by Kreig, K. L.
He groans but stops my stroking hand with one of his own. “Food first, angel. You need to take care of my babies.”
“Your loss,” I pout.
Minutes later Gray pulls up outside of Rocky’s Pizza and shuts off the car.
“Why are we here?” I ask, walking through the doors of the place I once worked. Where Gray and I first met. The memory of his proposal and telling me to suck him harder back in the employee lounge is one of my best and most used ones for the past several years.
“Can’t a guy want to take his girl for the best pizza in town?”
“That’s debatable,” I laugh. I ate so much pizza all those years I worked here that I ended up almost hating it, but the smell wafting outside the minute we opened the door now actually has my stomach rumbling, which is a nice change from the nausea.
We take a seat and the waitress quickly brings us menus. I sit back against the cracked, red vinyl-covered booth and admire Gray, who is apparently very engrossed in figuring out what type of crust and toppings we’re going to order.
I watch his mesmerizing eyes scan the list, wishing they were raking over me instead. I watch his lips move slightly and I remember the wicked things they were doing to me just hours ago in the bathroom of his mother’s house. And I watch the brilliant smile break across his face when he feels my gaze, firing every neuron and cell inside my body.
His eyes rise to catch mine and he sets the menu down. “Do you realize this is the same exact place I was sitting when I first saw you?”
Suddenly all the oxygen seems to have left the room. I can barely breathe. I shake my head, not able to form words.
“You were so beautiful, Livvy. God, you literally took my breath away. I’d never wanted anything as much as I wanted you. On that day, do you know I told my brothers that I had just met my wife?”
My eyes mist. No. He never told me that. The restaurant is noisy, but all I can hear is Gray and the quiet, reverent words he speaks. Each one feels like another layer of love he’s wrapping around my heart. He leans forward, taking my hands in his before he continues. “You breathe the very life into my soul, Livvy. I didn’t even know I wasn’t living until the day I laid eyes you. Without you, I’ve been lost, adrift, without purpose or meaning. With you…I’m finally whole. Christ, I can breathe again for the first time in years.”
Then he slides from the booth and bends on one knee, pulling a ring from his pocket. When I see it, both hands fly to smother the sobs coming from deep within me. It’s my original, custom-made engagement ring. The one I’d kept hidden all these years. And it’s in his hands.
I regularly dreamed of the inscription he had etched inside just for me.
Everything.
Who knew one word could convey so much?
How does he have it? And I immediately know the answer to my own question. Addy.
“You’re my everything, angel. I’ve waited eight years. I’m not waiting a minute longer to make you my wife. I love you so very much, Livia. Marry me. Please.”
Then I’m on the floor with him, my mouth on his, whispering yes, yes, yes. History was repeating itself, but I knew this time would be different. We’d have our fairytale ending.
This time, we have our happily ever after.
~ The End ~
Other works by K.L. Kreig:
The Regent Vampire Lords series:
Surrendering
Belonging
Reawakening
Turn the page for a sneak peek at Undeniably Asher, the next book in the Colloway Brothers series. Release date winter 2015.
Undeniably Asher Excerpt
Alyse
It’s almost noon and I steel myself for my next meeting, wondering what the hell Asher Colloway thinks he’s trying to pull and why he didn’t just put his name on my calendar instead of his holding company. Clearly he’s trying to surprise me.
Well, the surprise is on him, because not only do I know it’s him I’m meeting with, I know that he asked for client references, and I know he’s called each and every one of them already. We’re a small office and Heather keeps nothing from me, not to mention we like to give our clients a heads up when we know they’ll be called by a potential client.
The thing is, I have no idea what he would possibly hire my small firm for, but since I’m desperate for revenue, I can’t not take the meeting. I have more to think about now than just my pride. I have three employees and they’re counting on me to feed and cloth themselves and their families. That’s a heavy burden.
