by Kendall Ryan
“I love you too, baby. But there’s something else,” he said, finally meeting my gaze. “I know we said no secrets, but I haven’t been completely honest with you. I thought with everything with Sonja . . . well, I didn’t think it was a good time. Now that it’s over, though, I want you to know.”
I took a steadying breath, preparing myself for whatever came next. “Tell me.”
“Ashley’s family is suing me for ten million dollars. It will ruin me personally and the company if I lose. My attorney wants me to settle out of court, but I can’t.”
For the next fifteen minutes, the whole story poured out. How he’d wanted to tell me, how he’d told Cooper, what Ashley’s family had been like when she needed them.
He left out no detail, and when he was done, he looked up at me again, his eyes pleading for forgiveness. “I know I should have told you. I’m sorry, but damn it, it’s all too much.”
I shook my head. “Don’t worry about that now. What’s done is done, but from this moment forward, there are no secrets between us. No matter what.”
He nodded. “But what about everything else?”
“What about it?” I shrugged. “We’re strong. Win or lose, we’ll get through this. We just have to make sure we do it together.”
Gavin had stood by me through the worst of times, and now, I would do the same.
“Come on. Let’s go to the store. I think we need that comfort food now more than ever,” I told him.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Emma
Another week came and went as Gavin and I pushed through what we hoped would be the worst of his case. We looked for receipts, and talked to people who might be willing to testify. And, finally, Gavin told Quinn everything about the case.
It was hard for Gavin, going back through all the trials and tribulations of his time with the woman he’d loved. Although I’d expected to feel jealous or possessive, the more I learned about Ashley, the sadder I felt for both of them.
Meanwhile, I was dealing with the issues of Sonja’s upcoming sentencing. Since she’d confessed to everything, there would be no trial. She was facing three years in prison for aggravated assault.
I still couldn’t bring myself to go back to the brownstone. Despite it all, I was surprised I didn’t feel like the world was coming undone around me. Whenever I thought of my ruined house or my wasted effort, I felt so bitter that I wanted to scream and break down. But I didn’t.
And that was all because of Gavin.
No matter how bad things got, I could look to him or tell him about it, confident in the knowledge he was sharing the load with me. I wasn’t alone.
Day after day, I would look at him, either while helping him through his case or while telling him about my own heartache, and I’d find myself thinking of my conversation with my mother. He was the one for me—I knew it in my heart. We were building a foundation for something real. Something lasting.
The only question was whether he felt the same way.
I wanted to ask. My insecurities made me wonder what might happen next, but I kept my thoughts to myself. Gavin had enough to deal with without me getting all weird on him.
Instead, I focused on the library, hoping work would take my mind off the brownstone, the case, and my own concerns. When Friday came, I was working late building a book tree in the children’s section. The bell rang at the door and I turned, ready to tell the visitor the library was closed, and I caught sight of Gavin.
He was wearing the charcoal suit I loved best, the same one he’d been wearing the day I walked into his office for the first time. At the sight at him, I felt my heart bubble over with warmth, and I grinned.
“Come to help with this book tree? I can’t get to all the branches.”
He shook his head as he pushed his hands into his pockets. “Not today. We have plans.”
“We do?”
He nodded. “We do. Now, come on or we’ll be late.”
I gave my book tree a last glance, then followed him to the door and out into the street, golden with the warm glow of sunset. His limo wasn’t there, but he led me to his car and helped me inside before climbing behind the wheel.
“Where’s Ben?”
“Gave him the night off. I wanted it to just be the two of us.” He stuck the key in the ignition, but before he twisted it, he turned in his seat and handed me a gift-wrapped rectangle.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Open it.”
I peeled away the shiny white paper to reveal a beautiful leather-bound copy of the complete works of Jane Austen.
“How did you—”
“When we were watching Sense and Sensibility. You mentioned you didn’t have physical copies.”
“Thank you.” I ran my fingers over the embossed title, tears threatening my eyes.
“Open it,” he said again.
I opened the cover of the book to find the word Will scrawled in Gavin’s untidy writing.
“It’s already got the beginnings of an inscription here for someone named Will.” I frowned as I glanced at him, puzzled.
“Does it? Weird.”
Gavin started the car and pulled out onto the street while I examined the book. Before long, he pulled up to a shady patch of woods and I looked around, taking in the bluff that overlooked the city.
“This is—” I didn’t finish. He knew what I was going to say.
It was the place where we’d touched for the first time. It had been the first time he’d ever let me get close to him, and it was a night I thought about often. The night I considered the true start of it all.
Silently, he got out of the car and opened the trunk to pull out another wrapped package. Sliding back into the driver’s seat, he handed it to me.
I didn’t need instruction this time. I ripped the paper away to find a copy of Sighs, Cries, and Broken Things, one of the books from the poetry reading we’d gone to together.
Grinning, I looked up at him. “Did you read this?”
“I was hoping we could read more of it together. But right now? All I want you to do is open it.”
I did, and on a blank page inside the cover was written the word You. Nothing else.
