by Ashe, Karina
Lauren smiled and nodded. “That sounds pretty good actually. OK, get out of here and let me do my thing.”
She pushed him out of the bathroom and closed the door. When she emerged about thirty minutes later, the bedroom was empty. The bed was made, and his tux and her dress from the night before were folded neatly and placed on the floor near the bedroom door. Lauren dressed quickly and followed the smell of fresh brewed coffee to the kitchen, where she found Derek sitting at her counter in shorts and a tee shirt, drinking coffee and reading her Sunday paper.
“Where’d you get the change of clothes? You arrived in a tux.”
“Haven’t you figured out yet that all my vehicles have extra shirts and pants?”
She looked around and saw her dishes from the night before in the dish rack, washed, along with the wine glass. She made an approving noise. “Now a girl can get used to this. You better be careful,” she said.
Derek jumped up and poured a mug of coffee for her. “You ain’t seen nothing yet. So, drink up and then we’ll get going. And, by the way, I’ll send someone over to clean up your backyard tomorrow, so don’t even give it a single thought.”
Lauren gasped and raised her hand to her mouth, remembering how she tore apart the flowerbed the night before.
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
He handed her the paper. “What’s your favorite section?”
“Sports,” she said, and burst out laughing at his surprised expression.
“Just kidding. The financial section is the only part I read, but I’m not in the mood for that now.”
Derek’s eyes widened. “What are you in the mood for? And don’t say what I think you’re thinking, because I want to take you somewhere before we go back to bed.”
Lauren sipped some coffee and set down the mug. “Then let’s get going. I told you I’m starving.”
“Do you have something to tie back your hair?” Derek asked as they got into the Corvette.
Lauren reached into her purse and pulled out a hair clip. “Yes. Why?”
“Because I’m putting the top down.”
While the mechanism was working, Derek made a quick call, ordered breakfast, and said they’d be there in thirty minutes.
“Where are we going?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I never heard anyone put in an order when they made reservations before.”
Derek laughed. “You’ll see.”
Lauren became curious when Derek drove across town and into an exclusive residential area. “I didn’t know they had any commerce here,” she said. “What’s the restaurant’s name again?”
“Nice try, but I’m not telling you where we’re going.”
He pulled up to a large Tudor mansion.
“Wow, I didn’t know this B&B was here,” she said when he came around to open her door.
They walked up the paved driveway and Derek put a key in the lock, looking sideways at her with a smile.
Lauren looked confused. “But you showed me your house last weekend, and this certainly is not it.” Her eyes narrowed. “Please don’t tell me there are any more lies or secrets.”
“I told you the truth. You asked if it was my house, and it is. The house I showed you is a rental property I own. One of many. This place is my residence,” Derek said, and pushed open the door.
He lifted her up in his arms and carried her over the threshold. A uniformed butler was standing in the foyer. “Your breakfast is ready to be served, Mr. Holmes.”
Derek nodded and set Lauren down next to him. “Charles, I’d like you to meet the future Mrs. Holmes.”
Lauren could barely sputter out a greeting. Her mouth opened almost as wide as her eyes as Derek took her hand and led her down the hall to a sumptuous spread in the dining room.
“Welcome to my home, Lauren.”
He got down on one knee. “Please make me the happiest man in the world and say you’ll move in and make it yours, too.”
“Are you asking me to marry you or move in with you?”
“Both.”
Lauren tugged at his arm lightly and Derek stood up. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I will marry you, and we’ll talk later about the house.”
Before he could respond, she filled his mouth with her tongue. Derek pulled his head back and smiled at her.
“I’ll show you every house I own, and you can take your pick. If you don’t like any of them, I’ll move into your house or anywhere you want. All I care about is that I have you to come home to every day for the rest of my life.”
“Good answer. Now let’s eat, and then you can show me the bedroom suite. I think I may want to sample the bed before I decide.”
Derek’s eyes twinkled. “Sounds good. You know, of course, that there’s a master bedroom in every one of my houses. Trying out each bed might take some time.”
Lauren sat down in the chair he pulled out for her. “I can’t think of a better decision-making process for selecting a home, can you?”
