"You lovelies have any hot plans for tonight?"
"Hey, Carol!" Jenna said, waving, a big smile on her face. "How are you doing?"
"I'm well, Jenna. It's so nice to see you. Please tell me that you are trying to get this girl out of here for Valentine’s Day?" she said, nodding towards me.
"Well, yes, she doesn't know it yet, but I have a date lined up for her. It's getting Miss Stubborn to agree to at least meet us at the restaurant," Jenna said, pointing at me.
"Listen, the both of you. For you it may be Valentine’s Day, but for me it’s Singles Awareness Day. I plan to work until seven, maybe eight, then head home and have a love affair with a bottle of wine and a pizza. Perhaps a chocolate cupcake."
They both let out a loud laugh, but I was serious. I spent most of my days at the office, including the weekends. I had stopped going out for our monthly get-together. As a matter of fact, I had stopped going anywhere and everywhere that I could possibly run into Chase. I still went to Saturday-morning yoga, but afterward we either went to my place or Jenna's for coffee.
"I'll do my best, Carol, but she is a tough one."
"That she is."
"Would the two of you please stop talking about me as if I am not sitting right here."
"All right, I have to get out of here. I promised John I'd be home. He's taking me to a play. Good night, ladies."
"Night, Carol," we both shouted in unison.
I turned back to Jenna, who now sat staring at the engagement ring on her finger. Matt had finally proposed, and she was over the moon excited. I didn't blame her; they made the cutest couple, and I was so happy to see that they were finally taking the next step. I let out a loud sigh and set my fork onto the side of the container.
"Are you sure you won't join us tonight?" Jenna pleaded. "It will only be Matt and I, I swear. We miss you and really want you to join us. Plus, we are gonna talk wedding details, and you need to be there if you are going to take me up on my offer and be my maid of honor." She had invited me to join them for dinner, but I really didn't want to feel like a third wheel.
I nodded. "I'm sure. Did you see that waiting room full of people out there? Someone must help them. Besides, it’s Valentine’s Day. You guys should be alone. There is plenty of time to go over wedding details."
"It's just another day, Sophie. It’s fine. Matt told me when he made the reservation he had already asked for a table for three."
"Well then you will have lots of room then. Really, it's fine. I chose to work tonight so everyone else could be home. Go enjoy yourself. Maybe we can do coffee at my place this weekend. I will cook brunch or something." I shrugged. If I knew Matt and Jenna, I knew that the table for three they were claiming to have would really be a table of four and Chase would probably be the other guest. "Seriously, I'm fine. Go."
"Sophie, it’s been five months. You can't keep ignoring the outside world. How will you ever meet someone?"
"Ha, Jenna, don't even start that. I'm perfectly good with staying single, okay." I turned my attention to the file that sat on top of the pile. I didn't want to be hounded. I wanted my friend to leave me in my misery and go and be with her fiancé.
"All right then, on that note, I guess I will be going. I've taken up enough of your time."
I hugged Jenna, and as she left, I wandered down the hall and grabbed another cup of coffee and went out to call in my next client. I'd been in the meeting going over the client’s tax return for twenty minutes when I heard Marie raise her voice. I did my best not to pay attention to it, but when I heard her raise her voice again, I quickly excused myself.
I opened my office door and was smacked in the face with the aroma of a freshly cooked pizza. My stomach let out a loud groan, even though I'd already eaten.
"Marie? What is going on? Who ordered pizza?" I called as I walked around the corner to see a room full of people and Marie guarding the entrance of the hallway with her life from Chase. I stopped in my tracks at the sight.
"There she is. I told you I knew she was here. Now let me in," he bit out, trying to push his way past Marie. When she blocked him again, he stepped into the first boardroom and threw the pizza box down on the table. "It’s okay, you don’t want to let me in to see her. It’s no problem. The meeting can be done in here as well. It doesn't need to be held in her office. Oh, and it’s not a problem. I have nowhere to be, so I'll wait," he said, setting my favorite bottle of wine down beside the box and turning to hand me a dozen long-stemmed red roses.
"Chase, what are you doing?" I whispered, shocked, but took the flowers from his hand, bringing them to my nose.
"I have brought you your Valentine’s Day dinner." He flipped open the pizza box, exposing a heart-shaped pizza. "Double cheese. No pepperoni. And wine because I know you love wine with your pizza."
My eyes began to burn, and within seconds, they were filled with tears that I tried hard to blink away, but they spilled over the edge of my eye and ran down my cheek. I wiped at them instantly to hide them, but it was too late. Chase had already seen.
"My God, I am always making you cry," he said, taking a step closer, reaching out and cupping my cheek, wiping away another tear with his thumb. “I’ve got to work on that,” he mumbled.
"Chase, people are watching," I whispered. I knew the door to the boardroom stood wide open and many sets of eyes were watching from the waiting room. "Let me close the door, okay," I said, trying to step around him, but he blocked me.
"So, let them watch. Let them all watch." That was all he said before he dropped to one knee and pulled from his pocket a little box. "Sophie, I can't stop thinking of you. You're actually all I think about."
"Chase, what are you doing?"
"Shhhh..."
