I’ve been focused on settling into my new job, going to NA meetings and most importantly, finding a new apartment.
After desperately scouring the Internet and newspapers for days, I’ve finally found a place that I think I can afford and today, I’m taking Spencer to give it a once-over before I sign the lease.
“I think this is it,” I say glancing down at the newspaper clipping in my hand as we climb the stairs to the fourth floor of the East 25th Street apartment building.
Beautiful studio apartment with exposed brick and high ceilings. Fully-furnished. Includes washer, dryer, fridge and stove. Just steps from shopping, nightlife and restaurants. Short walk to subway. $2375 per month.
Sounds good on paper.
Spencer pants pretending to be out of breath. “Who needs a gym when you live in this place, huh?” he groans.
I swat him playfully on the arm. “Shhh! It’s not that bad.” I knock on the door and the superintendant opens it, broom and dustpan in hand.
“Roberts?” the middle-aged Asian man asks gruffly.
“Yes,” I say.
“You sign lease today?”
“Um –“
“We’re just gonna take a look around first,” Spencer pipes in, pushing past the super.
“Five minute,” the man says as he shuffles towards the stairs leaving Spencer and I standing in the apartment.
“Not that bad, right?” I say looking around the tight surroundings. The narrow bed is pushed up against the tiny window. The brown velvet couch is less than three feet away from the bed. Black and white posters depicting breathtaking views of the New York City skyline adorn the walls. I guess if red brick and concrete is all you see when looking out your window, you might as well plaster photos of the skyline along your walls. A mini fridge is tucked away under a small table in a corner of the room and a double-burner hotplate sits on top of it all.
“Yeah, it’s great,” Spencer says sarcastically walking towards a closed door opposite the bed. The plywood floors groan loudly under the weight of his steps. He pulls the door open to reveal a bathroom that is the size of a broom closet. How the superintendant managed to fit a washer and drying into the small room is a wonder to me. Spencer smirks at me over his shoulder. “The place even comes with pets.” He points to a rattrap sitting in the corner of the room.
I cringe and shrink back in horror.
Just then the superintendant reappears in the doorway, lease and pen in hand.
Spencer braces me by the shoulders and feathers my temple with his lips. “This has been fun…When you’re ready to stop being stubborn, you know where I live.” He slips the key to his penthouse into my hand as he heads towards the door.
“You sign lease?” the super asks again shoving the pen in my direction.
“No, thank you,” I offer with a tight smile as I rush out, hot on Spencer’s heels.
Chapter 20
Yes – I’m a bit stubborn by nature. And I have a tendency to push against things even when going with the flow would be a whole lot more natural and less painful – that’s what our therapist says. So, I found myself back on Hailey and Ruthie’s couch for another few weeks while I tried to find an apartment of my own.
And Spencer was with me, every step of the way, with his sarcastic comments and his constant reminders that his home is mine. And after a while, my resistance didn’t even make sense anymore.
So, I gave in.
I moved in just over a week ago. And it’s beautiful and it’s perfect. And we’re happy.
We still have a long way to go. We still have many more sessions with our therapist and NA meetings to attend…But living with Spencer is wonderful.
“Are you sure the florist got the right address?” I ask over my shoulder as I lean into mirror to slip on my emerald chandelier earrings. I smile at my reflection. These earrings were my gift to myself when I got my first paycheck from Cooper and Associates.
Spencer loops his arm around my waist and kisses my temple. “Yes – the florist has the right address. The flowers will be here soon…You look beautiful by the way,” he says admiring my breasts as they peek over the top of my yellow and white summer dress.
“Wipe that look off of your face, Spencer,” I warn instantly recognizing the mischievous glint in his eye.
“Just a quickie, beautiful. One for the road,” he pleads running his finger along my bottom lip.
“The guests will be here soon,” I whine. Instead of pushing him away, I pull his finger into my mouth and suck it playfully.
He glances over at the digital clock sitting on the nightstand. “We have at least half an hour before the guests show up.” He deftly slips his hand under the hem of my dress. He’ll soon discover that my protests were all for show. I’m more than ready for him.
When his hands glide between my thighs, he chuckles and pushes my underwear to the side. “I knew you’d be wet,” he says smugly.
I giggle as I undo the buckle of his khakis and watch them fall around his ankles. I push Spencer backwards onto the bed and straddle him. He pulls my face towards his and tastes my lips before he flips me over onto my back.
He plunges into me in one smooth motion. A loud groan tumbles from my lips as his thick cock stretches its way through my throbbing channel. His thrusts are quick and deep and I fist the sheets so hard my knuckles tingle. His forehead glistens as his beautiful face contorts with pleasure. I try to string words together but only primal grunts escape my lips.
It feels so good.
How did I ever live without this?
