Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“Yes. Yes, I will marry you.”
“Finally,” he murmurs, and his mouth crashes down on mine.
And just like that, my fairy tale is real and my bastard boss is about to become my husband.
Chapter Fifty
Bella
Tyler and I do a whole lot of kissing after my “yes” to his proposal, and, of course, I have to put the ring on and admire it on my finger. “It’s gorgeous,” I say, sitting next to him on the couch. “Everyone will notice it. We have to say something soon or I have to leave it at home.”
“Technically, we have to announce it in the social pages to start the clock ticking on the six months. Unless you have a problem with it, let’s just tell the world.”
“Six months is good,” I say. “I need six months to find out if I can live with your snoring.”
“I don’t snore.” He looks playfully indignant.
“People who live alone always say that.”
He laughs and kisses me. “We can talk about your snoring at home.”
“Home?” I ask, turning serious for a moment. Is he wanting us to move in together?
“I want home to be with you, Bella. And if you don’t live with me, how do you get used to my snoring?”
“True,” I say, giving a little laugh. “But...you have your place and I have mine. What does home look like for us?”
“Wherever you are. Where do you want to live?”
It’s a thoughtful reply, and I wish more people saw this side of him, though I understand the leader persona, too. People like Gavin make it necessary. “I took a lot of time and care remodeling my place. I really love it, but do you?”
“A hell of a lot better than mine for all kinds of reasons. I’ll move in with you, unless you object.”
“I’ll have to have Molly approve this decision, but you have scored points with belly rubs,” I tease but add, “When?”
“I’ll hire a moving company and get the ball rolling, but I suggest you warn the pet nanny to knock first.”
“Yes, I do believe I need to warn Livi. She enjoyed you being half naked a little too much, and you just stood there with your zipper down.”
“I didn’t know. That portion of my body was in a happy place this morning.” He catches my hand and studies the ring. “It looks good on you.” His eyes lift to mine. “And you look good on me.” He leans in and kisses me. “We’re really doing this.”
“Yeah. I guess we are.”
His cellphone rings and he grabs it from the table and shows me Gavin on caller ID. He sighs. “I need to deal with him. He’s absolutely going to shout our engagement through the office with a megaphone. Why don’t you give me a few? Then we can just take boxes home and go through them there.”
“Do those boxes even matter anymore?”
“You know I believe my father left one more piece of the puzzle. I can’t dismiss another will that’s worse than the first one.”
“Okay, yes. I see your point, but did his puzzles end with another puzzle or a bad ending?”
“Another puzzle, yes, and often that was the bad ending.”
He catches my hand again, his fingers tangled with mine, the intimacy between us combustible. His lips curve. My lips curve. And when our fingers part, I crave another touch. I’ve never felt that with a man before, and I’m reminded of something my father said after I walked in on Travis. Sometimes what feels like punishment in one moment is a blessing in another. Be glad you found out now, honey, before you married him.
In that moment I decide no one should marry anyone who doesn’t make them crazy for another touch.
For now, I leave Tyler to deal with Gavin, in no rush to see that man again, but there’s no escaping him.
When I step into the hallway, I find Gavin leaning on the wall just outside, a scowl on his face. He straightens, his shoulders bunched, his jaw a sharp line. “You’re fucking with him, which means you’re fucking with me. Do what he needs you to do or I’ll make sure he does it elsewhere.” He steps around me and enters the office.
I rotate and watch him walk inside Tyler’s office and shut the door. I’m not rattled by outrageous behavior that hardly touches that of a few of my problem clients, but something about Gavin sets me on edge, which really is illogical. He might go about it in a loud and proud manner, but logically he does so because he’s on Tyler’s side. Unless he’s being overly loud and proud to mask the truth—that he’s not on Tyler’s side at all.
Chapter Fifty-One
Tyler
When we arrive back at Bella’s place, which is technically my place now, too, it’s kind of this crazy feeling, like this can’t be real. We live here together. We’re engaged. And we have a puppy prancing around the house. The nanny, whose name I can’t remember, which does not please Bella, acts all shy with me, as if she’s the one who was naked in front of me. My zipper was down. It wasn’t a strip show.