Worth, p.15
WORTH, page 15
"Don't let go then." She rises to her tiptoes to kiss my jaw. "Hold me forever."
"That's my intention." I claim her mouth with a soft kiss. "I want this to be my forever."
***
"I don't expect you to make a decision tonight." Maya picks up her briefcase. "You have a lot to consider and I can't tell you what will or won't work with Isadora. I don’t want this decision to come back to haunt us in the future."
"Do you have a pen?" I hold out my hand.
She fishes inside her purse and finally pulls out a blue pen. "Here's one. Are you going to accept an offer?"
"The clock is running out, Maya." I point to her wrist. "If I don't sign one of these by midnight, your contract with Bishop will be null and void."
She looks at the watch on her wrist. "This says it's three a.m., but I don't own a watch that tells the actual time."
I laugh. "You'll have to explain that to me sometime."
"Anytime." Her eyes fall to her phone's screen. "We have thirty minutes to spare."
"I'm proud of you." I rest the pen on the table. "I've never been more proud of anyone in my life."
A smile tugs at her mouth. "Coming from you that means everything, Julian."
I look down at the two offer sheets again.
"I need to thank you for taking this chance on me." She slicks her tongue over her bottom lip. "It's been a challenging month, and my stress levels have been off the charts, but I know, without a doubt, that this is what I'm supposed to be doing. I love this job. I love everything about it and now, I have more drive than I've ever had before."
"You're one of the best brokers in this city," I say that with sincerity. "You're going to have a long and very successful career."
"This is just the beginning." She leans her hip against the table before she smooths her hand over the skirt of her red dress. "I have two new listing appointments for later this week and I have another two clients who are set to sell in late summer, so I'm going to be okay."
"You have a pretty great boyfriend." I point out with a grin. "He's going to ask you to move in with him soon."
Her eyes drop to the offer sheets. "I'll say yes to that. He's a keeper."
I pick up the pen. "One day after you move in, he'll tell you he wants to marry you."
Her voice softens. "I'll tell him I want to marry him too."
I hold the pen in the air. "He'll do his best to make every one of your dreams come true."
Her hand on my forearm stops me. "Listen to your heart, Julian. You told me to do that and I'm asking you now to do the same. I'll accept your decision, whatever it is."
I want there to be no doubt in her mind about what I'm about to do. I want her to know instinctively that I will put her first, always. Protecting her may have been the driving force behind my effort to negotiate a deal that would remove Isadora from my life, but I won't allow my ex-girlfriend to dictate my decisions anymore.
I kiss Maya tenderly before I sign on the dotted line, agreeing to sell the penthouse to Irene and Tom Clarkson.
Chapter 42
Maya
"Do you think we'll survive the sale of the other eleven residences?" I look over at Julian. He's on his side in my bed, staring at me.
We'd made love after I called Tom and Irene to tell them the news. They didn't care that it was near midnight. They both cried during the call, and it brought tears to my own eyes.
I was grateful that the deal was done because professionally it's taken me to a new level, but more than that I was thrilled that I could be an integral part of their life journey. I helped them find their forever home, and they'll spend countless holidays there with their children and grandchildren, filling the space with memories for even more generations to come.
"We'll work out a contract for that tomorrow." He slides his hand over his stomach. "Do you know how proud I am of you?"
I crawl on top of him, pressing my bare breasts against his chest. "I know that you are. You gave me an opportunity no one else would have. I can't thank you enough for that."
"One of the things I admire most about you…" His voice trails as he stops to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. "I admire your drive to succeed. You don't let anything get in your way. You fight for yourself. You need that to rise to the top in this town."
"One of the things I admire most about you…" I stop to kiss his lips. "You're so supportive. You want to see me shine. I need that in my life. I want to be more like that too."
He pulls me closer for another soft kiss. "You want to see others shine, Maya. I've seen that for myself. You didn’t push the Clarksons to purchase the penthouse for your own selfish reasons."
I cock a brow. "I wanted that sale."
"Yes." He chuckles. "I agree, but you saw something in them that day we danced with them. I saw it in your eyes. You pictured them there. You saw the way the place fit them as much as they fit into the place. I think you knew it was their home before they did."
I move to sit, rubbing my bare pussy over the sheet that covers his groin. "You see the best in me."
His gaze travels over my body. "How can I not when you're sitting naked on top of me?"
I giggle. "You know what I mean, Julian. You see what I don't see."
"I see a beautiful woman who is determined and strong."
I inch my hands up my stomach toward my breasts. "What else do you see?"
"My future.
That stops my hands in place near my heart. "I want to be that."
"You will be." He traces his fingertips over my thighs. "The smartest move I've ever made was falling in love with you."
***
"You are finally going to let me move in with you?" Tilly almost jumps into my arms. "I have been waiting for this day for years. We can have movie marathons and talk all night. When mom and dad come to visit, we'll let them stay with us, right. I don't want Frannie to. She can stay in a hotel."
I smirk. "What's the deal with you and Frannie?"