He hisses my name through his clenched teeth as I tug on the edge of his now-rumpled shirt. He strokes my clit rhythmically with his index finger and I shudder uncontrollably. Warmth courses throughout my body and every nerve ending is acutely sensitive to his touch.
I pinch my nipples as his tongue courses hot along my neck. I feel the orgasm swelling in my stomach and I pant breathlessly. “I’m about to come, Spencer.”
“Yes. Do it, beautiful…Come.” His sensual encouragement knocks me over the edge and I feel him gush inside of me before his body goes limp on top of mine.
He flips over onto the mattress and we both struggle to recuperate. We look over at each other and giggle breathlessly.
“Hey – There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you – and I don’t know how you’re gonna take it,” I say hesitantly as I slide over the edge of the bed and readjust the skirt of my dress.
“I don’t think I like the sound of that…” Spencer says as he stands in front of me smoothing my bangs into place.
“Uh – Maybe it can wait till after the party.” I feel even more hesitant now. This is a big conversation to spring on him right before 30 guests show up at our home.
“Are you okay? We can talk about it now,” he reassures me running his palms up and down my arms.
Bzzzzz.
“The intercom,” I mumble as I turn down the collar of his shirt. “The guests are here.”
Spencer bounces to his feet and plants a wet one on my lips before dashing to answer the door.
Chapter 21
“Happy 30th birthday!”
I stride down the hallway and find Spencer wrapped up in one of Emery’s signature bear hugs. Spencer is laughing. “Thank you, Emery.”
When my sister finally lets him free, he approaches my father with his hand outstretched. “Daddy, this is Spencer,” I say, watching my father intently, hoping for a sign of his approval.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Roberts,” Spencer says warmly.
“Likewise.” My father gives Spencer a curt nod and shoves a bottle of scotch with a huge red bow in his direction. Spencer takes the bottle from my father whose hand is now firmly planted on the small of my mother’s back. “You’ve met my wife, Rita.” My mother blushes slightly, no doubt still embarrassed by her first run-in with Spencer. He gives her a quick hug, acting as if that awkward episode never happened.
“This is Eden
and baby Dylan,” I say as my older sister approaches Spencer grinning from ear to ear, Dylan sleeping soundly in the baby carrier strapped to her chest.
“It’s great to meet you, Eden.” Spencer takes her hand and gives it a gallant kiss. Then, he turns to me. “Why don’t you give these beautiful ladies a tour of the penthouse while your dad and I go crack open this bottle of scotch,” he suggests, waving the alcohol bottle in the air.
I nod as Spencer attempts to veer my father towards the balcony where the bar has been set up. However, before following Spencer outside, my father reaches over to his wife and plants an affectionate kiss on her cheek. She turns several shades of crimson. I shoot a quizzical look over at my sisters who just grin in response. “I caught them making out on the back porch like teenagers a few days ago. Can you believe that?” Emery whispers into my ear.
I take my mother and sisters on a tour of the apartment and they ooh and aah over it’s beauty. My sisters gush over how “hot” Spencer is and how lucky I am to have met him.
The florist eventually shows up before the other guests start filtering in some by some. The warm summer breeze fills the evening air as we sit around the long wooden table on the terrace with the Hudson River as our backdrop. Doting caterers serve us a variety of finger foods and fancy drinks. I look around the table at the happy faces of the people I’ve come to know and love this summer as well as the people I’ve loved all my life.
I smile over at Hailey, Ruthie and Nadia who have become my surrogate sisters and Luke, the annoying little brother that I’ve always secretly wanted. My gaze drifts to Oksana, my zany ex-roommate, who I now consider a great friend despite her quirks. Spencer’s mother, sister and stepfather talk and laugh among themselves, offering silent insight into the man that I love. Stella, the woman who paved the path that veered me into Spencer’s life, is cuddled against her husband, a radiant smile spread across her face. The entire DisSpence team is here, Felicia included. And, of course, so is my crazy, wonderful family.
I feel so blessed right now.
I smile as my mind flashes back to my first day at Cartwright, seated nervously across from Mr. Moretti, agonizing over where life would take me next…I would have never imagined that I would end up here, in this moment.
When the caterer’s announce that dinner is about to be served, Spencer clinks his champagne flute with his fork to grab everyone’s attention. He takes me by the hand and stands to his feet.
“Amber and I want to thank all of you for coming to my birthday party/housewarming party/excuse-to-get-you-all-together-in-the-same-place-at-the-same-time.” Giggles resonate around the table. “This summer has been a rollercoaster ride. But I wouldn’t change a second of it if I could because it brought us all to this moment right here.” He turns and faces me, looking down into my face with those dazzling blue-green eyes. He holds my hand in his own. “I’ve learned so much this summer, and I can honestly say that it’s all because of this beautiful woman standing by my side. Amber, you will never know how much you mean to me. There are no words to describe how deeply I feel for you. But I’m lucky because each day that you wake up next to me is another opportunity for me to try – to try and put my love into words, to try and show you with my actions, to try and give you the life that you deserve.”
