Restoration & Forgiveness (Renovate Book 2)

by Mindy Carter

  "So, now I'm fat?"

  He grabs my face so that he can look at me. "You know that's not what I mean, and I think you have the most beautiful body of any woman I've ever seen."

  I may be acting like a brat, but I'm mad at him for doing this, all of this; from leaving me when we were teenagers, to making me fall so in love with him that I can't see straight.

  "Good, I'm glad you finally understand," he says to my silence.

  I roll my eyes, irritated at his comment.

  "What do you want from me, Keegan?"

  "You always do this, Aimee; like clockwork, you run and hide when you don't want to deal with your problems."

  "I don't do that."

  "The first day we met, what were you doing?" he asks me, inching closer.

  "Running away." He's got me there, but that was when I was a child. I'm an adult with a whole different set of problems.

  "Why?"

  "You know why, you were there," I tell him with anger.

  He's proved his point, and he can stop rehashing the past.

  "I thought you'd forgotten, maybe memory loss. You can't just run away, you need to talk to me."

  He moves my hair off my shoulder and runs his fingers along my cheek. The gesture relaxes me.

  "I waited, and I didn't want to be alone in your penthouse. It's the last thing I wanted. I could do that in the comfort of my own apartment."

  I soften. The anger I have been feeling slowly fades as I look into his eyes.

  "I know this is difficult for you. I feel it too. I want it all with you. I want to come home to you. We should be arguing about wedding dates and floral arrangements, not this, never this."

  "I don't want it to be like this either; I want you all to myself. I hate sharing you, and wondering if I'm going to ruin your life."

  He pulls me into his arms, and I go willingly. The comfort of his arms can soothe me on any stormy day.

  "You have to remember that I want the same things you do, and more. The thing about ruining my life, well we both know I don't have a life without you. If you aren't a part of it then nothing I've worked for matters anyways."

  He's like the love whisperer, making everything look sunny and rosy.

  "Am I even allowed this close to you?" I ask him, half joking.

  He lets out a deep laugh, and he relaxes into me a little more.

  "Yes, actually you aren't close enough."

  "Keegan, what are we going to do? She's going to run me out of town. Then what?"

  "This town is overrated, and she can have it," he tells me, and for the first time I notice displeasure in his voice.

  "Can we move into our house then, and live off the land?"

  "You know what, that's the best idea I've ever heard. Even better, we should do it naked."

  I laugh at how ludicrous it all is.

  "I have everything cleared up about your supposed stalking. It was just an empty threat, and obviously done in my absence.

  "That's good, one less thing to worry about." Although it wasn't ever anything I thought I'd have to check off our list.

  "Kaleb and I also spoke with a private attorney, one who isn't associated with the business."

  "I see," I say.

  "Here is what we are looking at. Selling our shares, the portion we own goes public, and she buys it, or someone else does. The longer she isn't aware the better. There are a few loopholes in the original contract that let us get around a few things. Unfortunately, both Kaleb and I may lose a lot of clients who are faithful to James Architecture as a bigger entity, along with this year's earnings."

  I liked everything he was saying until the last sentence. The one word lose sticks out.

  "I knew this would get worse before it became better, but now your money," I say, worried.

  "Look, Aimee, money comes and goes. If she wants it, she can have it all. The clothes off my back, heck, she can take Andrew too. There's only one us, and I want to build something new with you."

  "Okay, let's build a new life together. Me, you, Kaleb, and Reese," I say, planting a kiss on his chin.

  "We can always leave Kaleb with Gretchen, you know," he says.

  "No way. I love Kaleb, I would never leave him behind."

  "Okay, then it's all settled. The four of us, and one in production."

  I love how he includes the baby in our future, all of our futures. I'm so ready for that for all of us.

  "I think we should kiss on this agreement, to make it official." He smiles, showing those irresistible dimples I love.

