Lori had been her stepmother for nearly as long as she’d had her own mother.
Dinner had been cordial, and Sadie spent most of that time listening to those around her, the conversations a fascinating mix of business, pleasure, and the whims of the wealthy. One woman complained about her driver and how he hadn’t opened the door quickly enough for her last week. One expounded on the company she found to polish her marble floors.
Those were the things she didn’t miss about her present company, as if the hardships of real life didn’t touch them even though she knew they did.
Lincoln’s parents hadn’t exactly welcomed her with open arms but they hadn’t been dismissive either. She liked to think she’d come far enough that they could sense the difference in her and see how much she’d grown.
After dinner, the men, Lincoln included, retired to the patio to do whatever it was that men did after dinner. Smoke cigars or drink brandy or something equally as pretentious.
The women gathered in a sitting room for tea, gossip at the ready, now that the men were gone. Sadie listened to them with half an ear as she glanced around the room, bored.
The things they talked about were benign as far as gossip went, but it was still not something Sadie wanted to participate in. Instead, she looked at the framed pictures on the shelves of the living room, seeing many of herself still in places of honor.
“Sadie,” Lori said, grabbing her attention. “There are a few things in your room I put aside for you that I thought you might want to bring home with you. Maybe you want to go grab them before you leave?”
Lori was giving her an out and she was forever grateful. She sent her a small smile and hustled to the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. Growing up, she’d had the entire floor to herself and it was probably the size of the entire house she lived in and loved now. Stepping into the elevator was like going back in time and she leaned against the back wall, remembering that one time she’d flashed Lincoln and made a complete fool of herself.
Even worse, she knew he remembered too. How embarrassing.
When she got to her room there was a small box of things, and Sadie squatted down to look inside, her breath catching in her throat. They were her mother’s things, mementoes of a woman who held such a big spot in Sadie’s heart.
A silver compact. A journal that Sadie immediately opened and skimmed, finding entries about a work trip her mother had taken and how she wished to go home. A framed picture of Sadie and her mother when Sadie was no more than a few weeks old. A pair of designer shoes, now vintage, but something Sadie remembered sitting in her mother’s closet.
She spent a few more minutes flipping through the journal and then put the box under her arm. She’d take everything home with her and pore over it more later, when she had some space to take it all in and maybe even shed a tear or two. Setting the box on the floor, she pressed the button to go back down and marveled at the things her father and Lori had kept around.
The doors slid open when she reached the first floor and she stilled.
Lincoln stood there, taking a small step forward and leaning against the door, hands in his pockets, not letting it close.
“Sadie,” he said, greeting her.
The entire scene was a reminder of that one night, the one where she’d been a total asshat, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he remembered as many details as she did.
“Lincoln,” she replied.
“You look stunning,” he said, a smile stretching across his lips.
Oh, he remembered alright. She’d been desperate for his compliments then, but he hadn’t given them so freely. Instead, she’d pointed out how fabulous she looked and waited for him to agree. Now, he was taking charge and she felt a trickle of need at the change.
“And if I were your sister…” Sadie prompted, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I wouldn’t let you leave the house looking like that.” He stepped in and let the doors slide closed behind him.
“Is this the part where I flash you?” she asked as he took another step closer, and then another, until his toes were touching hers.
His fingers worked against her hips, and she realized he was inching her dress up one little bit at a time until it was bunched in his fists. She didn’t fight him, letting him look his fill and watching his eyes turn hot as he looked her up and down.
“This is what I should have done that night,” he murmured, his bright blue eyes catching hers before darting back down again. “I should have never let you walk out these doors.”
“And what is it you would have done with me here?” Sadie asked, her breaths coming out quick.
“Well, for starters, you didn’t have these.” Lincoln’s fingers spread across her hips and when he swept them down, her panties went with them, sliding down her legs and falling useless around her ankles. He lifted her dress again, looking at her with that small, sexy smile on his lips. “It was more like this. If I’d have been smarter, I would have grabbed you and kissed you then.”
“No time like the present,” Sadie breathed.
He shook his head, his eyes meeting hers again. “I should have kissed you and pushed you against this wall and fallen to my knees in front of you.”
She nodded, totally focused on his words. “I really like when you do that.”
The pride that washed over his face was purely masculine and very well-earned. Lincoln had proven many times over that he did some of his best work on his knees with one of her legs wrapped around him.
“I should have wrapped your long legs around me and slid into you,” he told her.
“Lincoln,” she whispered.
“I shouldn’t have let you go, Sadie. Not that night and not ever.”
“I forgive you,” she said, her need flaring as his words burrowed into her soul.
“I know you do,” he admitted, his fingers suddenly between her legs, sliding around as if they knew exactly where they were going. He hit her hotspot and watched her intently as she struggled to stay with him. “Water under the bridge at this point, but it pisses me off to think of what we missed out on all these years.”
“Yeah,” she murmured, pushing herself down, hoping for him to hit that spot again.
