by LK Shaw
He tugged on my hair, and I leaned back to look up at him. “You doing okay?”
I smiled dreamily at him. “Never been better. That was amazing.”
Our mouths met, and he swallowed my sigh of contentment. My eyes grew heavy, and soon, I began to drift off. Right before I fell asleep, I whispered one last time, “I love you, Philip.” I thought I heard him whisper it back, but I was fast asleep.
Epilogue
“Casey Elizabeth Santiago.”
Upon hearing my name, I began walking across the stage, the tassel of my graduation cap swinging in my face. I thought I could hear Philip’s deep, booming voice from the audience, yelling out my name, but I knew that was impossible. Especially in an auditorium this size. But, I focused on his imaginary voice instead of the hundreds of people out there, staring at me.
When I reached the Dean, we shook hands, and then after he conferred my degree to me, I switched my tassel and posed for the obligatory picture. Then, I quickly returned to my seat so people would stop looking at me. After the longest two hours of my life, the ceremony was finally over, and I raced outside to meet Philip at our designated area. I thanked God I spotted him almost immediately.
“Philip,” I hollered when he was within hearing distance, and I waved madly to get his attention.
His head whipped around, and he rushed over to me, lifting me in his arms to spin me around. I laughed as I held my cap to my head. He planted a giant kiss on my lips when he finally set me down.
“I’m so proud of you, honey. Congratulations.”
He slung his arm over my shoulder as he guided me to where Josie, Miles, Sully, and Clarissa stood. Clarissa and I had become great friends over the last couple months. She and her husband, Larry, just recently separated, so I was glad I could be there for her. I also noticed that Sully was paying an awful lot of attention to her. Maybe a romance was brewing there.
“Thanks, babe.”
Everyone made their rounds, hugging me and offering their congrats.
“How are you doing?” Philip leaned down and whispered in my ear as Josie was taking pictures of everyone.
“I’m doing okay, actually. It’s overwhelming, but in a good way. I’m just glad you’re here with me. I couldn’t have done it without you. I love you so much.” I reached up to give him a kiss.
“I love you more.”
My heart was full to overflowing. Never in a million years did I think I’d walk across a stage in front of strangers without passing out. I never thought I’d be a college graduate with a job, in a real office, waiting for me in a couple weeks. But mostly, I couldn’t have imagined that I would be in love with a man who loved me back. Purely, epically, unconditionally. Philip knew all my secrets, my quirks, everything and whether because of, or in spite of, he truly loved me. He’d seen me at my worst, but every day he brought out my best. My life was so much better for him being in it.
“Sully shut the place down so we could have your graduation party there. You about ready?”
I looked around at my friends and family, and even though we were a small group, I was beyond blessed to have them all in my life.
“Absolutely.”
As we wrapped our arms around each other and walked to the car, I gave thanks for that day not long ago when Philip said yes.
Want more about Casey's past and how Josie saved her? Check out Secrets of Redemption (available in Kindle Unlimited): http://amzn.to/2s7scmZ
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Acknowledgments
No book is ever made possible without the help of others. This is always my most favorite, and least favorite (I’m afraid I’ll forget someone), part to write. There are so many people I have to be thankful for: Julia Sykes for being a great critique partner; PA Allison for her insightful Alpha reading skills; My editor, Rebecca Cartee (Editing by Rebecca); Mayhem Cover Creations for bringing Philip and Casey to life on the gorgeous cover; Tara, Rhonda, DeAnne, Paula, Linda, Pam, Kerry, Andrea, Robin, Veronica, Carolline, Latifah, Jessie, Leah, and Virginia for endlessly promoting my books for me; Melissa Pascoe, my PA, for all the work you put in. Your help is invaluable; and Chris Schleihauf for coming up with the title of Say Yes.
Thank you to the bloggers who shared Say Yes, as well as to those who reviewed it. I appreciate each and every one of you.
Most importantly, thank you to all the readers who have picked up any of my books. You are the reason I write. You are the reason I try so hard to give you the best book I can. Without you, none of this would be possible. Your support means the world to me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!
xo,
LK
Secrets of Redemption
Secrets of Redemption (c) 2017 by LK Shaw
Cover design (c) 2016 by EmCat Designs
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the Author. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then technically, you have stolen it and/ or pirated it and are a despicable human being. Return to an ebook retailer and purchase your own copy.
Available in ebook and print editions.
