by Katie Ashley
Epilogue: Isabel
SIX MONTHS LATER
As I stood at the bathroom mirror on the Callahan Corporation jet, I smacked Thorn’s hand away from the hem of my dress for the millionth time. “Would you stop it, you horndog? We’re landing at the White House in ten minutes.”
Dipping his head, Thorn licked a trail up my neck while caressing my buttocks. “I can make us both come in ten minutes. Maybe even twice for you.”
“You just had me on my office couch before we left New York,” I protested.
He met my gaze in the mirror. “I can never get enough of you.”
I know, I know. Having a sweet, sexy, and good looking man desire me was a real hardship. Especially after going so long without someone wonderful in my life. Normally, I was just as up for sex as Thorn was, but today was different. We were on our way to the White House for the National Tree Lighting ceremony. Since it was the first one for the Callahan administration, I didn’t want to do anything to mess it up. Arriving smelling like sex and looking bedraggled, as Thorn would say, wasn’t part of my plan. The whole reason I was in the bathroom in the first place was to do a quick touch-up of my hair and makeup.
It was hard to believe six months had passed since Thorn had professed his love for me in front of most of our department. While the neurotic side of me had originally worried about us not making it as a couple, it had been smooth sailing these past months. In fact, last month we’d taken the plunge and moved in together. We’d found an apartment not far from my old one. Just when I’d worried about leaving Mila, she’d fallen for one of the producers of the show she was working on.
Thorn and I moving in together also made two certain furry friends incredibly happy. Now that he was doing better emotionally, Thorn didn’t need Conan on a support level. Instead, he was there in a regular doggy capacity. Since Thorn worried about wasting Conan’s talents, he had started making weekend visits to Walter Reed Hospital. Conan was able to lead the civilian life while also lending support to struggling soldiers.
Speaking of the civilian life, Thorn had been true to his word about quitting the Callahan Corporation. I knew his decision wasn’t just about making me stay. His heart would always be with the military, and he desperately needed to find a job where he could incorporate that love. Not wanting to be accused of nepotism, he’d taken a lower-level positon in the Veteran’s Administration back in August. He wasn’t making the salary he had as an investment banker, but I’d never seen him so happy.
Thorn pushed the hem of my dress up over my hips. His finger ran along the top of my thigh high. “You and these fucking stockings drive me wild.”
“I guess I’m going to have to stop wearing them.”
Sliding his hand around the top of my thigh, Thorn’s masterful fingers found their way to my core. I sucked in a breath as his thumb encircled my clit. “If I promise to make them circle the airport for five minutes, will you let me fuck you?” he asked, his breath scorching against my earlobe.
“Ty’s just outside,” I protested. Of course, the prospect of having an audience was oddly thrilling.
Thorn flicked his tongue against my ear. “He’s got his noise canceling headphones on.”
“I see you’ve thought of everything,” I mused.
With a chuckle, Thorn replied, “That was just dumb luck since he’s watching a movie on his tablet.”
As I became wet and achy from Thorn’s fingers, I let my head fall back against his chest. “Is that a yes?” Thorn asked.
I bit down on my lip as I felt myself growing close to orgasming. I don’t know what it was about Thorn’s touch that made me practically come within seconds. Where it used to take me forever to get off, it was almost instantaneously with Thorn.
Just when I was about to go over the edge, Thorn spun me around to face him. I scowled at him. “Bastard.”
He had the nerve to chuckle. “I want you to come with me inside you.”
As I brought my hands to his belt buckle, I shook my head. “I could have come twice, you know.”
“I’ll make it up to you tonight with some extra-long oral attention.”
I pushed his pants and briefs over his delectable ass and down his thick thighs. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
He waggled his brows. “I look forward to it.” Placing his hands on my waist, Thorn hoisted me up on the sink. After he widened my legs, he settled between them. Guiding his cock to my core, I didn’t need any more foreplay—I was dripping wet for him. With one harsh thrust, he buried himself deep inside me. As he began pounding in and out, he brought his lips to mine. I loved sex with this man. I loved everything with this man. I’d never had such an attentive lover. But the same could have been said for Thorn outside of the bedroom. He’d become my best friend. We laughed, fought, made up all in the same way. With love. With passion. Hot damn with passion. We got each other.
