I clamped my lips tight, the words sending my heart pattering and suffusing my cheeks with heat. I couldn’t stop my smile. “You’re sweet.” I moved to brush the side of his face, but Dean caught my hand to kiss my fingers, his gaze intense and amplifying the drum of my heart.
“I never want it to end, Maya,” he said.
“I don’t either.”
“No—I want this forever.” He pressed my palm to his lips and kissed it, then held it against his chest. The storm of his eyes was so serious, butterflies filled my stomach. “Besides, didn’t I promise you a surprise?”
I blinked at Dean’s playful tone before he pitched backward, a faint smile crossing his lips in his reach for the nightstand drawer. I giggled at him, but when he withdrew a small box from the drawer rather than any sort of toy, my pulse thundered in my ears.
Dean sat upright, the sheets tumbling down around his waist to reveal the quickening rise of his chest. My jaw dropped as he snapped the lid of the box open. The light behind him cast a shadow over his hands, but the beautiful diamond in the center of a platinum band glittered in my view. I jerked up from the bed.
“Oh my God.”
“Maya,” Dean said, his voice deep, his gaze heavy, “let’s do this forever. Will you marry me?”
Happy tears burst from my eyes, the clatter of my heart threatening to crack my chest open. I fell into his arms with a squeal, and when Dean layered my neck with kisses, I pressed close, my answer the one I wanted to say to him over and over again, for anything we did.
“Yes, Dean. God, yes!”
His arms came around me warmer than ever, his body strong and sweet, the kisses he played over my face filling me with such happiness I thought I’d explode. “I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, too.”
Dean paused to slip the ring on my finger before cupping my cheeks in his palms. After he crushed my mouth in another delicious, tantalizing kiss, he stared at me with those eyes I loved—the eyes I never wanted to stop losing myself in. With everything we’d been through, that I’d been through, I felt like we could face anything together. I hadn’t lost my euphoric high from my reward at the club, but as Dean clutched me tight and I peered at the ring on my finger over his shoulder, I couldn’t help thinking that the greatest reward of all was the future we’d share together.
When Dean pulled back to kiss me once more, I sighed against his lips, so happy. I knew then that the strength I’d found in his arms was what tethered me to him and the magic between us.
Forever.
* * * * *
Acknowledgments
End of a series, end of a wild ride—and so many wonderful people who have helped and supported me along the way, each deserving of mountains of gratitude! The first of these fabulous people is my brilliant, sassy editor, Rhonda Stapleton, who has been a force to work with throughout this series. You have taught me so much during the editing process, acting as not just an incredible editor but an enthusiastic cheerleader every step of the way. The Reward would not be what it is without all of that (fantastic brainstorming session included!). Thank you! It’s been a joy and honor to work with you.
In addition, my deepest thanks goes to the entire Carina Press team for their support, efforts and excitement for Maya and Dean’s journey from day one. This experience has been a gift, and I’m forever grateful to have had the opportunity to work with every one of you. I am also thankful for my agent, Jessica Alvarez, who has guided me throughout the process and encouraged me even at the shakiest points. Lessons in Control happened in part because of your hard work and love of the characters, and I couldn’t be happier to have collaborated with you!
There are, of course, many people I’d like to thank on a personal level who have helped behind the scenes more than I could fathom. Without them, I’m sure this series (never mind me) would have fallen apart. The first are my original Beta Babes, Malin James and Tamsin Flowers, for their enthusiasm and encouragement all the way through. You two have been amazing friends, colleagues, editors, advisers and cheerleaders. Malin, I can’t even count how many emails and conversations we’ve shared about the fate of Maya and Dean, and I’m endlessly appreciative of the insight and support you’ve offered both on the writing and life side. And Tamsin, Queen of Tension, I have certainly treasured your guidance when it comes to messing with Maya and Dean...and then messing with them more. Thank you both for being the brilliant writers and friends you are.
This round, I also need to heap infinite thanks (and kisses with many eyebrow waggles) on the wonderful Michael Knight—wow, did you step in as the real-deal beta this time around! You helped Dean be better, and both he and Maya became stronger together through your solid insight. I can’t express enough how lucky I am to have had you as part of the ride. Bonus, too, were the numerous Skype sessions I shared with you and the lovely Molly Moore, who gets her own bout of kisses and appreciation until time stands still. Miss Molly, you pushed me in all the right ways throughout the writing of this book, especially because we both knew what finishing it would mean for me. I’ve loved having your support as well as watching our friendship flourish in the process.
A last personal thank-you and enormous, warm hug goes to Nick for all the cheers, celebrations, stability, encouragement and motivation to work harder and better. You are and always have been my rock—and my tree—and your presence through this series and outside it means the world to me.
Finally, a gigantic thank-you to the readers who have taken part in Maya and Dean’s journey. Writing a story is one thing, but having people excited to read it is a true joy! Thank you for reading their tale and staying along for The Reward. That is a reward in itself for which I am eternally grateful.
Also available from Jade A. Waters
and Carina Press
The Assignment
The Discipline
About the Author
Jade A. Waters has been writing for thirty years, but it wasn’t until the last few that she passionately claimed the title of “erotica author and poetess.” Since then, her short fiction and poetry has been featured in over a dozen anthologies, including Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Best Erotic Romance of the Year, The Big Book of Orgasms, The Sexy Librarian’s Dirty 30, and Bondage Bites, with several of her stories also narrated on The Kiss Me Quick’s Erotica Podcast. Her debut novel, The Assignment, was the first of the Lessons in Control series from Carina Press.
With a colorful past that includes a math degree, a stint as a semi-professional aerial acrobat, a short run on stage and a few years laboring in her personal costume shop, Jade now focuses on her love of words, be they on the page, read aloud, or shared in good conversation. She has a fondness for sugar, coffee, dancing, karaoke, and the entire California Bay Area, which is where she’s lived and worked for most of her life.
Currently, Jade is hard at work her next project—but she’d love for you to visit her website, jadeawaters.com, or say hello on Twitter or Facebook.
Introducing the Carina Press Romance Promise!
The Carina Press team all have one thing in common: we are romance readers with a longtime love of the genre. And we know what readers are looking for in a romance: a guarantee of a happily-ever-after (HEA) or happy-for-now (HFN). With that in mind, we’re initiating the Carina Press Romance Promise. When you see a book tagged with these words in our cover copy/book description, we’re making you, the reader, a very important promise:
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THE ASSIGNMENT
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THE REWARD
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TOO TABOO: An Erotic Romance Anthology
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ABSOLVE ME by Morgaine Cameron
TWICE AS HARD by Amber Bardan
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The first time I felt Master Jensen’s presence beside me, I knew he would be the one to show me all the kinky pleasures of Luminous. That I would give my body to him. Begin my journey to sexual freedom at his feet. But when I dared raise my eyes to his, I saw he would get a part of me no man had had before: my trust.
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LITTLE DANCER by Brianna Hale
Twenty-year-old dancer Abby Williams is shocked when a spark of curiosity and taboo desire have her wanting more from the darkly handsome and commanding Rufus Kingsolver. Under Rufus’s firm hand, they explore the erotic depths of their unconventional, yet beautiful, relationship. Abby is falling deeper in love with Rufus and the Little/Dom lifestyle, but it’s not long before she comes face-to-face with her darkest fear—judgment from the outside world.
Daddy knows best, but what if, this once, he can’t protect her?
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ISBN-13: 9781488022869
The Reward
Copyright © 2017 by Jade A. Waters
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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