I watched through blurry eyes as Chase cracked open the little box he held to reveal a diamond solitaire surrounded with tiny blue sapphires.
"Chase..." I mumbled through tears.
"No, you are going to listen. I want to be with you. I want to make babies with you—many, many babies. If we can't make them, then we will adopt. I even know someone who might be able to help us out with that. Even if we don't, I honestly don't care, as long as you will walk through the rest of my life by my side."
He reached behind him and pulled from his pocket an envelope. "What is that?" I asked.
"This,” he said, looking to the envelope in his hand, “is that stupid NDA and contract that I made you sign. I was very stupid to even think about bringing it to the table. Stupid and naive to think that I would have been able to be with you and not fall head over heels in love with you. I want to be with you forever, Sophie, and if I have to I will spend the rest of my life trying to prove it to you."
He ripped the envelope in half, and then those halves in half, throwing them to the ground. "It's done, it's over, they are gone," he said, smiling up at me. “Besides, they were never legal anyways. I didn’t have the heart to have them notarized.” He chuckled.
"You do know I have a shredder in my office, right? It might be easier." I smiled down at him.
"Well, what do you say?"
"I say you should pick yourself and that paper up off my office floor," I said, not giving away exactly how excited I was. His face dropped, and he reached for the ripped pieces and stood up. He lifted his head and met my eyes. "Now I think you should kiss me."
Chase smiled and pulled me into his arms, kissing me deeply. As soon as we parted, he took the ring and slipped it onto my finger. I looked down at my hand and back to Chase.
"I love you too," I whispered.
The people waiting in the waiting room broke out into a loud applause, some yelling words of congratulations. I had completely forgotten they were standing there behind me watching us. I buried my face into Chase's shoulder to hide my embarrassment.
"Give us a few minutes, folks," Chase called out before closing the door to the boardroom. His lips met mine as he pushed me up against the door, kissing me hard. "I say you close up shop, come ho
me with me, and let me worship you all night long."
"I think that sounds perfect."
22
Chase
The second that boardroom door clicked closed, I shoved Sophie up against the wall. I kissed her deeply, but it wasn't nearly enough. I wanted to rip her clothes off and screw her right there on the boardroom table. It had always been a fantasy of mine, one I'd not fulfilled but knew that within time we would celebrate a first for both of us. I tried, but she begged me not to, insisting that she needed to get back to the clients, especially the one she had forgotten about in her office. So, reluctantly, I let her go, and I sat waiting in the lobby of her office, my cock straining against the zipper of my jeans for an hour while she dealt with the remaining people who had insisted on seeing her before we left for the night.
I had never been so happy to see the last person leave, and shortly after Sophie came walking out of her office, her briefcase in hand, and her coat flung over her arm. She gave me a sexy smile as she walked across the lobby to where I was waiting.
"It's about time," I kidded, knowing just how important her business was to her.
We stepped out into the cold night air and I took her hand in mine as we walked across the parking lot. I stopped at my car and opened the passenger door, looked behind me and saw Sophie walked towards hers. "Where are you going?" I questioned.
"To my place," she stated.
"No, you are coming with me." I walked over, guiding her back to my car.
"Okay, but I need to stop and get a few things first then."
"Like?"
"Well, I need a toothbrush, hair care products, shower products, clothes." She looked up at me innocently.
"I have an extra toothbrush, I do have a hairdryer, and I do shower, so I have products, and there is nothing that I plan on doing with you this weekend that will require a tremendous amount of clothes. I promise." I smiled.
"Chase, don't be ridiculous."
"I'm not, trust me. What I plan on doing with you over the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours does not require clothes."
She covered her mouth as she laughed and climbed into my car. I raced through the city, and twenty minutes later, her briefcase and coat were in a pile on my floor by the doorway and a trail of clothes led the way to my bedroom.
My cock ached as I sank into her tightness. Sweat poured off my body as I pounded into her. Her cries were loud and echoing through the room. I loved the sounds she made because of me. My one hand gripped her hip and the other gripped her shoulder, holding her close to me. The harder I thrusted, the deeper I went, and the louder she became. I could already feel her tightening with every thrust and knew she was on the boarder of her release. I stopped and pulled out of her. I watched as her head dropped to the mattress, breathless.
"Why...why did you stop?" she asked breathlessly.
"I want to be able to see your face as you come." I leaned over, whispering in her ear, "Roll onto your back."
When she didn't move right away, I quickly flipped her over. She let out a laugh. I pulled her closer to the edge of the bed and quickly sank back into the heat and tightness I so loved. Her moans sent chills through me as I knew I was the one causing her to make them. It only took a second to get her right back where she had been, and I stroked her clit to help her along.
She forced her head back, lifting herself off the mattress, and let go. Her cries were louder than before, and I began to worry if my neighbors were going to hear. That worry went away quickly as I felt my balls tighten and I gritted out her name, pouring myself into her.
Minutes after cleaning her up, she lay cradled in my arms, staring down at the ring that she now wore. "What are you thinking about?" I asked as I ran my fingers through her hair.
"Just the answer to that question you asked me so long ago."
"What question?"
"Why we waited?"