Just as the jet touched down, I gripped the sink as I went over the edge with a shrieking orgasm.
“Yes, Thorn! Oh God!” I cried.
After a couple of harsh thrusts, Thorn spilled himself inside me. As I came down from my high, I shot him a pointed look. “I thought you were going to have them circle the airport.”
He gave me a sheepish grin. “I kinda got occupied.” He gave me a quick kiss before pulling out of me. “Don’t worry. You’ll still have your five minutes to get ready.”
“Try ten minutes.”
“Fine. Ten minutes.”
“You need to get cleaned up yourself.” I motioned to his face. “My lipstick is all over your face.”
“And you’re all over my hands.”
I flushed at his insinuation. “Just clean up.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
After he helped me down off the sink, Thorn started scrubbing his hands, and I went about cleaning up downstairs. Silently, I wished we were still using condoms because it would have made things easier. I ended up taking fifteen minutes, rather than ten, to make sure I was not only camera ready for the media, but I was also President and Mrs. Callahan ready.
When we walked off the jet, a car was waiting on the tarmac to pick up our party of four. Besides Ty, we also had Conan in attendance. He had become a celebrity in his own right with Thorn’s campaign to help soldiers. Conan would be appearing at the tree lighting along with us.
Since Barrett and Addison’s wedding, I’d become a constant figure at the White House. I’d munched on popcorn in the theater and swam a few laps in the pool. Of course, I’d donned a swimsuit instead of the formal wear I had before.
As we drove up to the VIP entrance, I couldn’t help marveling at how festive everything looked. It was a true transformation into a Christmas Wonderland. Once we arrived, we headed up to the residence to meet with Thorn’s parents, along with Barrett and Addison. Caroline was home from Oxford, and Thorn was thrilled to see his baby sister.
When it was time to leave for the Ellipse for the tree lighting, we piled into several SUV’s. My jangled emotions ranged from excitement to happiness to anxiousness. Mostly, I feared making a mistake in front of the cameras.
“You look beautiful,” Thorn murmured in my ear.
Just like always, he was so good at reading me. “Thanks,” I replied as I glanced down at my attire. With Mila’s help, I’d picked out an emerald green cocktail dress and paired it with a winter white dress coat.
We arrived to a flurry of flashbulbs going off. Thorn took my hand as we exited the car. From time to time, he would squeeze it. While I’d watched a few tree lightings on TV, it was nothing like being there in the moment. The gorgeous music, the celebrity singers, and the As I stood on the podium with the rest of the Callahan family, I couldn’t help feeling extremely blessed. Most of all, I felt blessed I’d managed to find a man like Thorn.
After the tree lighting and festivities, Thorn and I arrived back at the White House. Instead of heading inside to thaw out like the rest of the family, Thorn took my hand. “Let’s go look at th
e tree from up here.”
“Sounds good.”
As we strolled down the South Lawn, Thorn released my hand to point to one of the trees. “Do you remember what happened under there?”
A vivid memory replayed in my mind of fireworks exploding over our heads as Thorn’s lips met mine. “Our first kiss.”
He smiled. “One of the best days of my life.”
“Mine too.”
“There’s been a hell of a lot of good days since then, but that was the best.”
My heartbeat accelerated at his words as well as the tone in which he delivered them. Even though I was freezing my ass off, I could have stayed there with him in that moment forever. That was what love did to you.
When I turned around to check on Thorn’s silence, he was no longer at my side. Instead, he was knelt down on one knee before me. My hands flew to my mouth. “Oh my God,” I murmured as I fought the urge to pinch myself. Was this really happening? Was I going to wake up and find myself back in my bed in Manhattan and that all of this was a dream.
Unfazed by my outburst, Thorn grinned up at me. “Isabel Flannery, will continue giving me wonderful days for the rest of my life?”
“Oh my God,” I muttered again. Even though we’d moved in together, I hadn’t actually seen this coming. We’d only been dating for six months. Yes, they’d been the happiest six months of my life, but I never imagined getting engaged so quick.
“That doesn’t sound like a yes,” Thorn mused.
As I stared into his handsome face, his expression was one of absolute assurance. There was no doubt in Thorn’s mind he wanted to be my husband and spend the rest of his life with me. His strength was what I needed in that moment.
