by Anthology
“One hundred twenty-five thousand. That’s a substantial salary. Does it come with benefits?” His voice was clearly piqued with interest and joy, and I could tell by his tone that he was smiling into the phone.
One hundred twenty-five thousand? Whoa.
Noah was silent for a moment, clearly listening to the person on the other end of the call.
“To be honest, I just moved back to my hometown in Sarasota. Does your job offer come with an incentive package to relocate to San Francisco?”
The blood in my veins slowed as my heart filled with anguish. A position in San Francisco would mean losing Noah all over again.
A minute passed before Noah fired off another question, “When would you need to know my answer by?”
Nausea washed over me when Noah said, “I will let you know by Tuesday morning. You have my word. Thank you so much for your consideration, Mr. Carlson. I’ll be in touch when I’ve made my decision.”
Memories of Noah boarding the airplane four years ago slammed into me, hard, knocking the wind out of me. There was no way my heart could bear to say good-bye to Noah for a second time.
So, I did the only thing that made sense.
I bailed.
Chapter Six
It’s better this way, I told myself repeatedly as I stared blindly out the window of the cab.
My body was numb. My heart and soul were crumbling by the second.
Noah would be a fool to turn down that kind of money, and I’d never forgive myself if I were the one to hold him back from accepting such a great opportunity.
Tears surged forward and poured down my cheeks.
Noah deserved the world. I wanted him to be happy and successful because he’d worked so hard.
And that was the real gut-kicker.
I loved him enough to let him go, so he could chase his dreams.
I wouldn’t be the uneducated, unsuccessful girl who held him back. No, I wanted him to thrive.
My face fell to my hands as deep sobs racked through me. The heartache that sliced through every part of me was unbearable.
History was repeating itself.
“Ma’am?” A man’s voice filled the car. “Uh, ma’am!”
My head whipped up to look at him in his rearview mirror. “Yes?”
“It’ll be twenty-five dollars and sixty cents.” He outstretched his hand over the seat.
I briefly glanced out the window, shocked to see we were at my apartment. I pulled thirty dollars out of my purse and passed it to him. “Thank you. Keep the change.” My voice was unrecognizable.
I exited the cab and slowly made my way up to my apartment. I let myself in and locked the door behind me before tossing my keys and purse on the table.
My feet managed to carry me across the living room, through the hallway, and all the way to the bathroom door. I opened the shower door and turned on the water, adjusting the temperature.
I stripped out of my clothing, refusing to let memories from the night before surface, and then I stepped into the shower. The shower door clicked closed behind me.
Steam surrounded me as I dipped my head back and wet my hair. Hot water cascaded over me, and I let out a deep breath, hoping the heat would calm me.
My heart stopped at the distinct noise of the shower door opening, only to skip into an erratic, uneven beat when I saw Noah standing before me, naked and tattooed.
“What—” I broke off, stunned, before trying to speak again. “What are you doing? How did you get in here?” I was one hundred percent positive I’d locked my apartment door, purely out of habit.
“Credit card,” he answered simply.
My brows jumped. “You picked my lock with a credit card?”
“Yes.”
I didn’t even get the chance to process how in the hell Noah had picked my lock with a credit card without snapping the thin plastic before he stalked toward me, like a man determined to get his way. His presence was potent and powerful.
I pressed my torso flush against the tiles, wanting to avoid any contact that might distract me.
Those blues of his riveted me, and I was silent as he lifted his arms and placed them at either side of my head, caging me in.
“Either you overheard my conversation with Carlson, or you broke our deal and ran. Which is it?”
I drew in a lungful of air before releasing it. “You should take the position in San Francisco. It sounds like an incredible offer,” I said, giving him my answer.
“I don’t want the job.” His broad chest gravitated toward me until his mouth was a mere inch away from my own. “I just want you.”
San Francisco and I didn’t come in the same package. My mother needed my care now more than ever. I couldn’t leave her.
I latched on to the first part of his speech. “I think you do.” Tears threatened to fall as I broke our connection. “I could hear the excitement in your voice.”
Noah moved one hand to cup my chin, and he tilted it up until I met his eyes, devastating me with the intensity of his stare. “My love for you is far more important than a job in San Francisco.” He shook his head from side to side with finality. “I’m not going anywhere. I want my second chance with you, and I’m taking it.”
I couldn’t let him so easily turn down his shot at having a prestigious career.
“Maybe we had our chance, but so many things have changed. You have the opportunity to make a hundred twenty-five thousand a year. Why would you walk away from that kind of money?”
“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered it for a tenth of a second. The salary is a great deal more than the job offer I accepted here,” he admitted. “But I wouldn’t have you. I let you go once. Only because I wanted to make something of myself. I want to be able to give you anything you need, to provide for you. It’s the only reason I went to Berkeley—to be a better man for you, to be more worthy of your love.” His thumb brushed back and forth along my jaw. “Loving you is what made me succeed.”