“Oh Spencer,” I sigh, reaching up to stroke his handsome face.
That’s when he drops down on one knee. My hands fly up to my quivering lips. I hear loud gasps around the table.
Spencer shoves his hand into the pocket of his khakis and retrieves a small, blue box. His hands are shaking as he flips it open to reveal a spectacular princess-cut diamond nestled between several smaller rocks on a platinum gold band.
“Oh Spencer,” I murmur again.
“I’m already the luckiest guy alive – just having you in my life – but I want to marry you, Amber. Will you? Will you marry me?”
My voice catches in my throat and not a sound comes out when I open my mouth. My eyes are flooded with tears.
“Your dad already said yes, so you really don’t have a choice,” Spencer jokes nervously as he waits for my response.
Tears blind my eyes as I nod my head feverishly. “Yes, I will marry you.”
Spencer slips the ring onto my finger and rises to his feet. Our guests explode into applause and cheering as he scoops me up into a tight embrace. “Say it again,” he whispers against my cheek.
“Yes,” I say into his ear, “I will marry you, Spencer.”
His lips find mine and his kiss is so passionate that it makes me weak in the knees.
“Spencer?”
“Yes?”
“Remember that I said I had something to tell you?”
“Yes?”
I pull away from his chest to look into his eyes. “I’m pregnant,” I say in a whisper.
“You’re pregnant?” he repeats loudly, his eyes sparkling with joy. “You’re pregnant!”
“She’s pregnant!” I hear someone announce into the air.
Our guests rush over to congratulate us. A torrent of hugs and kisses and love crashes down around us. It’s surreal. An orange tint spreads across the sky as the sun sets on the first day of our happily ever after.
I still can’t believe that this is all real. “We’re getting married…and we’re having a baby…this is everything.”
THE END.
Thanks for purchasing this book!
I hope that you enjoyed Amber’s story…
Madison’s story comes next
Waiting, Always (Madison – Book 1)
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“Waiting, Always – Madison (Book 1)”
Chapter 1
I swirl the red around in my long-stemmed wine glass, glaring at my buzzing cellphone on the coffee table. I sink back into the plush, beige cushions of the couch and with my free hand, pull the throw blanket tighter around my shoulders.
The phone rings once more.
Twice.
Three times.
My resolve breaks.
I pounce on the phone and hit “Answer” right before the call is filtered to my voicemail. When wrestling against my better judgment, my neediness wins out every time…at least when it comes to him.
“Madison, I’m coming up.” His commanding voice rushes out of the earpiece before I even have the chance to say ‘hello’. “I’m entering the lobby,” he announces.
“You’re here?”
“I said I’m coming up, Madision.”
“That’s a bad idea, Chase.”
“Go unlock the door. I’m in the elevator.”
“No, Chase.” I glance over at the tabloid laying on the coffee table. As many times as I’ve told myself that I am done with this bullshit, I always somehow end up underneath him, sweating and panting and screaming out his name. And he enjoys it. He gets high off of the power he has over me. “Not tonight,” I mutter under my breath tossing back the last of my red wine and setting the goblet down on the coffee table.
The line goes dead as the elevator climbs to my 16th floor apartment.
I rush over to the door and turn the locks shut.
Within moments, his palm is banging against the door. “Madison – open up.” His tone is even but firm, betraying no emotion in particular.
I press my back into the door but say nothing.
“Madison – open the door. Stop playing around.”
I’m not playing. I’m definitely not playing. I’m serious this time.
I press my ear to the door and hear him grunt angrily. His voice drops. “Madison – I know you’re standing right there, leaning against the door. You like listening to me beg, don’t you?”
“No – I don’t want you to beg, Chase. I want you to leave.”
He pounds into the door again. “Open. This. Door. Madison.”
“I’m sick of you embarrassing me, Chase.“
“Maddy…” His voice is soft and coaxing. “Come on, pretty girl. Let me
in.”
I turn around and glance into the peephole.
He’s standing there, looking utterly gorgeous. As always. His jet-black hair brushed back off of his forehead, his chiseled face freshly-shaven, that moist bottom lip pouting slightly, those dark brown eyes veiled with mystery and intrigue. And he’s the only man I’ve ever met who can look so utterly debonair in a three-piece, custom-tailored periwinkle suit with a pale pink shirt and matching pocket square.
Amber Nights - The Esquire Girls Series - Amber's Story (Books 1, 2, 3 & 4) - Box Set Page 23