My heart beat a little faster as I began to put two and two together, but I couldn’t get ahead of myself. I just needed to be here, in the moment with him. To enjoy whatever was happening and not expect anything more than that.
Still, I held my breath as we pulled back onto the street, the radio turned down low as we drove past a row of brownstones and stopped at one with a construction sign in front of it. I blinked.
“This is my house,” I said.
“It is. Come on.”
He got out of the car and opened my door for me, then led me up to the stoop and unlocked the beautiful new turn-of-the-century door. We stepped inside the little foyer where the floors were still scratched and gouged, but I could tell work was being done here.
“What’s all this?” I asked.
“I’m having your place renovated. I know how much it means to you.”
As happy as this made me, my heart sank a little. Gavin wasn’t asking me to marry him after all. It was just this beautiful, wonderful surprise.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“But that’s not why we’re here.”
I looked up at him. “It’s not?”
He shook his head, then pulled a gift-wrapped book from my bookshelf. I tore the paper away and opened the front cover, this time finding the word Marry written inside.
I couldn’t stop the tears from welling in my eyes. “Oh my God.”
Gavin grinned and backed away. “We’re not done yet, love. Come on.”
Overwhelmed, I followed him back to the car, my whole body trembling.
When we got to his apartment, I followed him to his apartment without a word, waiting for the final surprise. When we got there, though, my heart practically stopped.
Candles flickered from every surface, including
the floor strewn with rose petals. Gavin led me through the beautiful scene he’d created for me to his bedroom where a book was waiting, wrapped in glossy white paper.
My hands shaking, I pulled the paper away to find a leather-bound journal. Its pages were blank, save for the first one where the word Me was written.
“I thought the journal could be our fresh start. Some pages to fill with our story.”
I bit my lower lip as tears sprang to my eyes again. When Gavin slowly sank to one knee in front of me, the tears fell fresh and strong.
“Gavin,” I said, barely able to choke out the word.
“Sweet Emma, when I met you, I was broken.” He stroked my knuckles with his fingertips. “But you saw past all that; you accepted me and all my flaws. You challenged me to be a better man, and for that I owe you immensely. I love you with all my heart, and I can’t imagine growing old with anyone else. You’re the one I want. Just you.”
I swallowed hard, nodding along as tears rolled down my cheeks. “I love you too, so much.”
“The story of our love is only beginning. It’s time to write our own happy ending.”
Gavin swallowed, growing more emotional than I’d ever seen him. He reached into his pocket, withdrawing a little square box. When he opened it and pulled out the most exquisite ring, my heart almost stopped. It was old-fashioned and simple, but gorgeous. Absolutely perfect.
I couldn’t believe this was happening.
“Marry me, pet?”
I drew a deep, shuddering breath. “Yes, Gavin, yes. I will marry you.”
I held out my hand and he slid the ring on easily, kissing my fingers when he was done.
But I wanted more than that. So much more.
Dropping to my knees in front of him, I grabbed his face and crushed my lips to his, wanting him to feel how much I appreciated everything he’d done, all the thought he’d clearly put into every moment of this night. There was no flash or public fanfare. Instead, it was exactly how it was supposed to be—just us. Private and intimate.
“I love you so much,” he murmured.
“A million billion,” I told him.
I think he felt my appreciation because he led me to the bed and I fell on top of the covers, barely breathing as he pulled away my clothes. In the glow of the candlelight, I lay back and watched as he shrugged off his jacket and dragged his shirt over his head, revealing the chiseled stone of his abs. He unbuckled his belt and let his pants fall to the floor before stepping out of his shoes and socks, then finally tucked his thumbs under his boxers to reveal his thick, hard length.
God, I’d never tire of seeing him.
Unable to help myself, I scooted to the edge of the bed and motioned for him to come closer so I could grip his length and pull him into my mouth. Still, as I circled his tip with my tongue, I knew this wouldn’t be enough. Not for a night like tonight. So, with hunger plain in my now husky voice, I looked up at him.
“Let’s try it.” I knew he understood what I meant, but he glanced down at me, a mischievous light in his eyes.
“Ah, love. Whatever you want. But let’s get you nice and ready, then. Lay back for me.”
I did as I was told, spreading my legs wide for him as he got on his knees in front of me and licked the space between my thighs.
By now, he knew my body like it was his own, loving every inch of me in all the ways he knew best. It was like every move was perfectly designed to inch me closer and closer to climax. As his calloused finger traced my folds, I writhed against him, willing him to end my torture and push inside me once and for all.
“I thought you wanted to . . .”
He looked up at me, a faint smile on his lips. “I do. I just want to make sure you enjoy it just as much as I will.”
Without another word, he went back to work. My body squeezed around him while he sucked my clit and teased me relentlessly, pumping one finger into my pussy.
I whimpered, needing him to push in more. Just when I was near the point of pain, he pushed a second finger inside and I exploded, every bit of tension breaking apart into a million pieces. I cried out, gripping the covers as I screamed for Gavin, begging for more. When the rising swell of my pleasure finally slowed, he placed soft kisses against my thighs and spread my legs even further.