Unable to hold my emotions inside, I let the tears fall as he continued, “If I had stayed and not gone to college, I would have only been able to give you a mediocre life at best, barely enough income to put food on the table, let alone be able to give you a family someday. I wanted more for you—more for us—because you deserve the world and all its glory, Kate.”
“I never needed some billionaire to sweep me off my feet, Noah.” My lower lip trembled as I spoke from the heart, “All I’ve ever wanted is you. Just you.”
“You have me, and I’m not going anywhere.” He leaned his forehead on mine. “No amount of money could ever keep me away from you. I love you, Kate. Always have, always will.”
I melted on the inside. “I’ve loved you from the first second I laid eyes on you.”
“You mean, back in sixth grade, when I saw you checking me out from across the lunch table, and you had that funky-ass purple ribbon in your hair?” A boyish grin spread across his face. “You looked so fucking hot with your braces, too.”
I shoved at his chest, only to pull him right back toward me, smiling. “Shut up, and kiss me.”
Delicious ripples of muscles flexed in his biceps, enhancing his dark tribal tattoos, as he reached around to cup my ass and hoist me up. “Oh, baby, you don’t have to tell me twice.”
And then his mouth was on mine. All I could do was hold on as he kissed me, devoured me, claimed me, showing no mercy while he took what was his. Me.
I twined my fingers in his hair, clinging to him, as I tasted him. Flaming red-hot need sparked to life within me. All my blood rushed south and pooled at my center.
Noah rocked his hips into mine, and I felt his erection, heavy and hard between us.
“Noah,” I breathed, “I need you.”
He grasped my waist and slightly lifted me higher. Then, he lowered me, and my lips parted into an O at the sensation of him filling me, stretching me.
The warm water cascaded over our bodies as he began to move in and out of me.
Each thrust was delivered with precision and strength. Every deep grind and swivel of his hips was utter perfection.
I tilted my head back on a cry as his lips drifted down my neck, licking and nipping at my bare flesh.
Power coiled in his muscles as he leveraged my weight and continued to impale me, rubbing and pulling against tender tissues, creating a heavenly friction within me.
Loving this man was the most natural thing in the world to me, and I gave myself over to him, seizing the moment.
His lips found mine. “It’s always been you.”
“And I’ve always loved you.”
“Let go.”
My inner muscles clenched around him at his demand, and stars danced behind my eyes as my climax rushed to my center, breaking through its barrier and sending vibrations through my core.
Heat filled me as he found his own release while capturing my mouth for an earth-shattering kiss.
We stood there, beneath the warm water, holding one another—for how long, I was unsure. All the while, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was, and I was beyond thankful to begin this new chapter in our lives together, as we were always meant to be.
Epilogue
Almost Two Years Later
Noah
Tonight was a big night, and to say I was not nervous about it would be a lie. My palms felt sweaty as I drove Kate to the big reveal.
For the last twenty-two months, Kate and I had been living together in her tiny apartment, so I could renovate our cottage. It had been tough to work fifty to sixty hours a week at my job, spend ample time with Kate, and put in the hours to remodel the house, but I’d finally managed to pull it off.
Plus, I’d gotten a nice bonus check last month along with a promotion, which had given me some extra cash to throw in one last surprise for Kate.
And I hoped she loved it, all of it.
I pulled into the driveway, opened the newly painted gate, and proceeded up the cement path. The trees were all trimmed, and the grass was much greener, as were the bushes and flowers along the front sidewalk. The fresh coat of paint on the cottage and shutters really made it look great.
“Are we there yet?” Kate laced her hands in her lap. Excitement rolled off her in dense waves.
“Yes. Stay put until I come around to get you.” I put my old Mustang in park and cut the engine before making my way to her side of the vehicle to open her door.
A white bandana shielded her eyes, so she carefully placed one heel on the ground and extended her arms to me. I gently grabbed them and helped her rise to her feet.
She staggered when her heel caught a crack in the cement.
My reflexes instantly kicked into gear to catch her. “Careful.”
“Thank you.” She tightened her hold on me. “This bandana is dangerous!”
Rather than risk the possibility of her injuring herself, I bent at the knees and swooped her up into my arms. “Don’t even think about taking it off yet.”
Her arms automatically went around my neck. “Why do I need it on again?”
Kate already knew I had a surprise for her, so I decided to tease her a bit. “The blindfold is purely for payback.” I strode up to the door and opened it. “But keep it on.”
Her jaw dropped. “Payback? For what?”
“For not going on that blind date with me.”
Her head tilted to one side, and I’d bet money that she’d just rolled her eyes underneath that cloth.
“You need to get over that. It was two years ago!”
“Almost. Not quite.” I swallowed back my laughter to keep my tone serious. “And I am over it. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t use it to my advantage and hold it over your head when the opportunity presents itself.”
“That’s because you never fight fair.”
An artful grin appeared on my face. “Why would I want to do that?”