Derek shook his head. “I’m ready to start testing beds any time you are, Goldilocks. But as far as I’m concerned, any bed with you in it works for me.”
While Derek looked away for a moment to signal to the staff to begin serving, Lauren pinched her arm to make sure she wasn’t in a dream. Seeing a red welt appear—and the look of concern on Derek’s face as he lightly ran his fingers over the area—erased any trace of doubt that lingered.
~ THE END ~
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Lauren Gail Daniels and Derek Andrew Holmes! Join Karina’s mailing list to be sure to get your invitation and a front row seat at the wedding in RELUCTANT BILLIONAIRES: CADE & SOFIA
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Other titles by Karina Ashe
One Date
Dressed in Yellow
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About the Author
Karina Ashe is a 30-mumble small town gal living in the big city, nose to the grind stone by day, fingertips to the keyboard by night. She enjoys reading hot tales about alpha men and the REAL women they love—and decided to finally write some of her own as well. She is unabashedly addicted to dark chocolate, loose leaf tea, and picnics in the park.
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Keep reading for a preview of ONE DATE.
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No. No no no no—
Leah slid along the wall, trying to reach the door. Marcus paced her, like a big, graceful cat tracking his prey. And that’s what she felt like—prey.
“Mr. Hawkins—”
“Marcus.” He stepped between her and her goal, crossing his arms “How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t like formality.”
She loved it, especially with him. It kept him at a distance. Untouchable. She needed him to be untouchable. Former bad boy, gorgeous heartbreaker—God, she couldn’t survive another heartbreaker.
“I can’t,” she said. “You’re my boss, and it’s such an important event, I wouldn’t—” She cut herself off.
“Wouldn’t what, Leah?” The way he said her name made her shiver. “Wouldn’t want to embarrass me?”
He moved to her and leaned in, those dark blue eyes intense, so close his breath warmed her cheek. Too close. She could smell his cologne, a mix of sandalwood and some warm musk that made her want to sniff his neck—and the rest of him. While he was naked.
Stop it.
His deep voice wrapped around her. “You have too much class to embarrass me. Do you have a gown suitable for black tie?”
She swallowed, incredibly aware of him. “No,” she whispered.
“I will have something sent to your apartment.”
Oh, God.
“Mr. Hawkins—”
“Go finish the letters, then head home, Leah. You have a party to get ready for.”
“But—”
“I will have a car sent for you at seven.”
“But—”
He caught her around the waist and turned her to the door, letting his hands slide down to her hips before he gently pushed her out of his office and shut the door in her face.
Shit. Holy shit.
Leah had a date with her boss.
***
Coming soon to Kindle Unlimited!
Her bottom lip trembles as I brush my thumb against it.
“I’m not used to feeling vulnerable,” I admit. “I’m used to knowing what I want and going after it. I never doubted myself until I joined the military. And after all the shit I saw, I thought I would be incapable of ever doubting myself again until I met you.”
She finally looks up at me. “What do you mean?”
I don’t want to say it, but I know I have to. I’ll lose her if I don’t. “You make me remember things I didn’t want to remember, and feel things I didn’t want to feel. It’s…hard sometimes. But it’s worth it, too.”
Her eyes narrow in on my lips, losing focus. There’s more I want to say, but it’s still too soon and I’ll fuck it up anyway. I can barely think with her in my arms.
I tuck her hair behind her ears. “Ever since your first letter—”
She smiles. “Not the first one you liar.”
Alright, she had me there. “Fine. I think it was the tenth or something.”
“That’s more like it.”
I take a deep breath and lean in. She sobers, noticing the change in my demeanor.
“Ever since your tenth letter,” I continue, “you’ve been the only girl I wanted. So yeah, I want you to be strong, especially when I can’t be.”
Her grip on my biceps tightens. “Okay.”
I lean in slowly until our lips almost touch, intentionally driving her crazy, but not nearly as crazy as she’s driving me.
“I mean it,” I whisper. “No more running and no more of this one kiss bullshit. Because once I start kissing you, I’m not gonna stop. There is no fade to black in this fairy tale, Lily. This is about me and you and all the dirty things you wanted to do but were too afraid to write in your letters.”
***