“Thank you so much for meeting with us Mr. President,” Lily said. “I’m really pleased that we were able to help with this cure.”
The President smiled. “I apologize for all the precautions, and that we took so long to do this. I feel embarrassed now, but I hope you understand. I had to make sure that this wasn’t a plot by shifters.”
The President looked at Bash with pained eyes. “Please accept my apologies on behalf of the entire country, and myself personally. We were sorely mistaken about shifters, and I’m going to do everything in my power to right the wrongs that have been done against you.”
Bash smiled. “Thank you, Mr. President,” he said. “I won’t lie—it’s been rough. But knowing that we now have you on our side fills me with hope.”
The President nodded somberly. “I wanted to meet with you both to thank you. There’s not much left to do. We’ve had Lily checked out by numerous doctors, and they’ve confirmed that she is immune to bear flu. We’ve also sent doctors and scientists to the lab in Chicago, and they’ve confirmed that the cure seems effective for all humans. Several people have volunteered as test subjects for the medicine. As you can imagine, when people are told that there might be a cure for an incurable disease, they’re pretty willing to try it.”
Bash nodded, and the President continued. “We’ve seen all the documents verifying that Hook Labs was actually responsible for the bear flu. I’m appalled that they were trying to get rid of shifters without authorization, and I am deeply saddened that their illegal actions caused the death of almost half the world’s population. All we can do now is rebuild, and be thankful that we caught this before it was too late to completely save humanity. I’ll be explaining all of this at my press conference tomorrow, but I wanted to meet with you both to let you know about it. I’ve also set up a Bureau of Shifter Relations. This bureau will work closely with my administration to ensure that shifters are reintegrated into society in a respectful way, and that their rights are protected. If either of you would like to be part of this, I would love to have you on board. Calum and Mia have already enthusiastically signed up.”
“What about Juno and Wyatt?” Lily asked.
“Juno declined. She wants to get back to science, and Wyatt doesn’t want to be involved in anything remotely political,” the President said with a chuckle. “I can’t say that I blame him. There’s no pressure for either of you, but I want you to know that the opportunity is there if you want it. If you don’t, we can help you find employment and set up a new life. There will be plenty to do with half the population gone. Trust me, I’ll make sure you get a good job.”
Bash nodded. “I don’t know about Lily,” he said. “But I definitely need some time to think about all of this before committing to anything.”
The President nodded. “Take all the time you need. Both of you. In the meantime, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I have one last little surprise for you, too. I would imagine it’s been a while since either of you have had any decent food. We have a stash here, and I arranged for you both to have a steak dinner. You can have your choice of wine and side dishes as well. The works. My personal chef will take care of everything for you. Please enjoy, and get some rest. I’d love to see you both at the press conference tomorrow?”
Bash smiled. “Of course we’ll be there, Mr. President,” he said. “It would be an honor.”
The President smiled and stood. Bash and Lily took the cue and stood as well. After shaking both of their hands, he bid them a good evening.
“Please let the staff know if you need anything else—anything at all. And thank you again, from both your country and the whole world, for everything you’ve done.”
Bash and Lily smiled and nodded, and then turned to leave. The same man who escorted them in showed them out.
“I’ll show you your rooms,” the man said. “They’re right across the hall from each other, and we’ve arranged for small wardrobes in what we hope are your sizes and styles you like. The chef will prepare a dinner for you. Please let us know if you have any requests or food allergies. Tomorrow morning the President would like you and the rest of the shifters to be at the press conference, which will be held at ten o’clock sharp. In the meantime, please let us know if you need anything. We are, as the President said, extremely grateful for everything you’ve done.”
Bash and Lily nodded and smiled at the man.
“I don’t think we have any food preferences or allergies,” Bash said. “Steak dinner sounds wonderful to me.”
Lily nodded. “Sound good to me, too. Thank you, sir.”
“You’re welcome. Both of you have a good evening,” the man said. He gave a slight bow, and then headed off down the hallway. Lily looked at Bash and grinned.
“Separate rooms, huh? Do you think that’ll be necessary?”
Bash laughed. “I would think not, but I’ll let you go in your room and get ready by yourself. I’m curious to see what you’ll put on for our little date tonight.”
“Date?” Lily said, a teasing note in her voice. “It’s not like you’re taking me out. It’s more like the President is taking me out, since he arranged the dinner.”
Bash laughed. “He might have arranged the dinner, but I’ll be your company for the evening, my darling. Any complaints about that?”
Lily smiled. “I guess not. I’ll go get ready, then. Prepare to be amazed.”
Bash winked at her. “Looking forward to it,” he said. Then he turned and went into his room. But he didn’t immediately go to the closet to find clothes. Instead, he walked over to the in-room phone, which was set up as a computer panel on the wall. Bash shook his head. It was strange to be back in the world of high-technology.
He searched for Juno’s name in the directory, assuming she was somewhere in the building. She was, and he ordered the computer to call her number. The phone rang a few times before Juno answered.
“Hey, Juno.”
“Bash!” she screamed. “You’re up! How are you? It’s so good to hear your voice.”