I thought about having Al sit in, but decided against it. I already know Asher and he knows me, so having another male in the room isn’t really necessary. Besides, a little part of me is thrilled to spend a few hours alone with him, even if we are just discussing business. Okay, a big part of me.
I managed to close one deal earlier this week and am waiting to hear back from the other client, hopefully by the end of the day. That one doesn’t look too promising, as we’re a bit apart on pricing for our services. I have a small office and can’t afford to be quite as flexible as other, larger firms that have more capital to work with. Another thing I did not take into consideration when I jumped into this dream of mine headfirst. Ugh.
My speakerphone squawks and Heather’s voice floats through. Her normally quiet, soft demeanor has clearly been ratcheted up a few degrees, because she actually sounds excited and I can hear the smile in her voice. Yes, Asher Colloway will do that to a woman, at least any straight one. “Ms. Kingsley, your noon appointment is here.”
Ms. Kingsley? Heather hasn’t addressed me as Ms. Kingsley since our first interview and even at the end of that meeting she was calling me Alyse. I keep the laugh from my voice as I respond. “Thank you, Heather. Please send Mr. Colloway in.” Once I disconnect I do chuckle, because Heather usually has me on speakerphone when she buzzes my appointments in, so Asher’s little surprise has just been turned around. Ha! Bo yaw!
I’m still laughing when Asher opens my closed door, but the moment my eyes land on him, it dies. My gaze slowly travels down his insanely fit body and I realize that he’s watching me watch him, but I don’t care enough to stop.
He’s absolutely breathtaking in his fitted charcoal suit and crisp white shirt, which he’s left open at the throat, sans tie. And the tiny bit of chest hair I see peeking through against his golden skin makes me water in more than one place. I’ve never seen him in anything but jeans and henleys or polo shirts, but hot damn if he doesn’t look even more mouthwatering when he’s dressed up. My entire body feels warm and tingly, inside and out.
I gravitate toward men that have dark looks.
Dark hair.
Dark whiskers.
Dark eyes.
Dark personality.
And Asher Colloway fits that bill to a perfect “T”. At a little over six feet, he’s tall, at least for me since I hover around the five foot four mark, give or take half inch on a good day. All of the Colloway brothers could effortlessly grace the cover of a magazine, but Asher is different. He’s a guy you could easily get lost in before your brain catches up with reminding you why you shouldn’t. He has an aura about him that’s nothing short of magical and when you look at him, a spell is woven that you can’t escape. And you don’t want to.
When I met him for the first time at seventeen, I thought he was the best thing since sliced bread. I even thought I was in love with him, but we were in very different places in our lives. And then I met Beck and I moved forward instead of looking back. Now, though…now, at twenty-nine, I can honestly say Asher is the sexiest man I have ever laid eyes on, hands down.
I want him. Desperately.
And desperation makes you do stupid, stupid things.
“Get your fill yet?” A smug smirk turns up one corner of his kissable mouth.
Damn him. I have absolutely no snarky comeback to that, because I’ve been openly ogling. I only hope I don’t have drool dripping down my chin. I nonchalantly reach up to check, f
aking a cough.
“Why the secrecy?” I ask, changing subjects, not taking my eyes from him.
He closes the door before taking a seat in the chair across from my metal desk, throwing one foot onto the opposite knee. He steeples his fingers in front of his chin and the arrogant glint in his dark eyes makes me want to drop to my knees in front of him, unzip his pants and wipe it off.
“You knew it was me.”
I knew Asher had taken over as CEO for his father’s company - I may have asked Livia what the Colloway brothers were up to after she’d reunited with Gray. In preparation for this meeting when I researched GRASCO Holdings and found that CFC fell under them, at first I was irritated that Asher wanted to catch me cold. I never attend a client meeting without doing my homework first, especially since I’m fighting for the very existence of ARK Consulting. But then I quickly decided to turn the tables on the self-assured SOB.
