Lace

by Deborah Bladon

  “Isla Foster told me Gabriel offered you the job.”

  “He did.” She nods. “I turned him down.”

  What the fuck?

  “You didn’t go? You’ve been in New York all of this time?” I push back to look her over. “I felt you here. I swear to fuck I could feel you at times, but I told myself it was wishful thinking.”

  “You broke up with me because of someone else.”

  “No.” I grab her forearms. “There was never anyone else. I wouldn’t have fucked anyone else. I haven’t since. I won’t.”

  Her head shakes. “I’m not talking about that. Phoebe told me. She said you loved someone who left you for a job. That’s why you ended things. You thought I was like her.”

  I’m an idiot. I let some forgettable woman from my past come between my future wife and I.

  “I was scared,” I admit. “I was so fucking scared that you’d move to London, meet someone else, and forget about me.”

  “You’re too cocky to think that way.” She smiles. “Did you not realize that I was head over heels in love with you?”

  “You are head over heels in love with me,” I make the subtle correction.

  “I am.”

  “I just launched this school and I’m putting together a junior symphony.” I slide my hands to hers. “I knew I couldn’t move to London with you right now so I saw it as the beginning of the end.”

  “You didn’t have faith in my feelings for you.” Her lips dip into a frown.

  “You didn’t tell me how you felt.”

  She works on a swallow. “You didn’t tell me either.”

  “I love you,” I say it clearly. “I love you more than I have ever loved anyone or anything in my life. I want you to marry me, grow old with me. I want it all.”

  “I feel the same way.” Her lips brush mine. “But we have to be honest with each other to make this work.”

  “Agreed.” I kiss her deeply.

  “You should have told me about this place, Alexander.”

  “You should have told me about London, Olivia.”

  “No more secrets.” She leans into me. “I got a promotion here in New York.”

  “I started a music school named after my mother.” I brush a strand of hair from her face.

  “We’ll share everything.” She takes my face in her hands. “All the good moments and the bad ones. We’ll do it together.”

  “Hand-in-hand.” I stare into her eyes. “Until death parts us.”

  Chapter 48

  3 Months Later

  Olivia

  “Hypothetically speaking…” I stop because I know Kate is about to interrupt me.

  She does, right on cue.

  “Spit it out, Olivia.” She rolls her eyes. “I have to get through my inventory check before we can go for pizza. I don’t have time for your friend-of-a-friend stuff. What do you need?”

  I glance out the window of her shop.

  The sun is shining. It’s the day after my birthday.

  “A wedding dress,” I answer softly.

  She drops the veil in her hand and turns right around. “What?”

  “Alexander proposed last night.”

  Her hand leaps to her mouth, her eyes instantly flood with tears.

  I look down at my ring. It was Alexander’s mother’s ring. It’s a beautiful pear-shaped diamond set in a platinum band.

  “It’s beautiful.” Kate peers at the ring. “It’s perfect.”

  She doesn’t know how perfect. When he got down on one knee in our apartment, he told me I was his future. He whispered words about finding me in a sea of darkness. I’m his light, his hope and his promise.

  When he slipped the ring on my finger, I fell into his arms.

  We made love on our blue vintage velvet sofa and then in our bed.

  I woke to a yellowed envelope on his pillow addressed to ‘Alexander’s Love’.

  The letter inside was handwritten by his mother days before she died.

  I cried as I read each tender word about his soft heart and strong spirit.

  I will cherish the letter until I take my last breath just as I’ll cherish the man I’ll marry later this year.

  “You’re getting married.” She grabs hold of my shoulders. “You’re going to be the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”

  “You’ll help me with everything, right?”

  “Everything.”

  I suck in a deep breath. “You’ll be my maid-of-honor?”

  Her eyes search mine. “Really? You want that?”

  “I need that.” I kiss her cheek. “You’re my best friend. I need you by my side when I say my vows.”

  “Inventory can wait.” She claps her hands together. “Today we start trying on dresses.”

  ***

  “I missed you,” Alexander says as soon as I walk into our apartment. “I made dinner for you.”

  He takes my sweater and hangs it up. I look over his shoulder. “You cooked?”

  “You always say it as though you’re surprised.” He’s on his knees, removing my knee-high leather boots. “I’ve cooked for you dozens of times since I moved in.”

  It’s true.

  I’m treated to his cooking at least a few times a week. On Sundays, we go to Phoebe and Monte’s house. Sometimes they cook, other times Alexander takes to the kitchen, but it’s always a delicious meal spent with our family.

  His hand inches higher. It moves past the hem of my black skirt. “Tell me about your panties, Olivia.”

  He wasn’t here to watch me dress this morning. He had an early meeting at the school with a potential investor.

  He’s expanding his classes to include adults. Those will take place during the day.

  “They’re pink.” I look down and run a hand through his dark hair.

  “Pink,” he repeats back, gazing into my eyes.

  His hand moves closer to my core. “Tell me more.”

  “I chose lace today.”