“We could have done this after every family dinner.” He shifted just right and Sadie melted against his hand. She should have been embarrassed by her desperation but she wasn’t. Lincoln never made her feel embarrassed by her need for him, usually pushing her to take more than she could handle. She sucked in a breath, her head lolling back as fire streaked through her core and she tightened around him. “I could have taken you here, just flipped that little switch on the elevator, making it unavailable, and done this.”
The whiney mewl that came from her throat wasn’t something Sadie was used to hearing, but what he was doing to her, the pleasure he was seeking for her, was burning and insistent. It was clawing its way up her belly, a swirling fire that radiated through every fiber of her being. She worked against him desperately, looking for that final push over the edge.
Lincoln let her search but ultimately, he was in control. With one little movement, she knew he could get her across the finish line, shattering her into a thousand pieces.
But he didn’t. He let her work for it, holding off that one little bit.
“Please,” she whimpered, still moving, still waiting.
“I love you, Sadie,” he whispered, finally bringing his lips to her skin. Just her throat, but close enough that even the small contact sent a sizzle through her.
“Yes.” She was mostly just letting words fall from her mouth, actual verbalization difficult. “Yes.”
Whatever he did then made her knees buckle and he held her up, his big body pressing her against the back wall.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he grunted, his fingers leaving her body. She whimpered, her hands on his shoulders.
“Don’t stop.”
“Stop?” He half laughed. “No sto
pping.” The sound of metal clinking on metal filled the background. “I just need to feel you, honey. All around me. All the time.” Hard and thick he pushed into her and it was almost a relief, Sadie’s eyes sliding closed at the sheer pleasure of it. Lincoln lifted her so her butt rested on the handrail on the wall and then wrapped her legs around him.
After that, the ride was fast and wild, explosive. He pounded into her with a primal abandon he’d been keeping hidden the last few weeks, in favor of hand-holding and emotional care. It occurred to her that their relationship called for a great deal of all of those things at different times, but this. Right here. Right now. It was exactly what she needed and wanted from him.
The setting just did it for her. Their history so entwined, the moments they’d shared on that very elevator, made it all that much more poignant.
Back then, she’d wanted him so desperately but she’d have never known how to keep him. She hadn’t been anything close to what he’d needed then.
And the same went for him. He wouldn’t have been able to keep her from going off the rails, and he definitely wouldn’t have been enough of a wakeup call for her to make a real change in her life.
Back then, they weren’t enough for each other.
But now? Now they were perfect.
“They totally knew,” Sadie commented on the ride back to his condo.
He agreed. The second they’d stepped off the elevator and walked back into the living room, Brady had been hiding a knowing smile, as had Lori. His own mother looked mortified while Mark Charles had looked ready to spit nails.
Probably Lincoln banging his daughter on the elevator wasn’t exactly what Mark had in mind when he’d invited them for dinner.
“Maybe,” Lincoln hedged, not wanting to ruin the night for Sadie.
It had gone relatively well and he didn’t want anything to dampen that for Sadie. He wanted her to feel free to go back to her parent’s house anytime she wanted. If she thought she’d done something wrong, it might put that in jeopardy.
“Maybe?” she scoffed, her blonde ponytail sliding over her shoulder as she turned to eye him. “Lori winked at me and Brady tried to high-five me.”
He held in a laugh. “At least they’re being supportive.”
“You’re really reaching for that silver lining.”
After the conversation he’d had with his father, he needed to take the good where he could get it.
“You want to tell me what has you so worried?” Her voice was soft and when he looked over at her, there was a knowledge in her eyes that reminded him that she was so much tougher than he gave her credit for. “You’ve had your private thinking time for a week now. It’s time to share.”
“I told my parents I think I’m leaving the firm.”
“You’re what?” she asked, sitting up quickly. “You never said anything about wanting to leave the firm. What about Brady, Dylan, and Grant?”
“Brady, Dylan, and Grant are already on the same page as I am. I talked to them about it last week.”
Her brow furrowed. “You never said anything to me.”
“Do you want to move back to Boston?” he asked bluntly.
“Of course not.”
“Then I’m not staying somewhere you won’t live. If you can’t bring Mohammed to the mountain, you bring the mountain to Mohammed.”
“You can’t give up your life for me!” she nearly shouted.
In hindsight, he should have waited until he wasn’t driving to have this conversation with her. The best he could do was park at the nearest curb and turn in her direction. There was genuine worry written across her face.
“It’s not happening right away. It’ll take a while to get everything situated and it can happen whenever we want it to. But you have to know, my endgame is moving wherever you are and being with you, however that has to happen. If that means I leave the firm, then so be it.”
“But you…” she trailed off. “You love it there?” Even she wasn’t sure.
He shook his head. They’d already discussed how he felt about putting in his time at the firm. “I love my friends. I loved building something with them. Do I love living in the city and working every day, doing something that’s nothing more than fine? I don’t love it more than I love you, I can tell you that much.”