Knowing that I would be meeting with Asher today, I’ve dressed particularly sexy in a short nude pencil skirt and a sheer royal blue blouse with a matching low-cut cami underneath. Definitely not how I would dress for a normal client meeting, but I went all out for Asher. I let a slow smile turn my lips as I sit back in my black vinyl chair and cross my legs.
Asher’s eyes follow my leisurely movements and widen at the expanse of bare thigh I’m now showing. He may have even gotten a flash of the nude thong I’m wearing from his position. His heated eyes rise, snaring mine and I have to actually talk myself into breathing, trying to remain unaffected by the intense desire he clearly wants me to see. It’s not working too well.
“It may surprise you to know that I do know how to use the Internet,” I finally manage to bite sarcastically.
“You haven’t changed a bit, Alyse.”
“I beg to differ,” I retort, knowing full well life has made me more cynical and closed off.
He rewards me with a small smile, which almost melts me on the spot. He’s like the sun. Warm. Inviting. Only more deadly if you spend too much time in his presence. He’s quiet for several beats, his eyes assessing me deliberately. “I like a woman with fire.”
“Do you?” I cross my arms, unsure where this conversation is headed, but I feel like it’s not about business anymore. I don’t miss how his eyes linger too long on my now exposed cleavage.
“Yes.” He uncrosses his leg and leans forward, elbows on spread knees, hands clasped. His want-filled gaze burns my cocky attitude to ashes. “It makes her complete submission all the sweeter.”
A flash fire of heat scorches my lady parts. My mouth drops open temporarily before I think to close it. Asher is so good, so smooth and I am waaaay out of my league trying to trade barbs with him.
“What are you doing here, Asher?”
He leans back again, resuming a casual position, a slight smirk on his face. His eyes twinkle like stars and I find myself getting lost in them again. “Besides getting you wet?” he drawls roughly. Even though he’s spot on, his assumption angers me and I open my mouth to protest when he interrupts. “You still with Popeye?”
It takes me a minute to figure out what he means. Finn. I stare at him in complete and utter shock for several moments. Then, I can’t help it. I laugh. I’ve never been around a man that has as big of kahunas as Asher Colloway. He was always direct, but in the years since I’ve seen him, he’s sharpened it considerably. It’s refreshing and unsettling at the same time.
I shake my head, still chuckling, but he’s stony silent and his desire has now clearly morphed into annoyance, which makes me laugh even harder. “And if I say yes?”
“Are you?”
I almost decide to lie just to see how he’ll react, but anger isn’t the type of response I want from Asher. I’m not really sure what I do want, but I know it’s not that. “No.”
As fast as his ire came, it went with my admission.
“Did you come here to question my relationship status? You could have just hopped on Facebook for that, saved yourself the drive.” I’ve uncrossed my legs and now am leaning on my forearms, the coldness from the steel desk seeping into my exposed pores through the thin fabric. It’s November in Detroit and it’s very cold, but I still can’t regret my choice of wardrobe after seeing the appreciation in both Asher’s eyes and slacks.
“Because it’s not official until it’s Facebook official, right?”
“Right,” I drawl. “So, back to my original question. Why are you here?”
“I want to hire you.”
I assumed when he was calling references that was his angle. I’m thrilled, but at the same time, disappointed. I need this job, but I also want Asher, even though that’s not the best of ideas. And I can’t have both.
Why?…a little voice whispers.
Because it’s kind of faux pas to sleep with your clients, I tell that little slut.
“For?”
“There’s someone embezzling within my company and I want them found and stopped and prosecuted.” He pulls an envelope out of a folder that he’d set down on the edge of my desk earlier. “Our outside audit firm completed our annual audit and found a discrepancy in the books, but they aren’t equipped to take it further. We need someone who has expertise in ferreting out things like this, whose techniques will hold up in a court of law. I know you’ve worked on cases before where your work has supported a legal case.”