  I move in to seal our deal. His soft lips touch mine, and the assault is long and slow. It's not urgent, or hard, just easy. We take our time sealing our future, the one I've dreamed about what seems like my entire life.

  Chapter Eighteen

  It was my idea to head to Keegan's penthouse. He offered to drive us over to my apartment. I almost said yes, but I did agree to come here. If I'm ever going to live here, I'm going to have to get over my issue with it.

  The kissing continued in the elevator, all the way up. We stepped into the entry with our hands clasped. It was nothing like when we left. The furniture and decorations from the party were gone. It looked as if nothing had occurred weeks earlier. It was spotless, and I'm sure Keegan wanted it that way, things back to normal.

  He leads me into the kitchen and asks if I'm hungry. I nod, because I'm starving. I watch Keegan pull out a bottle of wine and pour us both a glass. He hands me mine, and I drink it quickly. I immediately feel the effect of the alcohol as it courses through my body.

  He smiles at me and tops off my glass without any teasing. He takes a few things out of the fridge, and starts preparing something. I watch his back while he works the frying pan on the stove, and my stomach growls when I can smell bacon frying. Keegan turns around, and laughs. My hunger is way too loud for my liking. It's nice to watch him in the kitchen. This is so domestic, and a glimpse at what the everyday would be. He sets a plate in front of me with a BLT sandwich. My grandmother used to make these for me when I was younger. Although it doesn't quite go with the wine, I'm glad he's made my comfort food.

  He sits next to me with his own, and we eat in silence. I'm still a little nervous being here. What if Gretchen decides to make herself at home? She has in the past, walking around Keegan like she owns him. I know that there isn't any type of romance with them, but that hasn't stopped her from being with him before. No, one wants to know about someone's ex. I can't help but wonder if that's how Keegan feels about Liam. The difference is obvious: We aren't partners, and he lives on the other side of the country.

  "Can I ask you for something?"

  "Anything," he answers.

  "Just promise me she won't barge in here at any moment. It makes me uncomfortable, thinking about her having access to your life outside of the office."

  He turns and grabs both of my hands and leans in close. My heart is beating wildly; this is the first time I've ever asked him for anything.

  "Do you think she would be welcome here?"

  "I guess not."

  "I promise you no one has access here, but you, me, my mother, and the woman who cleans every other week."

  I'm so relieved. I finally relax, because he's done everything to make me comfortable. It's silly to fight him over this. I just wanted him say that she isn't welcome, and never will be.

  "Now it's my turn to ask a question."

  "All right?"

  "Tomorrow night, there is a fundraiser at the W hotel, and I want you to come with me. Will you?"

  "You're sure it won't make things worse?"

  "Positive."

  "Then I'd love to."

  Keegan wraps me in his arms. I've made him happy by agreeing. I'm not sure what to expect, as I've never attended anything like this with him. I probably should be dreading it, but I'm not. I'm excited to be there with him, for him.

  "So, I assume Gretchen will be there?"

  "Yes, but we'll have a good time, I promise. Kaleb
and Reese will be there so you have nothing to worry about."

  "The four of us against the world?"

  "Exactly."

  I'm definitely going to have to wear some armor; I have a feeling that this will be our first battle of wills.

  "So, no sunset, but it's a pretty clear night. We can look at the stars," he informs me.

  "With the Celestron?" I ask excitedly.

  "On the count of three, I'll race you… One, two…" I don't listen for three, because I'm already off and running. I can hear him behind me, and right before I get to the door to the study, he grabs me and pushes me up against the wall. I get a burst of adrenaline, and I want to get to the telescope. I also like being pressed against the wall, anticipating what will come next.

  His eyes are dark, and they tell me he's ready to dominate. I'm ready to submit to anything he wants. He trails a finger down my neck, leaving a scorching trail, then just when I think he's going to devour me, he stops. I whine. He knows exactly how to play this game. I had almost forgotten our competitive streak. He wants to win, and he pulls out the big guns, if only to gain the advantage.