  He groans as his finger skims the inside of my thigh. “You know how much I love the feeling of lace on your skin.”

  I part my legs. “You know how much I love the feeling of your lips on my skin.”

  He leans down to press a kiss to my leg. “Here, Olivia?”

  “Higher.” I yank on his hair. “Much higher.”

  His hands move behind me, pulling the tight black skirt up. “Higher?”

  I gasp at the rush of cool air as it hits my ass.

  “I’m hard as nails right now.” His tongue flicks the center of my panties. “I’m going to rip these right off of you.”

  “I like them,” I whine.

  “I love what’s inside of them.” With that, he pushes the triangle of lace aside and devours me.

  Epilogue

  6 Months Later

  Alexander

  Life is a series of choices.

  They lead us to our tomorrows.

  I made what I thought was a foolish choice to spend a night with a woman I met in a bar.

  That choice led me to a lingerie store and the woman of my dreams.

  I’m staring at her now as she walks toward me with her mother by her side.

  I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than my Olivia in her wedding dress.

  It’s simple, yet elegant, just as the love of my life is.

  It fits her like a glove, even with the extra small bump in her middle.

  No one knows yet that we’re going to have a child in the winter. A child we planned for and hoped for. We wanted to save that news for our reception when everyone, but Olivia, Alvin and Skylar, has a glass of champagne in their hands.

  “Hi,” she whispers as she nears me.

  “Hi,” I mouth back before turning to her mother.

  I kiss her on the cheek because she raised the woman who changed my life. “Thank you for everything.”

  She smiles the same soft smile as her daughter before she moves to sit next to her sister in the front row.

  W
e didn’t opt for a church or a ballroom.

  We are marrying in our theatre, on the stage where so many of our dreams have come true.

  Jack is standing next to me. Kate is beside Olivia.

  Alvin chose the flowers and the seat next to Trey Hale.

  It’s a celebration of our lives.

  We turn to the justice of the peace, Chris Morgenson, my former music teacher and current business mentor.

  “You’ve come a long way, Alex,” he says to a round of laughter.

  I nod. “I’ve come to where I belong.”

  Olivia sighs. “Where we belong.”

  “Shall we get started?” Chris opens the book in front of him.

  The ceremony will be simple and straightforward. We’ll exchange vows, I’ll slip a simple platinum band on Olivia’s hand next to my mother’s engagement ring and she’ll slide the platinum band we bought together onto my finger.

  “Are you ready?” I whisper to her through the veil she’s wearing.

  “I’ve been ready since the day we met,” she says quietly.

  “Let’s make this official,” I say to Chris. “I can’t wait to be this woman’s husband.”

  Olivia

  Life is all about choices.

  When Alexander walked into the Liore boutique on Fifth Avenue that day, I chose to help him.

  I didn’t have to, but a part of me knew that it would change my life.

  It took me on a path here, to the stage of our theatre and the dance floor that Alexander’s students have created for us.

  It’s nothing more than a circle of flowers with the two of us in the middle.

  The music playing is a recording of a piece by the junior symphony that my husband has been assembling.

  It’s off-key, hurried at times, but it couldn’t be more perfect for our first dance as husband and wife.

  As a family.

  Our daughter will arrive in the winter.

  Alexander doesn’t know it’s a girl yet. I told him we’d wait to open the gender reveal email from the doctor until tomorrow, but patience and curiosity don’t mix well in my world.

  I hope she’ll have my husband’s eyes, and his kindness.

  I want her to possess his strength and courage.

  I hope she inherits my compassion and openness.

  “You’re daydreaming about something.” Alexander presses his lips to mine. “Tell me what it is.”

  “All of our tomorrows, “ I answer simply.

  It’s the truth.

  I know that life will change when our little girl arrives. We’ll be settled into the two-bedroom apartment we bought a few months ago. I’ll be working less. Alexander will be spending much of his time here, and I’ll bundle our daughter up and bring her here so she can listen to her father play and teach.

  “You love me more than anything,” he says with conviction.

  “I do,” I say the words for the second time today.

  He spins me around gently. I hear my mom hoot in the distance.

  “You checked the email, didn’t you?” He narrows his eyes. “We’re having a daughter. I know it’s a girl.”

  I stop to look up and into the face of the only man I’ve ever loved. “It’s a girl.”

  Tears well in the corners of his brilliant blue eyes. “I don’t know what I did to deserve this life.”

  I kiss his chin, drawing his face down to mine. “It’s only going to get better from here.”

  He holds me close, so close that I can feel his heart beating against mine. “I know that it will because each day until my last, I’ll wake up next to you, Olivia.”

  Preview of THIRST

  A Standalone Novel

  Do you see what I see? I see my half-naked neighbor staring at me whenever he gets a chance.

  When I moved into this rundown apartment, I knew I'd get used to the six flights of stairs, the broken radiator, and the squeaky floors. I didn't know I'd grow accustomed to the lustful stares of the gorgeous man who lives in the building next to mine.

  He watches me when dusk falls with an intense hunger in his eyes I've never seen before.

