Sweet Surrendering (44 page)

By the time we got most of the stuff moved, it was late, I was exhausted and Sloane and Ryder had eye fucked each other way too much.

“Well, I think I’m going to head out. Unless you need anything else?” Ryder said and I knew there was a double meaning behind that.

“No, I think I can take it from here. Thanks for the help,” Lucah said, patting him on the shoulder.

“Oh, you’re welcome. Anything for my big brother,” he said with a wink at Sloane.

“Really, thank you,” I said, interrupting more eye fucking. “It was so nice to meet you.” He said good-bye and I think Lucah breathed a sigh of relief when he was gone.

“Oh my GOD,” Sloane said, slumping against the kitchen counter. “
That
is your brother? Holy hell.” She fanned herself and Lucah shook his head.

“I told you. I told you. I told you,” I said to him. “There’s no stopping it now.”

“It was bound to happen eventually. No sense putting it off any more.” He shrugged and went to the fridge to grab a beer.

“Oh, you like beer now?” I said as he popped it open.

“Sometimes in life, you just need a beer. This is one of those times.” He sighed and went to sit on the couch.

I sat next to him, putting my head on his shoulder.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” He gave me a tired smile and I kissed him on the cheek.

“We’re moving in together. We need to buy furniture. Aren’t you excited about that?” I said.

Finally he really did smile. Sloane skipped off to her room to give us some privacy.

“Buying furniture. That’s a big step. You ready for chairs and ottomans and maybe even a few lamps?”

“I don’t know. Ottomans are pretty serious.” He leaned his face forward and I knew what kissing him would lead to, even though we were both gross from moving stuff and exhausted and I had to work the next day.

“There’s only one piece of furniture I want to talk about right now and that’s your bed,” he said, getting up and pulling me up after him as he lead me toward the bedroom.

“Hm, I’m not sure if I know what you’re talking about. You’ll have to show me.”

“Oh, I will show you how best to use a bed, Miss Clarke.”

“Looking forward to it, Mr. Blythe.”

The next week the hours when I wasn’t at work were spent with Lucah buying furniture and moving furniture and boxes, boxes, boxes.

And any other time I had free from that was spent with Sloane. I was literally moving a hallway away, but I felt like we weren’t going to have as much girl time now that I was living with Lucah.

“So is he just going to be a bum now?” Sloane said on Thursday night when Lucah was out getting groceries.

“No, he is not going to be a bum. He’s looking for a job. His actual résumé is pretty impressive, so I think he’ll be fine.” I wasn’t worried at all.

Unfortunately, I still needed an assistant. I’d had no luck finding anyone and with the recent scandal at Clarke Enterprises, the qualified applicants were even fewer than before. I’d called a few people in for interviews, but no one seemed right. I’d have to try again with an advertisement and hope for the best. I fucking needed an assistant.

I didn’t ask Sloane about Ryder. He’d been back once more, and I’d caught them talking, but Sloane hadn’t said anything about him, which meant that she really, really liked him.

I was adopting a “wait and see” attitude. I’d talked to Lucah about it, but he just got mad whenever I brought it up, so I made a note to not do that very often. Eventually we were going to have to deal with it, but for right now, things were still in the beginning stages. Yup, wait and see . . .

On Friday at work, Lucah texted me to come out to the elevators. I quickly messaged him back, asking what was going on, but he didn’t answer. I called him, but there was no answer. So I locked my computer, got up and went out, where I found Mrs. Andrews beaming at me from her desk, and Lucah standing and looking very pleased with himself.

He had the suit on that he’d worn when he’d first come in for an interview, complete with his diamond stud earring.

“Well, Mr. Blythe, you look very dapper. What are you doing here?” He’d obviously been waiting for me to say that.

“I work here, Miss Clarke.”

My mouth dropped open.

“You’re kidding.” His smile got even wider and Mrs. Andrews laughed.

“You’re looking at the newest member of the research and development team. Which means I am part of the Clarke Enterprises family, but not in your department. In case you were wondering if that would be a problem with us moving in together.” I really wanted to throw my arms around him and squeal in delight, but there was no way I would do that in the office where everyone could see. So I just stood there and said, “That’s wonderful, Mr. Blythe. I can’t imagine how you swung that, but I’m happy that you are employed.”