“I’m good,” he said. “Listen, I need a big favor, and it’s not going to be easy. But I know if anyone can get it done it’s you.”
“I like the sound of that,” Juno said. “What do you need?”
“I saw there was a café on the south side of the building,” Bash said. “Can you meet me there in ten minutes?”
“Sure,” Juno said. “I’m intrigued.”
“Good,” Bash said. “I’ll explain everything then. I think you’re going to like this secret project.”
Juno laughed. “We’ll see.”
Bash hung up the phone. This wasn’t going to be easy. But if he could pull it off, it was going to be the best surprise he had ever arranged in his life.
Chapter Twelve
Lily took a deep breath when she heard the knock on the door. She glanced at herself in the mirror one last time, admiring the way her emerald green dress hugged her curves. Her hair was down in long curly waves—the first time in over a half year that she’d actually taken time to do anything with it. She didn’t have much makeup on. One of the staff members had managed to find her a tube of mascara and some lipgloss, and that’s it. This would be the first time Bash would see her prettied up at all, and she could hardly wait to see his reaction. She loved that he loved her just as she was, but it was fun going to be fun to wow him a little bit.
He had taken a little longer than she thought to come get her. Maybe he was trying to give her time to get ready. But whatever the case, when she opened the door and saw him, he took her breath away, too. His hair was combed neatly, and his clean-shaven, tanned skin showed off his chiseled jawline. He was wearing a neatly-tailored charcoal gray suit and a pair of shiny black dress shoes.
“Wow,” Lily said. “You clean up nice.”
“Damn girl,” he replied. “So do you. Turn around and let me see that dress.”
Lily blushed, but obliged. She did a little twirl, causing the skirt of her d
ress to swoosh a little bit.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Bash said. “Come here.” He pulled her close, then nuzzled her nose with his and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
“I’d love to throw you down on that bed and take that dress off right now,” he said. “But I think there’s a steak dinner with our name on it waiting. Shall we?”
“Let’s,” Lily said, and took Bash’s offered arm.
“Where are the others?” Lily asked as they walked toward the dining room. “They’re not coming?”
“No,” Bash said. “You’ll see them tomorrow, but tonight I wanted a romantic dinner for the two of us. I think we deserve a little date night, don’t you?”
Lily grinned and nodded. When they got to the dining room, Lily felt her breath being taken away again. It was beautiful, with a deep mahogany wood table and ornately carved chairs. A fireplace crackled in the corner, and a white tablecloth was already set with bread rolls and salad. A bottle of red wine sat in the middle of the table next to two wine glasses.
“My lady,” Bash said, holding the chair for her.
Lily smiled and sat down. “This is amazing,” she said. “I can’t believe there’s a place this beautiful where the President has just been hiding out. Where are we, anyway?”
“North Carolina, actually,” Bash said. “Who would’ve thought.”
“Who would’ve thought,” Lily repeated slowly as she settled into her seat. Bash reached to open the wine.
“They were going to offer full service, but I told the staff to keep it simple. I can take care of opening a bottle of wine. Would you like a glass?”
“I would love one,” Lily said.
Bash uncorked the wine, then poured two generous glasses before sitting down next to Lily. He held his glass up to hers.
“Cheers, my love,” he said. “To a better tomorrow.”
“To a better tomorrow,” Lily repeated, taking a sip of the dry, flavorful wine.
“Let’s dig in,” Bash said as he set his wine glass down. Lily didn’t need to be told twice. She started eating the salad, savoring the fresh greens. She’d been surviving on canned food and nonperishables like pasta for so long that these this simple salad tasted amazing. She felt a little nervous, almost like she was on a first date. But Bash quickly put her at ease. They talked and laughed for quite some time, and Lily almost felt like a normal person again, living a normal life. About twenty minutes later, the chef came in to bring them perfectly grilled steaks with a side of creamy mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.
“Wow,” Lily said. “I feel like a princess.”
“You should,” Bash said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “You deserve it.”
Lily grinned at him, but didn’t say anything. She was too busy cutting a piece of meat and popping it into her mouth, and she moaned at the juicy flavor.
“This is delicious. It’s been way too long since I’ve had a good, hearty meal.”
Bash followed suit, trying the steak as well, and agreeing that it tasted amazing. As the evening went on, they drank the entire wine bottle and Bash went to grab another one. Lily couldn’t believe the feast they were having, and it was strange to think that only the night before she had been fighting for her life against the attackers from Hook Labs. The real kicker was when they finished their plates, and Bash stood to clear them.
“I can help,” Lily said starting to stand.
“No, no,” he said. “I’ve got this. I arranged for some dessert and a special after dinner toast. I’ll be right back.”
Lily smiled. “You’re clearing the plates, and you arranged for dessert? You’re a keeper.”
Bash grinned, balancing the plates on one arm while he dimmed the light. The soft light made the whole room glow from the light of the fireplace.
“Mood lighting,” he said, giving her wink. Lily felt a little thrill go through her. It was nice to have someone romance her. She hadn’t had that for so long.
A few minutes later, Bash came back into the room holding two dishes of crème brûlée.
“Oh my gosh,” Lily said. “I haven’t had anything like this in forever.”
