intensified. He watched me from dark eyes, his gaze moving over every inch of my face. I could see the love shining out of him. I could feel his devotion.
“Marry me,” he said softly.
I stilled, utterly shocked. “What?”
“You’re it for me, Princess. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, you’re my soul mate. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please,” he said, his voice imploring. “Marry me, Princess. Be mine. Forever.”
My mind instantly went to the last day I’d seen or heard from my parents. I still hadn’t told Daniel about that day. He and Ryan seemed to be getting along okay, and I didn’t want to be the one to destroy that, because I knew the minute Daniel found out what Ryan had done, things would change between them.
Ryan had apologized to me not long after it’d happened, saying he didn’t know exactly why he’d done it. He’d said something about desperation and not knowing how to give me up. It didn’t make any sense to me, but I just wanted to move on and focus on my new life.
Staring into Daniel’s eyes now, I could feel the difference. I could see the love and honesty he was offering. It wasn’t desperation, and it wasn’t fear. It was love.
“Daniel,” I managed to choke out. I didn’t know what to say. This was twice in the space of just as many days that he’d hit me with something huge.
“We don’t have to do it straightaway. We could wait as long as you want to. I just want to hear you say yes. I want to know that you’ll be mine forever.”
My head was whirling. Married? I mean, I knew, technically, we’d been dating for almost a year, but I didn’t even think we’d spent four months of that time in each other’s company. Yeah, we’d Skyped practically every single night over the last six months, but that was different. Wasn’t it?
Pushing at him so I could sit up, I straightened my top and hugged my legs to my chest. I needed some space so I could think straight.
Daniel shifted so he was sitting slightly away from me. Forcing myself to look at him, I licked my lips, stalling while I tried to think of my response.
I was surprised to see a slight grin on his face as he watched me. Narrowing my eyes, I cocked my head to the side. “Do you really want to get married?”
His grin grew a little. “Eventually.”
My heart stuttered. Why did the idea of him wanting to marry me make me so freaking excited? I should be trying to look at this from a mature perspective or something.
“Eventually?”
“Let me put it this way,” he said, his gaze turning serious. “If I had my way, I’d marry you tomorrow, but I know you’re going to worry about what people will think about us getting married so young and having known each other for only a year, so I’m willing to wait on the proviso that you at least say yes.”
I watched the little grin touch his lips again while I thought over his words. He was one hundred percent right. I was thinking about what people would think. I frowned. Why? Why did I have to do that? Why should I? It was my life. Only I could judge whether or not something was right for me.
Something Mom used to say to me suddenly came to mind. She used to say that I needed to take responsibility for the things I brought into my life. Of course, she said it in a way that implied I needed to be more mindful about doing shameful things because it made her look bad, but it could work the other way too, couldn’t it?
I mean, if I were to choose not to marry Daniel simply because I was worried what people would think, and then something happened and I ended up missing out on the best thing that could’ve happened to me with Daniel, it still would’ve been my decision that put me in that situation.
So, going by that theory, I needed to choose to do the opposite of what I’d consider to be the worst. Either people scoffing behind my back, gossiping that I was stupid to get married so young, or never getting to experience that kind of commitment with Daniel, ever.
When I looked at it that way, the answer was easy.
Chapter 22
Daniel
I watched her sit in silence for a few moments, knowing I needed to give her time to fight the so-called ‘common sense’ she’d been raised to think so highly of.
Her expression seemed so tormented, I almost told her to forget I’d said anything, but then her eyes widened a little, and a tiny spark began to grow in their depths.
My heart started beating a little faster, for what reason I wasn’t entirely sure yet, but then she gazed into my eyes and started crawling toward me. Parting my legs to make room for her, she settled on her knees, sitting back on her heels and placing her hands either side of my face. Gently, she stroked her thumbs over my cheeks, her gaze searching mine for words I was sure she was struggling to find.
I braced myself for the worst, but I couldn’t stop the hope from hanging there, taunting me.
“Daniel,” she said softly. “You know I’ve been brought up to be mindful of what people think. Yes, I’ve been working on not caring so much, but it still worries me . . . ”
And just like that, my hope vanished. I nodded slightly to let her know I understood, and hopefully, to let her know it was okay.
“But . . . ” she said, her eyes sparking again. “If you asked me which one I couldn’t possibly live with, either people thinking terrible things of me, or never getting to show you just how much I love you, I would have to say, a hundred times over, the thought of never experiencing that kind of commitment with you would be unbearable.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. Was she seriously saying what I thought she was saying?
“Amy . . . what are you . . . ?”
She smiled. A seriously c
ute, shy smile. My heart thundered.
“Yes, Daniel,” she breathed. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
I blinked. I was having a lot of trouble trying to get my brain to process her words. Eventually, they settled right where they needed to be. “You’ll marry me?”
She laughed. It was the most beautiful sound I thought I’d ever heard. “Yes!”
And then my body took over. Taking her face in my hands, I kissed her. I tried to remind myself to be gentle, but the depth of my emotions made it virtually impossible. I fucking loved her more than my next breath, and knowing she felt the same made me crazy desperate.