I looked into her eyes. There was a seriousness behind them that, in all the years that I had known her, I had never seen before. "And what is your answer?" I asked as my heart began to pump a little faster, hoping that perhaps her answer was the same as mine.
"Honestly, I think every relationship has failed me in one way or another because of one reason. You. I think that without knowing it, in some way I have been in love with you from the start. I never really knew how to express it or how to show it, and at the risk of losing our friendship, I never was brave enough to do anything about it."
I laced my fingers through hers and pulled her into me. I had done a lot of soul searching over the last five months, and I knew that was exactly how I felt as well. "I think you might be right," I whispered as I placed my hand on her cheek and gently met her mouth, kissing her deeply.
Monday morning I walked on air as I made my way into the boardroom. Carter, Hunter, and Bryce all sat in their usual spots, a coffee in front of them, going over whatever documents were being brought to the table. I sauntered in, dropping my suit jacket on the chair behind me, and sat down.
"Jesus, it's about time you got here," Carter complained, glancing at his watch.
"We weren't sure if we should start without you or send out reinforcements to find you," Bryce stated.
"However, we guessed we should just start without you, since we figured you were probably balls deep in your fiancée this morning." Hunter grinned.
These fuckers, I thought to myself, and I hung my head low and sat in my usual spot. I hadn't bothered to call any of them after telling them what my plan had been, so none of them knew how it had gone. I let out a breath. "She said no. No, I don't want to talk about it, so let’s get down to business," I stated with no emotion.
I almost burst out laughing at the looks on their faces as they quickly averted their eyes from me and to one another, and suddenly the mood in the room shifted.
"Jesus, man, I am so sorry," they all said in unison.
The room went quiet as I opened up the file that sat in front of my spot. I fought off the urge to smile.
"Did she give you a reason?" Hunter questioned.
I shook my head. I knew if I looked up at any one of my brothers, I would burst out laughing.
"She can't just say no without a reason," Bryce stated.
"Sure she can. Why can't she?" Carter questioned.
"Fuck that. If it were me, I'd demand an answer. Look at him. The poor ass has been through enough. He at least deserves an answer. Get her on the phone. Let’s break her true Malone style."
Pretty soon, even Hunter was involved in the conversation, and my three brothers soon forgot I was sitting there. They spent ten minutes arguing amongst themselves about my problems, before I cleared my throat to remind them that I was still there and that I could hear everything they were saying.
"Hey, we're sorry, man. Totally inappropriate behavior," Carter said, shaking his head.
I chuckled to myself. "It's all good. She said yes."
"You ass." Bryce smiled. "Congrats, brother."
"So, when is the big date? You know the girls will want to know right away."
"We haven't set one yet but will soon."
"Better get to it, because as soon as we tell Mia, Autumn, and Hope, you know they are going to want to start planning everything," Bryce said, pulling me in for a hug. "Congrats, bro."
Our weekly Monday-morning meeting quickly turned into a celebratory one, which turned into a celebratory lunch.
23
Sophie
Chase and I had spent the better part of the week at his place discussing at great length how we were going to move forward. We had decided that I would sell my condo and move into his, which was bigger, and ultimately had the best view of not only the city but of the harbor as well. Hunter had recommended their realtor, and I found myself running through my condo a week later, cleaning like a mad woman for an appointment with her Sunday morning.
I'd just gotten out of the shower and was sitting in the living room with the paper and a hot cup of coffee in hand w
hile waiting for her to arrive. I was reading through an article when my cell phone vibrated on the table. I glanced at my phone and laughed when I saw Jenna's name. Her message of “are you okay” caused me to giggle, and I glanced to the sparkling diamond that I now wore on my left hand. I quickly began typing a message but stopped and called her instead.
"Hello," she sang into the phone. "It's about time you called. I was beginning to wonder if this past Valentine’s Day didn't do you in."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. Just tell me if you are okay."
"Listen, do you think you could meet me in a little bit?" I asked, using the same depressed voice I'd been using for the past five months, even though I was so far from that state of mind I now had whiplash.
"Of course, I can meet you. Just say where and when and I will be there. Is everything okay?" I heard her whisper something to Matt. It didn't surprise me as much as it bothered me that I had been their topic of discussion lately.
"Um, how about four at Aroma Mocha? The cafe should be pretty quiet by then."
"Oh, Sophie, at four? Come on, you need to start getting out again with humans."
"I know, I know, and I do get out with humans. I do still work, you know. Come on, please," I begged.
"Fine. I will see you at four, but only if you promise to come out with us on Friday night."
"I won't promise, but I will try, okay," I lied. I already knew we were meeting them Friday night. Chase just hadn't said anything to Matt yet.
"All right, I'll take that answer, since it’s better than the last few I've been given. I'll see you in a little bit."
We both hung up the phone. Just as I set my phone down, the realtor knocked on the door.
Two hours later, I shut the door to my condo and called Chase. "All the paperwork is signed," I sang into the phone.
"Awesome. Everything go okay?"
"Yep. I'll be over in a little bit, okay? Jenna wants to have a coffee. See you tonight?"
Finding Forever with You (The Malone Brothers Book 4) Page 12
