Moments later, still breathing hard, he pulled away from me and I whimpered at the loss of feeling.
"Shhh." He sat down, gathering me up in his arms and pulling me into his lap. "Shhh, I'm right here." He chuckled softly, his lips against my temple. "One of these days I'll learn to control myself with you, sunshine. Your wicked little body doesn't want that, but I'm gonna win. One of these days."
"Can't exactly help it," I murmured. "You make me feel so good. Besides." I opened my eyes, smiling up at him. "I like it when you get all flustered."
"Yeah. I noticed." He frowned slightly. "Hey, did I ever punish you for that little phone sex stunt?"
My heart throbbed at the memory. "Of course. You don't remember?"
"Not that one. The first time." He raised his eyebrows. "When I was at work, you little hussy."
I laughed. I'd actually forgotten about that ridiculousness. "I didn't mean to. You're the one who called me, remember?"
"Yeah, because you texted me first. Just laying there in bed, wearing that dress. Are you telling me that's not what you wanted?"
"Not at first," I protested. "But your voice is just so sexy..."
"Stop it," he growled. "That's not going to work. You started off joking about what you were wearing. You knew exactly what that would do to me."
"Yeah, well, do you have any idea what a state I was in when I visited your office?" I countered. "You deserved a little quid pro quo."
"Quid pro..." He rolled me towards him slightly to give me a little smack on the bottom. "Are you fucking kidding me, woman? The state you were in? I'm surprised I didn't do any serious damage to myself after you left. I might have a repetitive motion injury from all the times you left me high and dry."
"That was almost always your idea," I reminded him, laughing, my head snuggled safely against his chest. "If your phone hadn't gone off that day in your office bathroom...I was about to drop to my knees right there and mark you with my lipstick where it really counted."
He groaned, hugging me tighter. "Stop that, sunshine. I really do need some time to recover, tonight."
"I'm glad it happened the way it did, though." I sighed into his partially-unbuttoned shirt. "I'd be afraid to change anything."
"Me too." His lips brushed my forehead. "I fucking love you, Mrs. Chase. More than sand castles and Ben & Jerry's. More than anything in the whole damn world. I wish I'd never let you go, but at least I found you again."
Tears glistened in my eyes again, and this time, I let them fall. "I love you too," I whispered. "I didn't even realize how much I've been missing you, all these years."
"Me neither." He laughed softly. "Isn't that crazy? I know I'm just projecting the way I feel about you now, but I could swear I was in love with you then. Somehow. Even if I didn't know what it meant."
"I know." I wanted to believe it was real, even if it couldn't possibly be.
"Promise me one thing." He stroked the tangled hair back from my face. "Don't ever leave me again. Okay? Or I'll have to put a collar on you with a bell."
"That doesn't sound so bad," I purred.
I felt his chuckle reverberating through his chest. "You're impossible," he whispered. "I love impossible."
"I know," I whispered back.
The stars were coming out, one by one, and then suddenly, all at once. As I watched them appear, cradled in his arms, I truly realized for the first time something I'd known all along, without really knowing.
The stars were always there. Bright and beautiful, their vibrancy only hidden in the daylight. But they were never gone. Not really. They were just waiting.
I'd waited such a long time. Now, it was my turn to shine like a diamond.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this book, you might also like:
I Married a Billionaire
The beginning of Maddy and Daniel's story - and a FREE download!
Maddy Wainright has given up on marriage - and men. After dating way too many losers who aren't capable of appreciating her for who she is, she's about ready to resign herself to a life of spinsterhood. Until her insanely rich boss Daniel Thorne comes along with an offer she simply can't refuse.
He proposes a marriage of convenience - one that would allow Maddy to live in the lap of luxury for a year, and Mr. Thorne to stay in the country that has become his home. At the end of their arrangement, Maddy will walk away with a cool two million dollars. All she has to do is move into his mansion, put on a convincing show in public, and endure a few INS interviews, for which she will be thoroughly prepped. It's a big risk, but one Maddy might just be willing to take, considering the payoff.
At first, it's all business. But when the gentle touches, passionate kisses, and lingering looks they have to give each other in public start spilling over into their private life, Daniel and his devious mind take Maddy to heights of pleasure she's never experienced. And the more she gets to know him, the more she feels that wistful tug in her chest every time he puts his arm around her in public. Before long, she finds herself wishing it were real.
As time goes on, Maddy finds herself wondering if two million dollars will be enough to cover the cost of repairing a broken heart. But Mr. Thorne may have yet another secret in store...
Read it now!
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I Married a Master Page 31