Bash grinned. “Well, I can’t take too much credit for it. It was the chef’s suggestion. But I think he did a pretty good job.”
The crème brûlée was topped with a few raspberries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Lily hadn’t seen such a beautiful dessert in years, and she couldn’t take her eyes off of the beautiful treat.
“I almost don’t want to eat it. It looks so perfect,” she said.
Bash laughed as he sat next to her. “It does look perfect, but, trust me—you’ll enjoy it even more when you taste it.”
Just then, the door opened and the chef walked into the room holding a bottle of champagne and two champagne flutes.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” the chef said with a wink. “This gentleman ordered a round of drinks for you.”
The chef put the two champagne flutes down on the table and popped the cork.
“You really asked for this?” Lily said Bash. He nodded, beaming.
“Yup, I sure did. A little bubbly for my baby.”
Lily blushed, grinning as the chef poured the champagne, then gave a little bow and placed the rest of the bottle on the table.
“Cheers,” he said. Then he winked at Bash and left the room.
Lily lifted her glass. “Well,” she said. “Cheers, to an amazing future.”
“Indeed,” Bash said. But he didn’t immediately reach for his champagne flute. Instead, he reached into his pocket and fished around. A moment later, he pulled out a sparkling diamond ring. It caught the light, and Lily froze with her glass in midair.
“Bash?” she asked. “What is that? It looks suspiciously like a diamond engagement ring.”
Bash smiled. “It is, and it’s for you my love,” he said. Then he dropped the diamond into her champagne flute with a flourish. It fell to the bottom with a musical clink, sending a flurry of bubbles up to the top of the champagne flute. Bash picked up his glass and clinked it with Lily’s.
“Cheers,” he said.
Lily’s jaw dropped, and she covered her mouth with her free hand.
“Bash? What’s going on?”
Bash grinned and set down his champagne flute. Then he knelt down beside her and took her free hand in his hands.
“Lily,” he said. “This has been a crazy ride. The craziest ride of my life, for sure, but there’s no one I would have rather gone on it with then you. I’m amazed by the way you have taken life by the horns and dug deep within yourself to find the courage that I knew was in there. You’ve only been in my life a short time, but you’ve already brightened it so much. I cannot imagine a future without you. We bear shifters have something known as a lifemate—it’s someone destiny has chosen for you to be with forever. You, my dear, Lily, are my lifemate. The lifemate bond is deep and unbreakable—even stronger than a marriage vow. I know humans have a similar concept they refer to as soulmates. You are my lifemate, my soulmate. There is no one I would rather spend my life with. My dear Lily, would you do me the honor of being my wife?
Lily was shellshocked. She stared at the ring in her glass, sparkling in its surroundings of golden liquid and bubbles. Was this really happening? Had she really found someone so amazing?
“Lily?” Bash prompted.
She turned to look at him, focusing her eyes on his. “Yes,” she said. “Yes. Nothing would make me happier than to be your wife.”
Bash let out a whoop and swept her up into his arms. His skin against hers felt warm, and she felt a familiar rush of electricity run through her. He must have felt it, too, because he looked down at her and spoke in a husky voice.
“Let’s get that crème brûlée to go,” he said.
Lily nodded, biting her lower lip and already trembling with anticipation of what she knew was to come. A few minutes later, she pushed the door to her room open. It was a simple room, with only a large bed for furnit
ure. But a bed was all they needed. In fact, if they hadn’t had one they could’ve made do without it. But since it was there, Bash took advantage of it.
He pushed Lily down onto the bed and pulled off her shoes. Then he shrugged out of his suit coat and leaned over her to kiss her, his tongue diving deep into her mouth. She moaned as his kisses sent shivers of pleasure through her body. His kiss was deep, like an ocean that she could swim in but never get enough of. He took his time, relishing every second of their kiss. Then he pulled her up off the bed.
“Let’s get that dress off of you,” he said. He pulled it up and over her head, tossing it aside.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. But you’re more beautiful.”
He reached to unbutton and unzip his own pants, pushing them and off along with his boxers. His erection sprung free and proud, and Lily moaned. She was overcome by an incredible hunger and passion, and she reached for his shirt. She pulled the two halves of his shirt apart, causing the buttons to pop off and shoot across the room. Then she quickly pushed his shirt back and off, exposing his large biceps.
Bash grinned at her. “I like your style,” he said. He reached behind her and pulled apart the clasp of her bra strap with a similar gusto. After tossing her bra aside, he reached for her underwear, pulling it down and off and throwing it onto the nearby pile of clothes.
They stood in front of each other, naked, and Lily looked up and down at her fiancé’s body.
Fiancé.
She could hardly believe it. She had dreamed her whole life of a romantic wedding proposal, but at some point she had given up hope. She figured she was too quiet and mousey for anyone to ever take the time to plan something special for her—especially after the world started falling apart. She’d figured at that point that she’d be lucky if she ever even found love at all. Yet here she was, standing next to a man who wanted to spend his life with her and had taken the time to make his proposal special, even in the midst of less than ideal circumstances.
Courage in a Fur Coat (The Fur Coat Society Book 5) Page 8