“It wasn’t. But yes, I would be honored to marry you, Thorn. Nothing in the world would make me happier than to be your wife.” I then preceded to launch myself at him just like I had that night when he’d come to my room after kissing me.
Thorn welcomed me into his arms before bringing his mouth to mine. I’d have to say our first kiss as an engaged couple was pretty damn amazing.
After Thorn pulled away, an impish gleam burned in his eyes. “I guess you’re wondering where your ring is.”
I laughed. “It is kinda customary to propose with one. Considering you shocked the hell out of me with the proposal, I really hadn’t stopped to think about it. Let me guess. You’re afraid of disappointing me, so you’re going to let me pick one out?”
With a shake of his head, he brought his fingers to his lips to whistle. My brows furrowed as I wondered why he would be summoning someone to such a private moment. But when I saw who came trotting down the steps, tears stung my eyes.
At the sight of us, Conan yipped before breaking into a run. When he reached us, Thorn commanded Conan to sit. In place of his normal collar was a beautiful red and green holiday bow. Thorn reached over to pluck a string off the bow. Tied to the string was a glittering diamond.
I furrowed my brows as I glanced from the ring to Thorn. “But how did you—”
Thorn motioned to the portico where his parents and Ty stood. “I had a little help from them.”
This time I didn’t fight the tears when they pooled in my eyes. I let them flow freely down my cheeks. “Does that mean we have their blessing?” I asked.
With a nod, Thorn replied, “Not only do we have their blessing, but they’re already talking about another Rose Garden wedding this summer.”
“Oh wow,” I murmured as my head spun with the overwhelming thoughts of a celebrity wedding of my own. Addison had a past in the theater, so she didn’t care about the harsh glare of the cameras. For me, it was a totally different ballgame.
Thorn tilted my chin up. “We can get married wherever you want to, Isabel. It can be here or back home in Georgia. Or we can go to the Justice of the Peace tomorrow.” He drew me into his arms. “All I care about is that we get married.”
“You don’t think your parents would mind if we did something a little more low-key?”
“They don’t care. They just wanted to make sure it was available if you wanted it.”
“That’s awfully sweet of them, and I really do appreciate it. But it’s—”
“Not you.”
“Exactly.”
“Then we’ll find what is you.”
“Even if it’s a small church off the beaten path in Rome or on one of the beaches in Hawaii?”
Thorn nodded. “Whatever it is you want, you’ll have it.”
My heartbeat fluttered like a hummingbird’s wings at his words. It was hard not to feel overwhelmed by the sentiment. “You spoil me.”
“And I love doing it.”
I slid my hands up the lapels of his suit. “And I love you, Thorn Callahan.”
A beaming grin lit up his face. “I love you, Isabel Flannery.”
As Thorn brought his lips to mine, I thought about how incredibly lucky I was. I didn’t care that he was the president’s son. I didn’t care that he had internal and external scars, some that might never heal. He was a hero for my country and for my heart. But I cared that the amazing man in my arms had chosen me. In his eyes, I wasn’t a nobody from some Podunk town in the South. I was simply his. And our future together would be spectacular, because we would face everything together.
And okay, because Thorn was the orgasm-giving god . . . in bed . . . in the bathroom . . . kitchen . . . back seat . . . any surface really.
A year ago, I raced into a man’s arms on my way to the office believing the only way I’d feel successful would be from a vice president’s role. Now, I raced into that man’s arms because there was no other place I wanted to be.
Success was now measured in ensuring this man knew he was loved, esteemed, and valued. Success was in creating our unimaginably happy home, two slobbering dogs and all.
Who knew that an unwanted officemate could turn into a mate for life?
Coming Soon: RoomMate
Check out Ty and Caroline’s story coming in October
About the Author
Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Top Five Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She's written rockers, bikers, manwhores with hearts of gold, New Adult, and Young Adult. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, her Heeler-Mix, Belle, and cat, Harry Potter . She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.
With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent eleven years teaching both middle and high school English, as well as a few adjunct college English classes. As of January 2013, she became a full-time writer.
Although she is a life-long Georgia peach, she loves traveling the country and world meeting readers. Most days, you can find her being a hermit, styling leggings, and binging on Netflix whenever her toddler daughter isn't monopolizing the TV with Paw Patrol or Frozen.
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