True. I live to bring down white-collar thieves. My dad was a thief; he just stole our childhood from my sister and I instead of a corporation or business. I think that’s one of the reasons I went into this field to begin with. “Is this a past or ongoing issue?”
“I have reason to believe it’s ongoing, but of course I can’t be sure.”
“Do you have any suspicions?”
“Yes. Unfortunately nothing solid, though.”
I look down, unsure of how I should approach this. I don’t want to talk myself out of a job, but I want to be up front as well. I don’t doubt my ability in the slightest, but CFC would be, by far, the biggest client I’ve worked on and this project could possibly take months, given my small staff and dependent on how deep the embezzlement is buried. “You do know I haven’t worked on a project for a company your size yet, correct?”
He nods, staying quiet.
“Okay. Let me look this over and work up a proposal and proposed timeline for your review. I can have it to you by mid-next week and then we can meet again, discuss any questions you might have. Negotiate terms.”
“No.”
My brows draw together in confusion. “No, what?”
“No. I told you I want to hire you. You. I’ve already done my research. I don’t need to review anything.”
I’m taken aback for a moment. “I could rob you blind. My fee may not even be competitive with the other firms you’re considering.”
“I’m already being robbed blind. And you won’t. Whatever your fees, whatever your terms, I’ll agree to them. I want the best, Alyse.” He pauses before he adds, “And I hear that’s you.”
Huh? This is by far the weirdest client prospect meeting I’ve ever had. I have to wonder what the catch is, because this seems too good to be true. “Uh, oookay.”
“I want you to start on Monday.”
It’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I think for a minute, cataloging our current projects. I was planning to take this new client I just secured, but I can give that to Al as long as they agree. Tabitha still has at least two weeks on her current project, and I’ll have to come in now on Friday to wrap up a few loose ends and do some paperwork. “Okay, that will work.”
He’s silent, studying me for a moment. “One more thing. And it’s non-negotiable.”
I smirk. “I’m not sleeping with you.” Even though right now I can think of nothing else but your hot, wet tongue worshiping every inch of me.
Laughing, he leans forward, his forearms on my desk, his face mere inches from mine. I want to lean back, yet not at the same time, so I don’t. Once again, Ashe
r invades my personal space and I can’t help the big breath I take, inhaling his manly, spicy scent. It’s all I can do to keep my eyes from rolling back in my head.
He doesn’t miss it either. I’m getting the distinct feeling he doesn’t miss any of my bodily reactions to his inebriating presence. When he finally speaks his voice drops several octaves to panty-melting sexy. “Good. Because I’m looking forward to fucking you instead.”
Holy balls. His blistering stare and egotistical words light a blaze deep within my belly. If I was wet before, I’m positively drenched now. And mute. Very, very mute. On account of the fact that my mouth is now bone dry and all thought has fled my desire-clouded brain.
His next words pull me out of the sexual haze he has enthralled us in. It’s a place I could imagine myself staying. Forever. “I need you at headquarters during the audit. In Chicago.”
I blink a few times to clear my fog, letting his words register. Being on-site during an audit is pretty standard, at least part of the time, but this will be a big audit and could take months. I bill for lodging and meal expenses, but the thought of spending months in a hotel and shuttling back and forth on the weekends to Detroit is less than appealing. On the other hand, it gets me closer to Livia. Hell, who am I kidding? I’d shuttle back and forth to San Francisco if there were a paying client there.
“You have offices here in Detroit, right?”
“Yes, but I need to keep this as quiet as possible. CFC is not all that big, so the fewer people that know about you, the better. I need you in Chicago. There’s a secluded office available on my floor.”
The thought of being near Asher daily does funny things to my insides. More than it should. More than I want. “That’s going to be pretty costly for you,” I murmur. And me, I think, in more ways than one.
He leans back slightly and I take a deep breath for the first time in long minutes without inhaling him. His unique fragrance is clouding my mind. And my judgment.
