by Carter Blake
“Did you hear the audience at the end? We really did it, didn’t we?”
I laugh when she hugs me tight. “We did.”
“And they even liked my design,” she whispers in my ear. “Thank you for helping me.”
I smile at her. I’ve been working one on one with her for the past couple of weeks, and already I’m seeing a huge improvement in her work. All she needed was a little advice, someone to guide her. And I loved doing it. Maybe even just as much as creating my own designs.
Love Lace is more than just one designer, and it’s important that we all help each other. She may have little quirks that annoy me, but I think we’ve accomplished something big together, and I’m excited to see where the company goes from here.
The thought snaps me back to reality, because I know that the success of the night means one thing – it’s time for Killian to move on.
I just wonder where that leaves us.
“Hey.” He cups my jaw and tilts my chin up. “What’s the frown for?”
“Nothing,” I lie, placing my palms on his chest. I guess it doesn’t matter now if people see us together, because after tonight he won’t be my boss anymore.
“You looked fucking incredible out there tonight,” he says, resting his forehead against mine.
“You mean my designs.” I tug at his tie.
He chuckles. “Yeah, those were pretty hot too. But you…”
His mouth captures mine. When he pulls back, I’m breathless and my knees are weak.
Only Killian has ever had the power to do that to me.
“I have a bottle of Chardonnay chilling in my fridge, why don’t we get out of here and…celebrate.”
He rakes his teeth across my neck, then nips at my ear. “I have a better idea.”
“What’s that?”
“You.” He kisses my chin. “Me.” Then my nose. “In Fiji. One week. No work. Just white beaches and a bottle of Gran Patron.”
“Really?”
“My private jet is already fueled and ready to go.”
“Your private jet?” I narrow my eyes at him. There are still so many things I don’t know about him. Things I may never know.
“Yes.” He chuckles. “Well, what do you think?”
“You really own your own plane?”
“I do. But you’re not answering my question. Will you go with me?”
“What about Love Lace?”
“You’ve worked your ass off for the past few months. You can take a short vacation. The company will still be here when you get back.”
“Then yes.” I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him hard.
I know spending more time with him will only make it more difficult when he leaves, but I’m not ready to say goodbye yet. And after all the hours I’ve put in over the past few months, a vacation sounds like heaven.
But then, being anywhere alone with Killian would be paradise.
Chapter 16
Killian
We’ve been in bed for practically the whole week. I don’t want to let her go. Not for a damn second. Fiji is paradise, but it’s nothing compared to having her in my arms.
I haven’t told her about Bernard’s offer. But it’s time that I do. Time I figured out what the fuck I’m going to do with the rest of my damn life. Because as tempting as staying here with her is, it’s not reality.
I’ve done the things I’ve set out to do in my life. Made my money. Conquered companies. Made my mark on the world. But Alicia is only starting her career, and I don’t want to stand in her way. She deserves to shine like the precious gem she is.
“You’re quiet,” she says as she strokes my chest.
“Bernard Turner approached me at the show.” I rake my knuckles across her cheek. So fucking beautiful. She’s gotten a bit of color since we’ve been here, and it looks good on her.
She frowns. “He’s ready to take the company back?”
I exhale a low, uneven breath. “No. He’s thinking about selling.”
She lifts her head, “What? When?”
“Soon.”
“Oh.” I can practically see the wheels spinning in her head.
“Your job will be secure no matter who the new owner is.”
“Maybe.” I can see she isn’t confident about it.
I pull her back down beside me, trapping her under my weight. “Trust me, sweetheart. You’re a rising star. I have no doubt you’ll have more than a dozen offers from other companies when we get back. You can do anything you want.”
“Not anything,” she says softly, glancing away.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
She rolls away from me and sits on the edge of the bed with her back to me. “What are we doing, Killian?”
This is it. The conversation I’ve been putting off.
With a heavy breath, I crawl out of bed and grab my swim trunks that are lying on the floor. I drag my hand through my hair and look out at the ocean.
“Killian?”
I glance back at her.
Her eyes hold a sad acceptance of whatever she expects me to say.
I’m not good at this shit. Talking about feelings. Making commitments.
“We both knew that my job at Love Lace wasn’t permanent.”
She frowns. “Yeah. So, this is it? When we go home, you’ll move on to your next conquest.”
There’s a dual meaning to her words, and I can hear the tinge of bitterness in her voice even though she’s obviously trying to hold it back.
I drag my fingers through my hair, then over my face, hating the tightness that squeezes at my chest.
I’ve never been so fucking afraid as I am right now.
“Right,” she says when I don’t answer her. She reaches for the white sundress that lies discarded on the floor, then tosses it over her head.
“Alicia,” I grab her hand when she walks towards the balcony.
There are tears in her eyes when she glances up at me.
Shit. I’m screwing this up.
“You don’t have to worry about your job.”
“You think that’s why I’m upset?” She pulls her hand out of mine and turns away.
“No. I just…” Goddamn it. Why the hell am I being such a coward? Just say the damn words. “I want to buy the company.”
“What?” Her head snaps around, gray eyes wide.
“Bernard asked if I wanted to put a bid in. I haven’t answered him yet. I was waiting to talk to you about it. I want to buy it…for you.”
“For me?”
I take a step towards her, heart pounding in my chest. “I was hoping it was going to be a wedding present.”
