She was brilliant. Cedric had to fight the urge to jump out of his chair and wrap his arms around her.
“My client is willing to settle for fifty-two million for the next four years,” Payton said. “Along with the performance incentives, of course.”
Cedric sat in awe as Sabers upper management pounced on the offer. Just like that, Payton had gotten him an additional twelve million dollars and convinced two of the toughest negotiators in the National Football League that they’d somehow gotten a steal. How could he not love this woman?
The meeting ended with a round of handshakes—much better than the bloodshed Cedric had been anticipating. He held the door open for Payton and followed her out of the conference room, staring at how the fitted jacket hugged her curves. She looked just as good from the back as she did from the front.
When they exited the building’s front doors, Payton grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed hard, her purposeful strides taking them to his SUV. When they arrived at the vehicle, she turned to him and let out a yelp.
“Did I really just do that?” she asked after a deep breath.
“Yes, you did. You were freaking amazing in there.”
“I know,” she said, her expressive eyes wide with wonder and pride. “It felt so natural. God, Cedric, it felt so right.”
“When you’re doing what you’re meant to do, it usually does feel right.”
She pulled him close and surrounded him with her arms, holding tight.
“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear. “I never would have gotten through that without you by my side.”
Cedric pulled back and stared into her eyes. “Are you kidding me? You didn’t need me back there. You were in control from the minute you walked into that conference room.”
“Only because you were there to encourage me. You and my dad,” she said, closing her eyes tight. When she opened them they glistened with tears. “I felt him with me the entire time.”
“He’s going to be with you always, Payton.” Cedric took her hand and dropped down to one knee. “And if you’ll have me, so will I. Marry me, Payton.”
Her chest expanded and the tears began to flow in earnest. She tried to speak, but being coherent apparently wasn’t high on her priority list at the moment. It didn’t matter. The love shining through her eyes was all the answer he needed.
But then with a teary laugh she spoke the words that changed his life forever.
“Yes, Cedric. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Chapter 17
Payton’s back bowed as delicious pleasure coursed throughout her bloodstream. Cedric’s strong hands slid down to grip her hips before snaking to the small of her back, then over her butt. His fingers sank into her flesh, clutching her to him, guiding the erotic rhythm of their lovemaking as he pumped harder and harder.
She came again in a rush of skin-tingling pleasure, satisfaction radiating from every fiber of her being. She collapsed atop Cedric, relishing the warmth of his sweat-slicked skin against her breasts. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, settling once again on her rear end. He held her in place, his body still hard inside of her.
Payton found the strength to open her eyes. She tilted her head to the side, and spoke into the curve of his jaw. “I can stand to do that every night for the next fifty years. How about you?”
“Fifty? You plan on tiring out on me that soon?”
Payton nipped his skin with a playful bite, then rolled off of him. She settled her back against his chest and brought his arms across her stomach. Ribbons of contentment twisted around her heart. No one should be so lucky, but somehow she was.
“I’m nervous about meeting your brother tomorrow,” Payton admitted after a few minutes of comfortable silence. “What if he doesn’t like me?”
“You don’t have to worry about that. He likes pretty women. We are twins, after all.”
“That’s cause for concern right there.” She laughed. “I’m not sure the world can handle more than one of you.”
He chuckled and tightened his hold, running his palm up and down her arm.
“I don’t want you to feel anxious. Derek is going to love you and so will the rest of my family. I can’t wait to take you to Philadelphia to meet my mom. She’s excited about meeting you.”
“You sound so confident.”
“I am. For the first time in a long time, I’m not worried about anything.”
He rolled her onto her back and began to move inside her again.
Twenty minutes later, Payton lay prone on Cedric’s king-size bed, fairly certain she would not be able to walk for at least a full twenty-four hours. She needed several minutes of rest before she could gather the strength to turn onto her side and prop her chin on her upturned palm.
“Who knew such a wild woman was hiding underneath those business suits?” Cedric’s devilish grin made her entire body blush.
“Be honest,” Payton said. “Did you think we would end up here when you agreed to take me on as your agent?”
“Did I think it would happen? No. Did I want it to happen?” He leaned over and placed a gentle peck on the tip of her nose. “Absolutely.”
“I didn’t,” she said. “I thought getting involved with you would be the worst thing for my career.”
“But now you see that you had nothing to worry about, right?”
She nodded. “Who knew I was getting such a sweet deal when I signed you to Mosely Sports Management?”
“You may think your deal was sweet, but I got the best thing out of all of this,” he said.
A single brow quirked up. “And just what is that?” Payton asked.
He melted her heart with a single word.
“You.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8819-9
I’LL CATCH YOU
Copyright © 2011 by Farrah Roybiskie
All rights reserved. The reproduction, transmission or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without written permission. For permission please contact Kimani Press, Editorial Office, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
I'll Catch You (Kimani Romance) Page 18