There was a silence, and then I felt something warm and slippery dripping down me. Gently, he massaged the lube into my skin, warming it as I rocked against his touch.
I couldn’t deny that I was nervous, but as soon as I heard Gavin’s voice, all my anxiety melted away.
“How are you feeling?”
“A little nervous. But excited too,” I said, and it was true. For all the worry I felt, I was also curious. I wanted to know what this would feel like, but more than that, I wanted to be with him in every way I possibly could. Wanted to please him in every way.
“I’m going to get you ready now,” he said. “If there’s anything I do that you don’t like, say stop and I will.”
I nodded.
“Turn over for me,” he whispered, helping me from the spot where I lay so that I was now on my hands and knees.
“Good.” He spanked me for good measure and then trailed his fingers up and down my backside, smoothing more liquid into the space before—I gasped—his other hand found my clit again and swirled in light, teasing circles.
“Relax, baby,” he said.
I let out another gasp as a finger slid slowly but steadily into me. Into the place where I’d denied him all the times before. It was tight but not unpleasant, and he moved in and out slowly, readying me for more as his other hand worked its magic.
“Do you like that?” he asked.
“Yes,” I hissed, and it was the truth. The curiosity in me grew and I arched, wanting to feel more, needing to please him.
“Good,” he said, and then pushed another finger inside me.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Gavin
When Emma had murmured those three little words—let’s try it—I knew exactly what she was asking for. My heart sprang into my throat, and I murmured something about needing to ready her first.
Though our last few days had been filled with exceptional amounts of nudity and hot sex, nothing could have prepared me for this moment. The diamond ring glinting on Emma’s ring finger and her enthusiastic yes to my proposal make it all the sweeter. I felt stripped bare, flayed open in the best way possible. And now she was offering me her sweet virgin ass, all because she knew it was something I wanted.
Fuck.
Maybe that made me sick and twisted instead of a romantic—but, Christ, that did something to me.
As I watched her naked on the bed before me, it took every ounce of my self-control to slow myself down to make sure this would be good for her.
Go slow, Gavin.
Gripping her hips, I turned her over, my hands anchoring her ass high in the air. Emma supported her weight on her knees and forearms. She was so beautiful—fuck, her little pink asshole looked so tight and inviting—and I couldn’t wait to take her there. But first, I had to make sure I wouldn’t hurt her.
“I want you,” Emma said softly, and I knew she was telling the truth. The way her body arched into my touch made my cock ache, but I forced myself to remain calm.
“Not yet, pet,” I said, swirling my finger around her clit in the way I knew she would like, a little reward for her eagerness.
Before we went to the next level, I had to make absolutely certain she was ready for me. I didn’t want to hurt her, and so I squirted more lube onto her, loving the way it dripped down her backside before I caught it and massaged it into her skin.
She let out a little moan and my cock throbbed again, wanting to be inside her already.
“You’ll tell me if I hurt you?” I managed through gritted teeth. God, I hoped I was right, that she was enjoying this, because my cock was already aching and ready to burst.
She nodded.
My fingers continued moving inside,
readying her, and her lips parted in surprise, though she showed no sign of pain.
We continued that way for the next several minutes until she glanced at me from over her shoulder, her eyes dark with lust. Withdrawing my fingers from her ass, I met her gaze, watching as her tongue wetted her bottom lip.
“You want this?” I asked, my fist wrapped around my swollen cock.
She nodded.
“Come and get it.”
As I knelt on the bed behind her, Emma pressed her bottom back toward me, rubbing herself along the length of my erection, working her hips up and down, teasing me with her ass in a way that was so goddamn sexy.
Making sure to keep petting her wet cunt, I used my other hand to grip my shaft and align myself between her cheeks. Ever so slowly, I began to push into her, inch by slow inch.
“Take a deep breath for me,” I said, but she didn’t need the direction. Instead, she let out a long, slow moan, her muscles relaxing around me as I pushed deeper and deeper inside her.
“Fuck yes.” My voice sounded strained and far away. She was so tight. So hot. So perfect, and she was letting me do naughty, vile things to her.
My cock twitched at the sound of her tiny whimpers, and I gripped her hip, wanting to anchor myself inside her. “You like that, don’t you?”
She arched her back in response. “So much. So, so much.”
“Good girl,” I said, my eyes sinking closed from the pleasure as I finally buried myself to the hilt, loving the warm, tight feel of her. Her ass was strangling my cock—and I fucking loved it.
Slowly, I began to thrust, moving in and out in short, easy bursts at first, and then when she was pushing back against me, in longer, deeper strokes. With every move, she met me with enthusiasm and need, pushing me to work her faster, to stroke her harder, to show her my love more fiercely.
I’d waited patiently for this moment, and now that it was here, I didn’t want to rush it. I wanted to stay inside her warm heat forever. Instead, we pushed each other closer to the edge, moaning together as our bodies found a rhythm we couldn’t deny.