"Nothing," she answers too quickly. "I love her. When can I move in?"
I watch as she scans the living room of my apartment. She's already planning on rearranging the furniture to fit her stuff in. I can almost see her plotting it out as we speak.
"You can move in the day I move out."
She tilts her head. "You're joking. You're not moving out."
"I'm moving in with Julian." I start toward the kitchen. "On the stove, the back burner on the left doesn’t work, so don't bother with it. You have to set the dishwasher to a fast cycle or you'll be paying too much for water. The woman who lives next door has a dog. He loves to bark at night, but since you're a vet assistant, I'm thinking that won't bother you one bit."
"Maya, stop." Her hand on my shoulder stops me just as I reach the sink. "You're moving in with him? Is it that serious?"
"I love him," I whisper.
"Scream it then." She hugs me from behind. "Oh my god, Maya. Scream it to the world. You're in love. What could be better than that?"
I pivot to face her. "If you were in love too. That's what would make it better."
Her kind blue eyes glide over my face. "I'll find him one day, or he'll find me. You need to be happy for you. I sure as hell am."
"I am happy," I confess as I hug her back. "He's the one, Tilly. I'm telling you Julian is the one for me."
"I know he is. I can see it in your eyes."
Chapter 43
Julian
"Why did you want to meet me here?" Maya sits on the bench next to me. We're in Bryant Park. The sun is high. The sky is blue. Life is perfect.
"My sister is having a baby." I turn to look at her. "She's known since the night of the launch party."
"Julian." She hugs me tightly. "You're going to be an uncle."
I am. It's a concept I can't quite grasp. When Brynn told me earlier today that she was expecting a baby, she cried. I held her and whispered to her how happy I was for her and Smith. I'm thrilled. I can't wait to meet their little one.
"And a godfather," I add. "I'll love that child. I love that child already."
Maya smiles as she trails her finger over my brow. "You're going to have so much fun with that baby. I have a blast every time I go home and see Frannie and her kids."
"I've never seen Brynn so happy before." I tug Maya close to my side.
She kisses my cheek. "When I saw her last week I told you she looked like she was glowing. Now we know why."
"She'll be an amazing mom."
She squints against the sun as she watches a woman and man pass by us. "I think so too. I don't know her well but from what I've seen she's patient and compassionate."
I shield my eyes from the sun with my hand. "Do you see that fenced off building over there?"
She glances to her left and the brick building that overlooks the park.
"You bought it, didn't you?"
My mouth curves into an easy smile. "I couldn't pass it up. The location alone…"
"Made it completely irresistible to you," she finishes my sentence as my voice trails.
She rests her head on my shoulder as she looks at the building. "Is that the next Bishop Hotel?"
I kiss her forehead softly, tenderly. "My grandfather lived there when he was a kid. I've been waiting my entire adult life for it to be sold. You're looking at the next Bishop Hotel, but this one will be different."
"Different, how?"
"Smaller rooms, affordable rates." I take in a deep breath. "He would have wanted it that way. It's going to be ideal for families with children, college kids or anyone who wants to see this city without burning through their bank account."
"I like that idea." She smiles up at me. "Budget Bishop Hotel."
I huff out a laugh. "Not quite, but we'll work on the branding."
"I never met the man, but I think he'd be proud of his grandson today."
"I wonder about that sometimes. If he was still here, I wonder if he'd tell me I've done him proud. I think this new hotel will help me feel like I've done what I set out to do."
"You have a few years left to make your mark on the world, Julian." She smiles up at me. "You can do a lot of good in this city if you set your mind to it."
"We can do a lot of good." I brush my lips against her forehead. "Together we can do anything."
***
I lick a trail from her breasts down her stomach to the very top of her mound. I rest my lips there, kissing her softly while she catches her breath.
"I have a showing in thirty minutes." She looks at her wrist, but she's not wearing a watch. Not that it would do any good. I made a promise to her that I'd buy her a new watch on her birthday, but she scoffed at the idea. She wears vintage watches because it fits who she is.
Her eyes settle on the tattoo on her wrist.
"You're everything," I whisper the words that she hears every time I catch her looking at the tattoo. "You're my everything."
Her hand smooths my hair back from my forehead. "I'm enough. I know that I am."
She's my world. We came back here after we sat on the bench at Bryant Park. It's the middle of the day, but the need was strong. I didn't have to ask if she wanted to take my cock in her mouth once we got home.
She stripped, crawled on the bed and licked her lips. I gave it to her as she moaned. She took it all, fingering her pussy to orgasm before swallowing my release.
"That's not enough time for me to make you come." I lick the seam of her pussy tenderly. "I want to take my time with you."
She spreads her legs. "You can do it, Julian. You have fifteen minutes and then I need to be out the door."
"A challenge?" I look at her face. "How can I resist that?"
Her eyelids flutter shut. "You can't."
She's right about not being able to resist, but it's her, not the challenge that makes me want her to feel as much pleasure as she can.
"I love you, Julian," she moans as her hands fist in my hair.