ISBN-13: 978-1540347176
ISBN-10: 1540347176
Created with Vellum
1
Josie
Prologue
It was my first day on the job, and I was nervous as hell. My heart raced, my palms were sweaty, and I was pretty sure I was going to yack. Barely twenty-one years old, I’d graduated from both high school and MIT early. My instructors told me I was a computer genius. I don’t know that I would classify myself as a genius, but I knew that computer programming and analysis came easy to me. So did hacking. I’d lucked out when Connor Black hired me to work as a computer analyst for his security company, Blacklight Securities, considering I was a recent MIT graduate with no experience. Even though he was like a brother to me, I liked to think I earned the job on merit.
Connor was giving me a tour of the office, and we’d just reached the employee kitchen slash break room, when I stopped dead in my tracks. Connor hadn’t noticed I was no longer behind him, and he kept rattling off information about the company as well as my job duties. Well, I assume he kept rattling off information. I had no idea; my attention was fixated on the Adonis on the other side of the room, leaning against the counter, a coffee mug in hand. His dark brown hair was cut close to the scalp, and three-days’ worth of growth covered his jaw. I watched his Adam’s apple bob when he swallowed a mouthful of coffee, and I couldn’t help wanting to draw my tongue across it. I almost melted into a gooey puddle on the floor when the god in front of me threw his head back in laughter. The sound sent a shiver racing through me.
The clearing of a throat and “Josephine” spoken with a hint of amusement jerked me back to my surroundings. My head whipped to the side to gaze at Connor, who looked at me with a smirk on his face. I pushed my glasses farther up on my nose and stared him down, even as a warm sensation crept across my cheeks. How embarrassing to be caught ogling a fellow employee. I waited for Connor to make a smart-ass remark, but instead, he crooked his finger at me like one of his subs. I glared as I slowly walked over to stand next to him.
“My apologies, sir. It won’t happen again.” In addition to Connor mentoring me in the BDSM lifestyle for two years now, he was also my boss and deserved my respect.
&
nbsp; “You don’t have to apologize, Josie. Come, let me introduce you.” He led me over to the men standing against the counter. My whole body was on fire now that I was up close to him. His ice blue eyes glowed when he turned his head at our approach.
“Bryce, Miles, this is Josephine Bishop. She’s our newest computer analyst. Josephine, this is Bryce Harris and Miles Standish.” He indicated each of them as he spoke their name, but I only had eyes for Miles. I went through the motions of shaking Bryce’s hand, rudely not even looking at him. When I placed my hand in Miles’, a bolt of lightning shot through me. His eyes widened, and I knew he’d felt it too. Instantly, I knew I was in trouble.
From that day forth, I wanted to know everything about Miles Standish. To spend as much time with him as possible. At first, he avoided me. I attempted to rein in my attraction to him, even though it practically killed me. Every moment I was around Miles, my body heated, and all my synapses fired. An electric charge had the hairs on my arms standing the minute I stood near him. The air crackled between us. There was no doubt he felt it too, but he ignored it no matter how gently I tried to push.
After a while, I realized that nothing I did would force him to admit the attraction was mutual. And I had no idea why. So, I changed my strategy. I became his friend. Soon, we were constantly playing practical jokes on some of the other employees, and we talked daily. He’d prop his gorgeous butt on the edge of my desk and we’d talk for twenty or thirty minutes every morning before the rest of the staff arrived. Sometimes it would be work related topics, but mostly we talked about ourselves and our lives outside the office, although I always skirted around questions regarding my family. Before long, my feelings grew into something more than friendship and lust. I fell in love.
Download Secrets of Redemption (available in Kindle Unlimited): http://amzn.to/2s7scmZ
Also by LK Shaw
Available in Kindle Unlimited
SECRETS SERIES
Secrets of Submission
Secrets of Desire
Secrets of Redemption
His To Protect
Secrets of Betrayal
A Secret Christmas
OTHER BOOKS
The Navy SEAL’s Secret Baby
A Second Chance at Love
Say Yes
COMING SOON
Brotherhood Protectors: Saving Evie (A Kindle Worlds Novella)
Love Undercover: A Bad Girls Novel
About the Author
LK Shaw is a physical therapist assistant by day and writer/social media addict by night. She resides in South Carolina with her high maintenance beagle mix dog, Miss P, who should probably just have her own Instagram account. An avid reader since childhood, she became hooked on historical romance novels in high school. She now reads, and loves, all romance sub-genres, with erotic romance and romantic suspense being her favorite. LK enjoys traveling and chocolate. Her books feature hot alpha heroes and the strong women they love.
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