  He's fast, and before I can grab him he's gone. I follow; there isn't much distance between us. Adrenaline is my friend.

  The telescope is mere feet away. I may be imagining it, but it seems to be bathed in light. It's all I see, and I dive for him. I don't know if I'll land flat on my face, but this is my last chance to win.

  I have luck on my side, because I feel his back against my front. He grunts, not expecting my attack.

  We tumble onto the chaise lounge, inches from the telescope, landing on our sides. I'm cocooned into the corner with him, tangled in his arms and legs and feeling our hearts beat as we catch our breath.

  "I win," I whisper, smiling.

  "No, I've clearly won the best prize, you," he says sweetly.

  "You know, if this architect thing doesn't work out you could make a killing on greeting cards."

  "Yes, but you are my muse. You would have to stay with me forever so that I could afford to eat."

  "We can't have that," I tell him. We stare at each other with our bodies pressed together on the tiny piece of furniture. I sigh, because this close all the affection I have for this man is set loose. That smile and his dimples are my undoing. He is my prize and I intend to claim him.

  I stare at his lips, and I know my next move. No words are necessary; I notice the heat in his eyes. Mine must mirror his own. Our lips meet like magnets, pulled together.

  The kiss is slow, and long. It's not enough; my body craves his heart, his soul. I need all of it to meet. He completes me in a way I never thought humanly possible.

  Keegan grabs the back of my neck, holding me still. He's controlling this, and I'm sure this is his way of showing me that he is in fact the winner. If he only he could see the stars that I'm seeing as I shut my eyes, he would know that he indeed is the loser.

  Our bodies begin to move together. I let my hands move under his shirt so I can feel the warmth of his skin. I'm addicted to the hard, strong surface. What I want most is to feel it up against my own skin.

  His hands run up the curve of my hip, and squeeze. Then, with the swiftness I've become accustomed to with him, I'm flat on my back and he covers my front with his own. He removes his shirt, and then my own, and starts kissing me down my chest. I can't help but notice that he's started at the same spot where I was left high and dry in the hallway.

  His lips begin to light my delicate skin on fire once again. While I'm experiencing my own heaven on earth through his kisses, he removes my bra and the rest of my pesky clothes, along with his own. The few seconds that we separate are like torture. My body just needs his. In this moment I can't fathom ever being apart from him.

  When we make contact again we both let out a moan of pleasure. My arms are stretched above my head, and I want my arms to be around him. Keegan has other plans and holds them in place as he clasps my hands with his. I struggle at first, but when his tongue circles my nipple it drowns out everything else. He gently bites down and I arch my back as the burst of pleasure courses through me. He goes back and forth, sucking and biting, and the combination cannot be compared.

  I do my best to reach any part of him, and I bite down on his shoulder, doing my best to keep my orgasm from surfacing. I don't want to let go without him inside of me.

  "What are you doing to me?" I let out.

  "Claiming my winnings," he says.

  He lifts me up to standing and I wrap my legs around him.

  "Where are we going?"

  "To our bed, where I can make love to you properly."

  Once we reach the bedroom, I see our target, and I have a flash of Keegan and Gretchen embracing. I push it out, but when my body stiffens, he recognizes it.

  "I'm going to remind you to never run away from me again."

  My body concedes, and I'm more than glad to have him show me. I'm gently lowered to the bed, and I'm aware of the soft, cool sheets on my back. Keegan spreads my legs apart, and I can feel cool air on my center. It sends a thrill through me. When he runs his erection along my slickness I moan in a voice I don't recognize.

  I run my nails down his back, down to his ass where I squeeze him closer. I'm ready for him, and this foreplay is torture. It's evident that he has much more control than I do.

  "Please," I beg.

  "What can I do for you, sweet Aimee," he whispers huskily.

  "I need you inside of me," I whine.

  He presses himself harder along me, and I'm ready to explode. I decide I won't be able to forgive him if I orgasm without him in me.