“I had a recommendation from the president, so I think I was a shoo-in.” My mouth dropped open again.

“Dad?”

“He did. And now that I’m a member of the company, that automatically gives me an invitation to the ball. I just don’t know who should go with me.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I can’t think of anyone who would want to go to a Ball with you. Let me check—“ I was silenced by Lucah closing the space between us and lifting me off my feet.

“You. I’m going with you and I’m not taking no for an answer, Miss Clarke.”

I sighed dramatically.

“Well, then I guess I have no choice but to go with you, Mr. Blythe.” And I kissed him right there in front of the elevator. I was sure there were people who saw us, but I finally stopped caring. If I wanted to kiss my boyfriend, I was going to kiss my boyfriend.

“You got that right, Sunshine,” he said, setting me down. “Come on, I’m taking you for coffee.” The tone of his voice told me that he wasn’t talking about the kind you made and put in a mug.

“Coffee sounds perfect.”

I stood at the top of the stairs in my unbelievable black gown and it was a bit like a dream. I looked down, but everyone was busy with their own conversations. So much for everyone being in awe of my beauty.

But there was one face that was staring right at me, and looking completely captivated.

I inhaled quickly as I saw that he was wearing a white tux complete with white shirt and a pale silver tie. I’d never used the word breathtaking to describe a man, but he was. I ascended the stairs and saw the three other people who were happy to see me. Sloane, in her black and white flowered dress, who was already attracting attention from some of the married and unmarried men. Marisol, stunning in a black dress that was gathered on one side and cut to reveal a white underskirt with Fin in a black tux by her side, looking at her as if she’d hung the moon. Chloe, who had a mod creation with a white panel down the front and black panels on the sides. They looked awesome and I waved as I started walking.

I glanced around and found my parents and they were beaming at me, and Mom made a motion to tell me to stand up straighter. No matter how old I was, she’d always treat me like her little girl. Dad tipped his glass in my direction and I gave him a thumbs-up. That wasn’t exactly ladylike, but I wasn’t going to put on a front just because I was here.

I walked until I was standing in front of Lucah and dipped slowly into a curtsy as he gave me a deep bow.

“May I have this dance, Miss Clarke?”

“You may, Mr. Blythe.” He took my hand and led me to the black and white checkered dance floor as the quartet started playing a waltz that sounded an awful lot like the song “Clarity”. His hand went to my waist, the other stayed in my hand and then, with a nod, we danced.

“You look ravishing, Sunshine,” he said in my ear.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.” I looked at his face and he gave me a wink before sticking out his tongue to show me that he had the silver barbell in.

Some things never changed.

Signed Sealed Delivered ~ Stevie Wonder

Sooner Surrender ~ Matt Nathanson

Let’s Get It On ~ Marvin Gaye

Fat Bottomed Girls ~ Queen

Total Eclipse of the Heart ~ Bonnie Tyler

Brighter Than Sunshine ~ Aqualung

Beyond the Sea ~ Bobby Darin

Bohemian Rhapsody ~ Queen

Make You Feel My Love ~ Adele

Don’t You Forget About Me ~ Simple Minds

Howlin’ For You ~ The Black Keys

It’s De-Lovely ~ Cole Porter

Rumble and Sway ~ Jamie N Commons

Starlight ~ Muse

Secret Lovers ~ Atlantic Starr

Clarity ~ Zedd (feat. Foxes)

The Noctalis Chronicles

Nocturnal (Book One)

Nightmare (Book Two)

Neither (Book Three)

Neverend (Book Four)

The Whisper Trilogy

Whisper (Book One)

Fall and Rise

Deeper We Fall (Book One)

Faster We Burn (Book Two)

My Favorite Mistake

(Available from Harlequin)

My Sweetest Escape (January 28, 2014)

For Real (November 14, 2013)

This is my first foray into Adult Contemporary Romance, and there are quite a few people I have to thank for going with me along this new journey.