  I sense his gaze trailing over every inch of my skin as I strip slowly, just for him.

  It’s innocent until I finally get the chance to pitch my business idea to a trio of private investors. That’s when I realize that the man who stands at his window every night with his gaze cast on me is one of the three people who hold the future of my start-up in their hands.

  Rocco Jones has seen my body, and now he wants to touch it. I want my business to succeed, and I want him, but is it possible for me to have both?

  *Author's Note: Although a few characters from my past books make appearances in THIRST, it's not necessary to read any of my other books to enjoy this sexy standalone.

  Chapter 1

  Dexie

  “I don’t understand why you haven’t invested in window coverings for this place.”

  I turn to see my friend, Sophia Wolf, standing at one of the many windows of new apartment.

  “I like the light,” I answer quickly. “Besides, the landlord said that he’d eventually get around to adding blinds. The man is busy and I don’t want to keep bothering him about it.”

  “You pay rent which means it’s his job to keep you happy.”

  Spoken from the lips of a woman who lives in a beautiful apartment with her novelist husband and daughter.

  “Don’t worry about it, Sophia.” I place another cardboard box on the kitchen counter. “I really like this place. I have a lot more room to work on my purses and the rent is cheaper than the last place.”

  “I can’t argue with that.” She takes in the large open space. “Are you thinking of setting up your workstation over there?”

  I haven’t given it any serious thought yet because my time is limited. I work full-time in the marketing department for a cosmetics company and part-time helping Sophia with her clothing line.

  My purse design business has yet to take off but I’m working on changing that. I’ve put out some feelers to try and find a private investor for my company.

  Supplies aren’t cheap and even though I have a steady stream of customers willing to pay for my one-of-a-kind handmade purses, it’s not enough cash inflow to take my business to the next level.

  “I’m going to get all my stuff in and then I’ll figure that out.”

  She taps her heel on the hardwood floor. “That makes sense.”

  I point at a lamp on a table near where she’s standing. “Can you turn on the light? It’s getting dark.”

  She hits the switch on the lamp and it instantly fills the room with a soft glow of light. “I have one more concern and then I swear I’ll shut up.”

  I don’t look at her as I unpack a box with dishes. “What?”

  “Your bed is right in front of that window. Aren’t you worried that your neighbors will watch you while you sleep?”

  I picked this apartment because it’s a bachelor. My bed is feet away from my kitchen and the main living space. The only area that is separated by a door is the bathroom.

  I’m not shy. I’ve slept here for the past four nights and I haven’t bothered to look out any of the windows to see if the people in the building next to mine are looking in.

  “This is Manhattan.” I stop what I’m doing and look at the wall of windows. “People are too busy to stare in here.”

  “What if you bring a guy home?”

  “A guy?” I pause as I push my pink hair back behind my ears. “You’re worried that my neighbors are going to watch me fuck? Is that what you’re asking.”

  She laughs. “It’s a possibility, no?”

  “Not right now.” I give an exaggerated shrug. “I don’t have time to meet men. You can rest easy tonight knowing that my neighbors won’t be getting a free show.”

  Her dark brown hair sways as she moves across the room to pick up her purse from the edge of my bed. It’s one of my latest designs. Sophia is my walkin
g and talking billboard and so far, I’ve had a few customers seek me out because of her.

  “I have to get home.” She shoulders the bag. “I need to make dinner. Do you want to come by for a bite?”

  I look around the apartment. I have too much to do tonight. There’s no way I can spare the time it would take to get to her place, eat, visit and then trudge back here. “I’ll pass this time.”

  “I’ll talk to you later in the week.” She moves to give me a warm hug. “Call me if you spot any peeping Toms.”

  “Will do.” My reply is swift. “I’m not sure what you’ll do about it, but I’ll shoot you a text if I catch one.”

  ***

  I arch my back in a stretch as I finally put away the last of my dishes. I don’t have many, but they’re enough to keep me eating at home.

  I ate a bowl of cereal for dinner, taking a spoonful in between my work.

  I’ve accomplished more tonight than I thought I would. I glance at my phone on the counter and realize that it’s nearing midnight.

  Since I need to be at work by nine a.m., sleep has to be next on my schedule.

  I cross the space toward the bed. It’s not the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in, but it’s large and right now it’s calling my name.

  Just as I’m about to pull my pink T-shirt over my head and unbutton my jeans, I turn to the windows.

  The building next door is close. It’s an apartment building as well with dozens of windows.

  Many of the windows are shuttered with curtains and blinds; the hint of light playing around the edges. A few are backlit enough that I can make out what’s happening in the homes of my neighbors.

  Television sets flicker, a woman dances past a window, and then my gaze settles on the apartment directly across from mine.

  I know that the low light coming from the lamp in the corner makes me visible to the person standing with their back to me.

  There’s a light in their apartment too. It’s not too bright, more of a gentle glow that casts just enough warmth that I can make out the shape of a man. He’s tall with broad shoulders.