He handed it back to me and got a thoughtful look on his face. “Now if you brought home one of those other books like the one you have upstairs, I might be interested. That’s some kinky shit babe.”
My cheeks started to burn. “It’s just research to help find a book for customers.”
His eyebrow quirked. “If you have more than one customer coming in to buy those books in a year I’d be surprised. In the meantime, count me as your volunteer for human experimentation if you want to try something.”
I giggled.
“So, when are we getting married?”
My eyes bugged out as I looked at him. “Technically you haven’t proposed Aiden. Going on national TV and saying you’re engaged isn’t the same thing as having someone agree to marry you.”
He frowned at me. “Seriously?”
I stuck my head back in my book. “Seriously.”
He growled. “I need to go take care of a few things at Muse. Cade’s been gone for about a week, Holden’s going insane and I need for everyone to calm down.”
“I told you he wasn’t going to like babysitting that place.”
“Yeah, well he needs to suck it up until I can find someone to help Cade. But I do need to go up there because he just called and asked if he could have daily shootings in the alley out back. Sounds serious.”
Holden and management, I shivered. Not after the things I’d seen from that man.
“What about Suzanne? She seems like she’s capable.”
He came around the couch, sat down beside me and pulled me into his lap. “Babe you only met her once. You think everyone is nice.”
I smelled the soap on his skin with a touch of cologne. I dug my face into his neck and gave him some kisses.
He chuckled. “Sweetheart, if you don’t stop, I’m going to carry you upstairs and we won’t leave the house for the entire weekend.”
“Hmm,” I kissed him on his neck again. “That would be awful.”
He picked me up and set me back down on the couch. “I’m going to get some coffee, need anything?”
I pouted at him.
“Have to go to Muse today.”
I watched his ass as he walked to the kitchen.
“C’mon Aiden. Where did you put the condoms and why aren’t we putting them to good use? I need attention.”
I heard some shuffling and clinking in the kitchen. He didn’t answer.
He emerged again with two cups and a dish balanced on top of one of them.
I grinned “For me?”
He set them on the coffee table. “Yep, coffee and a pastry. I believe that’s chocolate.”
My mouth salivated instantly. “When did you get it?”
“Out on that jog this morning.”
My nose scrunched up. I was trying to think about how many miles round trip that was if he ran the entire distance.
He chuckled and handed me the plate. “Stop thinking so hard, you’re going to short the system. Eat that.”
I gave him a lopsided look. “Okay Mr. Bossy.”
The Danish was indeed chocolate. It was sticky sweet and I held up my fingers so that Aiden could lick off the icing. That act in itself had me turned on. Then he did the eyebrow raise.
Ahh gawd.
He pointed to the plate.
I picked up the second half of it and something fell out of the middle making a loud clinking sound as it hit the plate.
There in the middle of chocolate and icing, lay a beautiful princess cut diamond ring the size of which I had never seen before.
My eyes slowly raised to the man in front of me. He gave me an innocent look while blinking his eyes several times.
“Uhm,” I managed to say while chewing the remainder of the bite in my mouth.
“Will you marry me Olivia? I love you. I want to be with the sweetest, most beautiful, bravest, craziest woman I know for the rest of my life. And I’m asking, not telling. Which is kind of hard for me.”
I was frozen. Awestruck. Completely speechless.
He got a worried look on his face. “Say something.”
I grinned at him. For the first time in my life everything was perfect. Even Mr. Bossy was perfect in this moment and it made me completely happy. He loved me.
I leaned up to kiss him and said against his lips, “Yes.”
He smiled and kissed me back, then stood up as if to leave.
I gave him a questioning look. “What the hell?”
“Language, princess. Put that ring on right now. Go get yourself all dressed up, there’s a new outfit upstairs on the bed.” He looked at the clock on the wall. “We have an engagement party in two hours. Your mom is at a hotel, I need to go pick her up, and John will be your escort today. I forgot my suit at the cleaners.”
I put the plate down, staring at him like he had lost his mind.
“Aiden!”
“What? Babe. Ring, now. Let’s get this show on the road. Two hours. Love you!” He walked over to the door and shouted, “Bye!”
I put the ring on, leaned back on the couch, and sighed. “Shit.”
The End
About the Author
Jennifer Vester is a romance author whose ambition is to entertain readers with quirky, off-beat female characters and the men that love them. Her work is infused with humor and suspense, while exploring relationships from the female perspective. Characters are often facing difficulties in life and love.
For more information, please visit: https://vesterbooks.wixsite.com/jennifervester
Coming Soon!
“Hide” by Jennifer Vester
(The story of Julia and Holden)
A man I thought I recognized got out, he was massive, broad chest, wide muscled shoulders, short cropped hair, goatee. He moved in front of me and grabbed me around the waist. My arms were locked in against his solid chest. His hands were wrapped around my back and had me caged.
He was going to kill me, I just knew it. My eyes closed even as I struggled against his tight arms. I screamed and screamed as the man whispered softly in my ear. Tears were running down my face and my throat felt sore. My mind was so scattered that I didn’t realize he had sat down on the sidewalk and pulled me down with him.
My face was against his chest and I gave up struggling. I was now just blubbering against some stranger. The neighbors would probably all move.
“Breath, Julia,” he said softly. His hands were running over my hair. I could hear the calm heart in his chest, beating boldly but steadily. His smell reminded me of fresh laundry. I flashed back to when I used to pounce in it as a child, while I watched my mother put it away.
It reminded me of home, back when I was happy and safe.
My breathing slowed and I opened my eyes to look at the chest in front of me. He was big. I could feel his muscles and now see them straining at his olive green t-shirt.
The feeling of being protected in this man’s arms was overwhelming. I felt like if I sat here long enough that the troubles I had been facing would simply go away
I looked up at his face and realized who he was.
The one man that I wanted to see most and hated the thought of seeing, was holding me tight in the safe place I had been looking for.
“But I hate you,” I whispered.
Run (Lakefield Book 1) Page 21