“Linc,” she protested. “You can’t give up your life for me.”
“I’m not giving up my life.” He grabbed her hands and held them in his own, willing her to understand. He put every hope and dream into his eyes and willed her to see them as she stared at him. “I’m trying to build a life. With you, Sade. I want us to build something we both need and love. You love dogs—they make you feel fulfilled. I want to find out what that is for me and I think this is the start of that. I think you can help me find out whatever that is.”
“Me? Lincoln, I’m a mess,” she cried, her dark eyes watering as she argued. “I can’t help you find anything.”
“Do you love me?” he asked.
“You know I do.”
“That’s all I need from you, Sadie. It’s all I’ll ever need from you. That alone has already led me places I didn’t know I needed to go.”
“I can’t let you do this,” she protested, but Lincoln heard the wobble in her voice.
He smiled at her, lifting a hand to cup her cheek. “Life’s too damn short, honey. Let’s not waste time fighting something we both want.”
Her lips pursed and she shook her head. “I don’t want you to throw it all away for me.”
Lincoln tilted his head and took her words for what they were. Fear.
“I can tell you that there’s nothing I want to do more, Sadie. I’m not afraid of what might happen. I’m not worried I’ll fail. Because I have you with me and I know that if I have you, I’m already winning.”
“Stop.” She let out a watery chuckle, a little tilt to her lips, and Lincoln swore he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life.
“Stop fighting it,” he countered gently, wrapping a hand around the back of her neck and pulling her lips to his. “You and I were meant to find each other again, Sadie, I’m sure of it. This is our chance.”
Her eyes were wide, their noses no more than an inch apart, as she took him in, assessing him. Her brown eyes held a world of hope and he knew she felt the same way that he did. They were going to make it. He had no doubts.
“Just say yes,” he urged.
“You didn’t ask me a question,” she pointed out.
“I will. When I do, just say yes.”
He’d gotten her there, taken that one step over the line and shocked her a little. She had to know he’d been talking about forever but she hadn’t expected him to say it so bluntly.
Her wide eyes shifted from shock to pleasure and she looked almost bashful as she nodded.
“Yes.”
He was sure his answering smile was blinding, and he kissed her again, parked on the side of the road in Boston, because it was just as good a place as any to declare your intentions to marry the woman you love. She was soft and willing, open to accepting every morsel of affection he planned on giving her for the rest of his life.
“You’re crazy, you know that, right?” she whispered against his lips.
Tears quivered on the ends of her lashes but they were there for the right reasons and they didn’t scare him. If anything, he was tickled to see Sadie finally willing to admit that they were something far more real than any of their fears.
“Crazy about you,” he said with a smirk.
She rolled her eyes, the smile never leaving her lips. “So cheesy.”
With a laugh, he steered them out of the parking space he’d been in and made a U-turn in the middle of the road, heading away from his condo, their hands entwined.
“Where are you going?”
He glanced in her direction and sent her a wink.
“Home, Sadie. We’re going home.”
Her hand squeezed his and she laughed, one of the mos
t carefree sounds he’d ever heard leave her body.
It was time they went home. To their dogs. To their home. To the life they were building.
Together.
Epilogue
“Your mother invited me to go to brunch at the country club tomorrow,” Sadie told Lincoln as they stepped out of his condo.
They’d spent months hidden away at her house in the country, their house, but they hadn’t bothered getting rid of Lincoln’s Boston condo. With both of their families living in the city, it seemed a smart idea to keep it, so they and the dogs had somewhere to stay when they came into town.
Aggie and Gordon shared a leash, their bond strong, after spending months cohabitating and commiserating over the loss of Cocoa. Lola let Lincoln walk her, trotting regally in front of him as if she were the one in charge.
“She’s trying,” Lincoln said of his mother and Sadie couldn’t argue.
Once his parents had gotten over the shock of his leaving the firm, they’d fallen in line with what he wanted pretty quickly. Well, his father hadn’t exactly done it willingly, but when faced with the choice of not having Lincoln in his life at all, he’d caved.
Sadie hated that Lincoln had resorted to ultimatums, but in the end he was ten times happier than he’d ever been, a sense of powerful freedom rippling off him every time he got out of bed to do what he loved.
She threaded her fingers through his and leaned into his arm.
“I invited her here instead,” she told him with a laugh.
Lincoln winced. “You know she hates the dogs.”
“I do,” she admitted. “I might have been hoping she’d back out.”
His lips turned down. “There’s still time. It’s a fifty-fifty shot, I’d say.”
“You’re the numbers guy,” she reminded him. “Either way, I don’t have to go to the club so it’s a win all around.”
“I’m supposed to meet with your father this afternoon,” he reminded her. “He agreed to be a sponsor for the camp’s inaugural year, and I guess Lori has a lot of ideas as far as what that sponsorship entails.”
No Love Left Behind (Boston Billionaire's Club Book 1) Page 23
