“You’re never going to believe this!” She’s the most excited I’ve ever seen her and I feel exhausted just looking at her.
“What is it, Misty?”
“The Dean called me into his office. I thought I might be in some kind of trouble.”
I have no idea what this perfect student might have thought she could possibly be in trouble for, but I can certainly relate to her irrational fears.
My hand goes to my mouth when she actually jumps for joy in my office. “I got the graduate research fellowship!”
“Congratulations,” I tell her.
“Now I’ll get paid to do all of your research.” She gives me a big grin. “And my tuition is paid as well. No more student loans.”
“I’m happy for you, Misty.”
“I’ll miss Dante. Is it bad if I say I’m glad he transferred?”
I shake my head. “Not at all.”
“Good. Is there any research you want me to do over winter break?”
I shake my head. “Just enjoy your vacation and we’ll start at it again in January.”
“Okay. Call me if you need anything. I don’t want to get bored.”
“I’ll do that,” I tell her.
I run into Lucy on my way out of my office. “Is it just me or did that feel like a really long semester?”
“Not just you,” I assure her.
“I’m packed and ready to go. The Caribbean awaits. Two glorious weeks of fun in the sun.”
Lucy has been talking about the Caribbean cruise she’s taking with two of her cousins for weeks.
“Have a great time.”
“We’ll meet for coffee when I get back. I’ll need to show off my sun tan to someone. And you may even be a married woman by then.”
I frown. “What are you talking about?”
“Exam week is over. The semester has officially come to an end. Dante is no longer a student in our department.”
“And what does that have to do with getting married?”
She shrugs. “You are going to be the mother of his child.”
“Dante and I haven’t even discussed marriage. We’ve been taking things one day at a time.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides to put a ring on it.”
“Is it just me or did that feel like a really long semester?” Andrew asks as he joins us in the hallway.
“Not just you,” Lucy and I reply simultaneously.
“Any chance of you taking me to the Caribbean with you?” Andrew asks Lucy. “At this point I’d be willing to travel in your suitcase.”
She shakes her head. “Girls only trip. Sorry.”
“I hope you both enjoy your breaks,” he says. “I’m going to curl up by my fireplace and read.”
Andrew looks at me expectantly.
“I don’t have any plans for break,” I tell him.
“Are you and Dante...?” He raises an eyebrow.
“We haven’t really discussed it. We both just wanted to get through exams.”
“I’m going to miss having Dante as a student. He’s the first student in ten years to get a perfect score on my final exam.”
“Is this where I’m supposed to admit that I was wrong about him?” Lucy asks.
“Have fun on your trip,” I tell her. Then I glance at Andrew. “Have fun reading next to your fireplace.”
Andrew gives a wave as he heads down the hallway and for just a brief moment I’m a bit sad about how things worked out between us. But the moment quickly fades as I think about Dante and starting our lives together.
***
Dante is sitting on my front porch waiting for me when I get home.
“It’s freezing out here,” I observe as I walk up the stairs.
His cheeks are bright red and he’s rubbing his hands together in an effort to keep them warm. “I don’t have a key anymore, remember?”
“We’ll have to remedy that,” I tell him. “The spare key is in the house.”
When he rises he fidgets until I unlock the door.
“How long have you been sitting out there?” I ask as we enter my townhouse.
“A while.”
“Why didn’t you just wait in your car?”
“I’m excited.”
I place my hands on his face in an effort to warm it. His cheeks are like ice cubes.
“Let’s start a fire,” I suggest.
“Great idea.”
Doug and I had a fancy electric fireplace installed, so with the click of a switch there’s a blazing fire in the fireplace. No wood to chop and no mess.
After we take off our coats we sit down on the couch next to the roaring fire.
“I’m no longer a student in the Medieval Studies Department. Exams are done and I’ve been officially accepted at the U pending my final grades for this term.”
“Andrew said you aced your final examination.”
He nods.
We’re both quiet for a long moment, watching the fire and warming up.
Then Dante says, “There’s something I want to ask you.”
“Okay. What is it?”
He removes a small velvet box from the pocket of his jeans. I gulp because it seems fairly obvious what’s coming next.
