The admonishing look is back. “Dominic, we cannot fool around right now! There’s too much work to be done.” Yet she still places her hand in mine, smirking as she shakes her head, and follows me past the tarp blocking off the construction space.
Despite the pains of doing major construction during the holidays, the space is coming along better than I expected. It helps that the bulk of the work is shielded from the main floor, but sometimes I forget to pop over and see exactly how far the crew has gotten.
“Wow,” Pen breathes, stepping into the space.
We’re still a ways off from adding the sexy finishes, but the core components have been installed. A dark custom-made bookshelf, reminiscent of the one we have at home, stretches along the far wall. The highlight of the room, however, is the bar that spans the entire back wall. It's exquisite, crafted by Jack and his team in a way that somehow matches my dream vision completely.
The bar's base is a deep navy, almost like a midnight ink, topped with white marble veined with gold in a beautifully chaotic pattern. It's far superior to the bar I designed in my former life in Kentucky. Watching Pen glide her hand across its smooth surface leaves me breathless. The bar is stunning, no doubt, but Pen will always be the most breathtaking sight of all.
“Dom, this is incredible.” Pen stares at me with an impressed expression. “I mean, the way you shared your designs with me… I didn’t think it could be brought to life anywhere close to the perfection you sketched. But this… I’m so damn proud of you, baby.”
My heart flips at the praise and I take a deep breath, knowing exactly why I brought her over here. “There’s something I want to show you.”
I take a few steps around the bar and pull out a manila folder I had placed on the shelf earlier in the day. Walking back around to Pen, I nod at one of the sample barstools lined up. “Sit.”
“What are you up to, Mr. Miller?” Pen grins, sliding onto the seat. Placing the folder down in front of her, I wait for her reaction.
The front of the folder is an image of the bar’s logo, something I had admittedly begun sketching back in the spring. Back when I visited Pen with that craft cocktail— when she kissed me. That kiss sparked something in me, lit desires in my soul that I couldn’t deny. Gloria knew it, she saw it in me. She believed in me. And I know in my heart that she would have loved this concept, this expansion.
And what I’m about to do.
“Plot and Pour?” Pen glances at me, her eyes shining with excitement and a few tears.
“I wanted to go for something classy but with a nod to where we’re at… a cocktail bar in a bookstore.”
“I love it so much, Dom.” She turns toward me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Gloria would have loved it too.”
For the first time in what seems like ages, mentioning my aunt doesn't evoke a rush of overwhelming emotions. Instead, I feel a serene calmness because, yeah, Gloria would have appreciated this. She would have also enjoyed the array of drinks I've planned, all inspired by— and named after— literary classics, themes, and characters.
“Open the folder, Pea.”
Pen flips the folder open and, eyeing the stack of legal papers, she groans. “I thought we were done with these?”
Laughing, I take a step closer, pressing my lips to her ear. “Read the top part.”
She sighs deeply before running her fingertip to the top of the agreement, trailing along as she reads the words. Words that mean so much to me and, I hope, to her as well. My heart pounds in anticipation— damn, it’s like proposing to her all over again.
Her mouth drops open as she scans, before she turns to me in disbelief. “Is this what I think it is?”
I gently hold her face in my hand and say, "Pea,Ever Afteris where you truly belong. It's the core of who you are. You shineyour brightest and truest here, I’ve seen it time and time again. I'm hoping, I’m praying that you'll agree. Will you please be my partner in owning this place?"
“Fuck yes!” Pen shouts, startling me with both her enthusiasm and choice of words. “Dom, I… holy shit, thank you.” She slides from her chair, onto her tiptoes, and throws her arms around me. I breathe an exaggerated sigh of relief and she gives me a playful glare. “What, did you think I’d say no?”
“I don’t know. Two proposals in two months is a lot. Wasn’t expecting to go two for two.” I smile down at her, pulling her tightly against me.
“You should have more confidence in yourself, Dominic Miller,” Pen says in a low voice, her eyes darkening with the kind of desire and need that only lead to one thing.
“I’ll have to work on that.”
“Mhmm.” Pen reaches out to palm the marble bartop again, putting some pressure on the side as if testing its sturdiness. “You know, I heard that agreements like this need to be sealed in a special way.”
My dick is already hard, aching for her, and I hope she’s thinking what I’m thinking. “Oh really, Mrs. Miller?”
Her eyes crinkle at the sides as she smiles at the name. “Yeah.” Pen trails a hand down my chest, reaching for the buckle of my belt.
“And does it involve us being naked?”
“I see you’re already familiar, Mr. Miller.” Pen fumbles with the button on my jeans and snakes her hand inside, gripping my cock and eliciting a gasp from me. “I know we’ve got a lot to do,” she says, nodding back toward the store. “But what do you say?—”
“Fuck. Yes,” I growl.That’swhat I fucking say. I bring my hands to her face, crushing my mouth to hers as she giggles.
A year ago, my life was in shambles. I was preparing to move in with my aunt, escaping the wreckage of my life in Kentucky,consumed by uncertainty about what lay ahead. And now? With Pen in my arms— the girl I thought I'd lost forever— saying yes to marrying me and creating the future we've always dreamed of? This isn't mere luck, it's divine intervention, a cosmic shift in destiny.
Penelope is the reason for all my broken pieces finding their way back together again. In her, I’ve discovered the other half of my soul. Perhaps we'll remain in Prairie Ridge for the rest of our lives, grow old, and leave this place to our children. Or maybe we won't. All I know for certain is that I’ll dedicate my entire heart and soul to building a life with her, ensuring that every single day she feels cherished— not just a little, but a lot.