My breath gusts over her hot flesh as I whisper the words back to her. "I love you. I'll never stop."
Epilogue
Six Months Later
Maya
I look down at the picture on Julian's phone. "Little Caroline Booth is a dream. How can a baby be that cute?"
"It's all her mother." He winks at me. "She looks exactly like Brynn and nothing like Smith."
He may be right. It's too early to tell who she looks like. "I think she's going to be a perfect combination of both of them."
"She's going to be the unofficial flower girl at their wedding next month." He closes his phone and shoves it back in his jacket pocket. "Brynn has a dress all picked out for the baby. It'll be a day to remember."
It will be. I've gotten closer to both Brynn and her fiancé Smith these past few months. We have dinner once a week with them, and when Brynn went into labor, Smith insisted that both Julian and I head to the hospital. We did. We were able to see Caroline soon after she was born and I was lucky enough to witness Julian's parents meeting their granddaughter for the very first time.
We've talked about having children since then, but we're happy with just the two of us for now.
It will be part of our future, one day when we know the time is right.
"You've sold more than half of the residences, Maya." Julian smiles at me before he sits on the edge of our bed. "Three more to go and our work together is done."
I'll miss it although I rarely see Julian in an official capacity at this point. He's been busy developing plans for the new hotel near Bryant Park, and I've had my hands full with selling the residences in the hotel in Chelsea as well as a few apartments.
I've also picked up a handful of new clients. Many of them I met when they wanted to view one of the units in the hotel. I've listed two apartments this week for sale. Both are charming condos on the Upper West Side.
My business is growing. Anne is thrilled, and I'm thankful that I can go to work every single day to a job I love. I'm also grateful that my sister and I are closer than we've ever been. Tilly took on a roommate to help cover rent. It's been a solid investment property for me, and she's turned it into a home.
"How's Charlie working out?" I unbutton my blouse. "I didn't see him when I dropped by your office yesterday."
He watches my hands. "Good. He's going to fit in just fine."
The day Isadora quit I could tell that Julian felt a load being taken off his shoulders. She decided to go work for a competitor. It might have been a move to push Julian's buttons, but it didn't work. He wished her well with me by his side and then he had his attorney negotiate the purchase of Isadora's shares in Bishop Hotels. It cost him a lot but he told me it was worth every dime. That was two months ago and since then, he hasn't heard a word.
"You're still dressed," I point out as I undo the clasp on the front of my bra. "I thought you promised me a shower before bed."
He hangs his head. "We need to talk, Maya."
I'm only wearing panties. He's still fully dressed. "I'll get my robe."
"No." He pats the bed. "Come sit here."
I move to sit next to him. "What is it?"
My heart pounds in my chest. I'm not scared. I know that whatever he says to me, it won't be words of regret or disappointment. We address every problem we have with frank discussion and honesty. We never go to bed upset with one another and we almost always fall asleep in each other's arms.
Our dinner together earlier was perfect. We'd gone to the Bishop Hotel penthouse to see Tom and Irene Clarkson. They'd cooked us dinner, as they've done once before. We laughed together and then danced to a Sinatra song as the sun set.
The only thing that has changed since then is that I've fallen more in love with Julian. I do every minute of every day.
"I love you, Julian."
He moves quickly then. It's a blur as he drops to one knee in front of me.
"Maya." His voice quakes in a way I've never heard before. "I had written this out. I had rehearsed every word and now I can't remember any of it."
He tugs a small box from the inner pocket of his suit jacket before he opens it to reveal a beautiful ring. It's a pear-shaped sapphire stone surrounded by small diamonds. It's unique, and original. It's totally me.
"Marry me, Maya." He slides the ring from the box onto my finger. "I love you more than anything. I'd give my life for yours. You make me happier than any man deserves to be and if you marry me, I promise you right here and right now, that I will put you before me until I draw my last breath."
"I'll marry you," I whisper as I cup his face in my hands. "You know how deeply I love you. How much I adore everything about you."
"We'll make each other happy until our last days." He kisses me softly. "Whatever it takes to put a smile on this beautiful face, I'll do it."
"Love me forever, Julian. That's all it will take to put a smile on my face."
"I promise I will. I promise that every single day until my last on this earth, I will tell you how much I love you."
That's all I need. This man, this life and the future we will build together are more than I ever could have asked for.
Preview of HUSH
From the Just This Once Series
I have three hard and fast rules when it comes to one-night stands.
Don't tell her your last name.
Don't take her home with you.
Don't knock her up.
I'm screwed.
Jane Smith was supposed to be a quick fling. I saw her as a brief escape from the never-ending drama that is my life as a surgeon in New York City.
Now, she's pregnant and scared as hell.
Oh, and apparently her real name is Chloe Newell.
It's probably not the best time to tell her that I'm the guy who ruined her life two years ago.
Author's Note: This romance contains a gorgeous doctor, an unexpected pregnancy and a past connection between the hero and heroine that could change everything. HUSH is part of the Just This Once Series. Each book features a different couple and the books are not connected so they can be read in any order.