My eyes grow wide when he opens the box. The ring is an enormous diamond surround by stunning sapphires.”
“I had it made just for you,” he says. “I wanted it to match your necklace.”
“It’s beautiful.” I can’t take my eyes off the stunning ring.
“Sapphire beautiful,” he says as he removes the ring from the box and holds it next to my hand. “Will you marry me?”
His eyes are filled with hope and adoration. I have no doubt that Dante loves me with all his heart, and that he’ll be a devoted husband and father.
“Of course.” I place a soft kiss on his lips.
His entire face beams as he slides the ring on my finger.
He gives me a long and passionate kiss. Then he whispers, “I have another surprise.” There’s a bit of mischief in his eyes.
“What is it?”
“I booked Aldourie Castle on Loch Ness. A winter wedding package. We’ve got the estate all to ourselves for winter break.”
“Wow. That sounds incredible.”
“Do you have any idea how much I want to be inside my fiancée right now?” The sparkle in his eyes is a dead giveaway.
“I like the sound of that,” I tell him. “Fiancée.”
“Don’t get used to it,” he warns. “As soon as possible you’re going to be my wife.”
I like the sound of that even better.
Epilogue
I wanted to kill every woman who had ever said that childbirth is a magical experience. I felt like I was put through a wringer. Literally. It felt like every one of the medieval torture devices I’d ever studied had been inflicted upon my body.
The rack.
The Judas cradle.
The pear of anguish.
Childbirth made me feel like I was experiencing them all at once.
But when they handed me my baby girl and I got to hold her for the first time it all seemed worth it.
Dante has already gone a little nuts. He’s completely fallen in love with our little one just as much as I have. He won’t let either one of us out of his sight.
I was surprised when he told me that his mom and dad wanted to be there when their first grandchild was born. When we came back from England and I was married to their son they started to warm up to me a little bit. I’m hopeful that in time they may even accept me as part of the family.
Virginia told me that the girls are anxious to see their new cousin. The three of them charge into my room ahead of Virginia and Matt.
“She’s like a doll,” Ruby observes.
“She’s so cute,” Pearl adds.
“Can we hold her?” Opal asks.
We all see the look of terror on Dante’s face. There’s no way he’s going to release the baby to anyone rig
ht now. I may even have a hard time getting her away from him until it’s time for her to eat.
“Maybe you can hold the baby later,” Virginia tells the girls. “Uncle Dante wants to hold her right now.”
“What’s her name?” Ruby asks.
Dante and I glance at each other.
“Don’t keep us in suspense,” Virginia says. “What did you name her?”
“Well,” Dante says to the girls. “We’ve already got a lovely Opal. And a stunning Ruby. And a pretty Pearl. We needed a Sapphire beautiful. Her name is Sapphire.”
“I like that name,” Ruby states.
“I do, too,” Dante tells her before he turns and gives me a huge smile.
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My student loans are due and I still haven’t found a job that pays more than minimum wage. So I decide to make an arrangement through The Club. I’ll get what I need...money to pay my loans. And he’ll get what he wants...access to my body...whenever and however he wants it.
ROSE COLLINS is a recent art school graduate with overwhelming student loan debt and no way to pay it. JAE ROTHKO is a wealthy and renowned artist who doesn't have the time or patience for a relationship.
Jae joins The Club so he can have one woman when he wants and how he wants with no attachments and no expectations.
He selects Rose to be that woman.
THE CLUB SERIES
Each novel in The Club series can be read as a stand-alone or as part of the series.
The Club series includes:
Black Dog Nights (three-part serial novel)
Sapphire Beautiful (stand-alone full-length novel)
Mad Dog Days (three-part serial novel)
Gold Dust Woman (stand-alone full-length novel)
Yellow Dog Blues (three-part serial novel)
Grey Cloudy Lies (stand-alone full-length novel)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
REN MONTERREY writes spicy contemporary romance novels. She lives in a small town outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and their bloodhounds. She also writes under the pen names Dakota Madison, Sierra Avalon and Savannah Young.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KarenMuellerBrysonAuthor
Blog: http://karenmuellerbryson.tumblr.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenmbryson
Sapphire Beautiful Page 19