  "And I need you around me." He pushes into me, and I arch my back as he begins his slow, hard pumping in and out of me. I meet his thrusts, pulled in to his eyes. He's not only making love to me physically, but also to my heart. Staring into the deep, dark pools of blue, I see forever, and the life he's promising me with him.

  As he plunges into me at a rapid pace, I can no longer hold back. My climax takes over, and I'm soaring higher than I have ever before. My release drives him over the edge; he pushes into me one more time before he is pulsating in me.

  His body is heavy on top on me, and I don't even care that he's crushing me. Once his breathing has slowed he lifts up enough so I can finally catch my breath. He assaults my face and neck with quick playful kisses. Once he's had his fill, he plants one last long and passionate kiss on my lips, and reminds me that I still want more of him. I want to feel our complete connection again, as soon as possible.

  He rolls off me, and I whimper at our loss of contact. It's a complete loss when he's just filled me with so much. He pulls me over to him, and I close my eyes as I rest my head on his warm, hard chest. The duvet is pulled over us, and for as much energy that I just had a few minutes ago, I can't seem to keep my eyelids from closing.

  The last words I hear are, "You win." He brushes my hair aside and kisses my temple. I fall asleep with a lazy smile on my face. It's a good thing he's my forever, because there is no doubt I've just been ruined for any other man.

  ***

  I open my eyes to Keegan's. I'm still wrapped around him, and I'm surprised I've slept latched on to him. I blush when I realize that I've held him hostage all night.

  I feel the stiffness in my body as I free him from my hold. I stretch, and he runs his finger down my side. His featherlight caress tickles, and I giggle as my body reacts.

  "Morning, beautiful."

  "Morning, Mr. James."

  He smiles at my greeting, and I kiss the corner of his mouth.

  "You know what I can't wait for?" he asks.

  "What's that?"

  "For you to have my last name."

  The sweetness he brings to me this morning has my heart leaping, and no matter what my day brings, I'll think back to how perfectly it started, here, in bed, with him.

  "Well, about that, I was thinking of keeping my maiden name. I've just grown attached to Brennan," I say with a straight
face. I hold in my laugh at his shock.

  "I don't think so, woman! You will take my name, and you will love it, just like that ring on your finger." He pulls me on top of him.

  "I suppose, for you," I say, and laugh. Instant relief spreads across his face. Even though I was just teasing, I feel bad.

  "I wouldn't want any other last name but yours," I admit. He smiles, tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.

  "I love you."

  "To the stars."

  "Absolutely."

  "One day soon, I want to spend the entire day in this bed."

  "That can definitely be arranged."

  "Soon."

  "Soon." We are in agreement.

  Our evening took a different turn, instead of watching the sunset, and looking at the stars under the moon, I saw different stars, and rose with the sun.

  "What are you thinking?" he asks.

  "That no matter what, I'm happy here, anywhere, as long as I'm with you."

  He looks away for a minute, trying to hide his embarrassment. He's not the only one who can be poetic. I wish I could make him feel as special as he does me.

  "So tonight, I will pick you up at your apartment. Panties are optional, as always." I push him away, faking being appalled, but I like the dirty talk more than I admit.

  "So this is a fancy function, black tie?" I inquire.

  "Yes, there will be photographers as always. Just so you know, the fundraiser is for cancer research, and I know how important that is to you."

  He's referring to my mother's battle with the disease, and the reason we met in the first place. If she hadn't died, I wonder would we have found each other? Would we be where we are right now, or would we have lived without the parts of our hearts that belonged to the other.

  I'm pleased to find out about the charity, and even though I'm healthy, it's always in the back of my mind that I'll be dealt the same sentence as she was. I want to grow old with Keegan, watch our children grow into adults. See them fall in love. We just have to get to the part where we can make that possible, and I'm afraid Gretchen may drag things out so that won't happen. I don't want to build a family with her looming in our lives.