Her brows draw down. “A wedding present?”
I can’t read her reaction. Maybe I’m just to terrified that she’ll say no.
Just spit it out, asshole.
I take her hand and get down on one knee.
Her eyes go wide. “Killian–”
“I’m really terrible at this romance stuff. I’m not one for mushy words. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone in my life that I care about them. I know that makes me sound like a selfish prick, and maybe I am, but for you I want to change. Maybe I already have.”
I swallow hard and reach into the pocket of my shorts where I’ve been keeping the small ring box for the past few days, trying to build up my confidence to ask this one question, to say those three terrifying words.
“I love you, Alicia.”
She gasps, her eyes falling to the box in my hand.
“You’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met. You’re kind and smart, and so fucking sexy. And you’d make me the happiest man in the word if you’d be my wife.” I open the box and take the ring from the case. My fucking fingers are shaking. “Will you marry me?”
She blinks down at me, her mouth slightly parted, eyes wide. “You’re serious?”
“More serious than I’ve ever been about anything in my life.”
I’m not sure wh
o’s trembling more now, her or me.
“Killian…” She blinks and tears fall over her cheeks.
“Well?” I hold my breath, waiting.
“Yes.” She wraps her arms around my neck. “Of course, I’ll marry you. Nothing would make me happier.”
A sense of rightness settles over me.
“Thank God,” I say, kissing her hard.
Her fingers curl in my hair, and we devour each other.
“Killian.” My name on her lips nearly does me in. But it’s the next three words that stir something incredibly powerful inside me, “I love you.”
I pick her up and carry her back to the bed, needing more than anything to be inside her.
In seconds, our clothes are discarded. I nudge her thighs open with my knee, moving above her, and never breaking my gaze from hers.
“Say it again,” I demand, as I slowly slide inside of her.
“I love you,” she moans, her hips arching to accept all of me.
“I love you too, sweetheart.” And I do. More than I ever thought possible.
What starts out as soft, slow, and steady, soon turns into a hard, fast, frantic rhythm. Each thrust harder than the last. I drive deeper, moaning in pleasure at the feeling of being buried inside of her. Right where I belong.
Her legs lock around my hips, and she arches wildly against me, her muscles tightening, convulsing as she cries out with her release.
I can’t hold back any longer. My release explodes through me so hard I swear I see stars detonate before my eyes. I collapse on top of her, unable to move, not willing to let her go.
Love.
Happiness.
Joy.
Emotions I can’t even name wash over me.
I roll over, taking her with me, so that her head is resting on my chest.
“Are you really going to buy Love Lace?” she asks after a few minutes of silence.
“If you want me to, yes.” I stroke the hair off her cheek.
She shifts and looks up at me. “Would that make you my boss?”
I chuckle. “Only in the bedroom, sweetheart.”
She grins. “I’d like to work together. We make a great team.”
“Yes, we do.”
And together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish.
Epilogue
Alicia
A sharp kick in my ribs makes me groan. I shift in my chair and place my pencil down beside the sketches of the new maternity line I’m working on, then rub my protruding belly.
Killian is immediately behind me, his large hands on my shoulder, working his magic as he rubs away the tension.
“You need to take a break.” He kisses the top of my head, and I can tell he’s sneaking a look at my work.
“I need to get them done before the baby comes.” Which could be any day now.
“Let Carol finish them.”
“Carol doesn’t know what it’s like to be pregnant.” I stand and stretch. “I want to create a line that makes a woman feel sexy even when she’s the size of a whale.”
Killian comes behind me and wraps his arms around me, palms resting on my stomach. “You’ve never looked sexier.”
I grunt. But with Killian I never feel anything less than desired.
He kisses my neck, sending a small shiver of desire racing through me.
“Gorgeous,” he murmurs in my ear. “Take a break and come to bed.”
“Do you ever think about anything but sex?” I tease, turning in his arms.
“I have the hottest wife in the world. Can you blame me?”
I can’t help the smile that pulls at my lips. I don’t know how I got so lucky.
“I love you.” I kiss him, tangling my fingers in his hair.
“Enough to give me a private showing of that collection you’re working on?” He quirks an eyebrow at me.
I laugh because I know what a private show will lead to. And already my body is responding to the temptation of his request.
“You’re in luck.”
“Yeah? How’s that?”
“I just happen to be wearing one of those pieces right now.”
A deep growl rumbles from his chest. “Have I ever told you that I’m the luckiest man in the world?”
I chuckle and take his hand, leading the way to our bedroom.
With Killian I have a life that most women dream about. Not because of the business, or the way he spoils me with gifts, but because I have a man who cherishes me. And that alone is something that all the money, or all the success in the world, could never buy.
More from Carter Blake
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The moment Brooklyn Walsh walked into my office I wanted her. No, scratch that, I wanted to f*ck her. To pull up that tight little skirt she was wearing, bend her over my desk, and make her mine.
But damn if it doesn’t go against my one and only rule – never mix business with pleasure.
She looks at me like I’m Prince Charming, here to fulfill all her deepest fantasies, but I’m far from the man she thinks I am.
Filthy rich. Dominant. Possessive. I’m the Big Bad Wolf her mother warned her about, ready to devour her innocence and her heart.
Despite how difficult my delicious, little assistant has made it, I’ve kept my distance.
Until tonight.
Because tonight, I need her to pretend to be mine.
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