She tightened her grip around my nape and smiled up at me. “Because you love me.”
I was a sucker for that smile of hers. My heart softened as my reflection mirrored hers. “I do,” I quietly admitted without hesitation.
I pressed my lips to hers and kissed her. The warmth in my chest spread like wildfire, as it always did when I was touching her.
Kate was hardwired to my heart—always had been and always would be.
I let us in the front door before I set her on her feet in the entrance. I depleted all the air in my lungs before I removed her blindfold.
Kate blinked several times, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light. Then, she glanced around from the foyer to the living room. “Wow,” she breathed, “it’s beautiful.”
I studied her as she walked into the center of the living room and took in the newly refinished wood floor. There was a white furniture set with black end tables on either side of the loveseat and chair. An old rustic chest was placed in front of the couch. It was the perfect place to tuck away extra blankets and pillows.
She beamed as she dashed to the kitchen where I’d sanded down the old kitchen cabinets and painted them charcoal gray, topping them off with brushed nickel knobs and handles. Stainless steel appliances were paired with granite countertops to complete the room.
I followed behind Kate as she rushed to the master bedroom next. This room, I’d painted midnight blue, her favorite color. One wall was silver to accent the room and also to reflect the natural sunlight.
A king-size bed filled the center of the north wall with a white comforter, midnight-blue sheets, and decorative pillows.
The floors and shower in the master bath had new tiles, all natural stone. Her surprise was against the west wall—a Jacuzzi with plenty of room on the ledge around it for her to place candles and have a spot to rest her Kindle so that she could read as she soaked in the tub.
Saving the best for last, I went to her and twined my fingers with hers, so I could lead her back to the living room. Kate waited patiently as I gripped the curtain covering the patio door, and I swung it to the side to open the door.
The salty breeze rolled over us, and I watched Kate as I led her out onto the veranda overlooking the ocean. Long wooden planks led the way to the sandy beach. The waves crashing into the shore right before us provided a truly magnificent view.
She covered her lips with her free hand as she gasped, taking in the full view surrounding us. “Oh my gosh, it’s so unbelievably beautiful.”
She tightened her hold on me, and I felt the potency of her excitement travel from her to me. That was the thing about Kate; I was that connected to her, in tune with her. It was like our souls were one. Whatever she felt, I felt.
I tucked one hand in my pocket, concluding that everything had come together pretty well. And, now that she was here with me, seeing it all for the first time since I’d remodeled the place, it made me all the more eager to start creating memories here, in our home, together.
She spun in the sand to face me. The wind blew her hair, but my gaze was riveted on her. Her face was free of makeup, just like I loved her to be—bare and beautiful.
“When you showed me countless magazines and drilled me with many questions, asking me if I liked this or that better, it was for our house?”
The genuine awe and happiness in her expression hit me square in the chest.
“You-you did all of this for us?”
“Yes.” My voice was thick.
The sweat, sore muscles, and lack of sleep night after night—it was all worth it for this moment, right here, right now.
Because of the light in her eyes.
I’d give anything to put it there, day in and day out, for the rest of my life.
Unable to stand the inches between us, I gathered her in my arms and drew her close. “I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you every chance I get for the rest of my days, I’ll do anything for you, Kate, because I love you. Always.”
She placed her hands on either side of my face. “And, each day, I wonder how I could possibly love you any more than I already do w
ithout my heart giving out. But, every hour that you share your amazingly tender heart with me, I fall a little deeper, and I love you even more.”
I almost told her she was wrong—that it was me who fell deeper, loved her more—but I’d save that quarrel for another day.
So, instead, I kissed her until the sunset fell behind the horizon and the moonlight began to sparkle throughout the clear sky.
Because she was mine.
About the Author
Alicia Rae is a contemporary romance author who lives in Byron, Illinois, with her husband and three beautiful boys. Alicia has a passion for reading all types of romance, writing to bring a story to life, and photography.
TEN TOO MANY
By A.M. Hargrove
Chapter One
I couldn’t stop gazing at the rings. They were shiny and sparkly—well, at least mine was with all the diamonds hugging it so tightly. Josh had asked me to pick them up on my way home from work. The jeweler had called to let him know they were ready. I couldn’t help but do a test run of my wedding band next to my perfect engagement ring. And when I did, a series of tears bubbled from my eyes.
“Here, miss.” The elderly man handed me a tissue, smiling.
“Thank you,” I said as I dabbed at my eyes. I couldn’t remember ever being this happy. “They’re so perfect; I can hardly stand to take them off.”
The man patted my arm and said, “I’m so happy you love them. Did you notice the inscription on the inside?”
In my haste to slide the thing on my finger, I hadn’t even paid attention to that. I quickly rectified the situation and peeked inside Josh’s platinum band.
Forever & longer yours, L
“Oh, that’s perfect,” I blubbered, snot dripping out of my nose. Another tissue appeared in my hand, bless him.
