Everyone clapped, and Amy shouted, “Way to go!”
I glanced at Curtis. He smiled, giving me an encouraging nod. But his uncertainty remained. And I knew why. “Curtis had kind things to say about me, and I want to return the favor.” I looked at him as I said, “You’re a generous, kind, sexy, amazing man. Thank you for doing all this. It’ll take a while for it to sink in because I don’t feel like I deserve any of it, and other than my amazing best friend, Amy, no one has ever done anything much for me, let alone something this incredible. But you make me want to believe in myself and reach for the Milky Way. I can’t help but think back tothe day I crashed into you in the break room. That day, all I wanted was my favorite thing in the whole world—a chocolate donut. Little did I know that chocolate donuts weren’t really my favorite thing. My favorite thing is you. I love you more than all the donuts in the world.”
While some of the guests hooted their approval, Curtis’s face lit up brighter than the sun. It burned through me from my head to my toes. I needed to be off this stage and in his arms. He must’ve understood the look on my face because he joined me on the stage and wrapped his arms around me. I breathed in the scent that was distinctly Curtis, letting it settle within my bones. It was safe to let him all the way in. I’d been through so much in the past few weeks, but none of that mattered now. All I could think about was this moment and the fact that there’d be many more similar ones. I’d get to hug and kiss him whenever I wanted.
I nuzzled my cheek into my favorite pec—who was I kidding, they were both my favorite—and sighed.
More applause quieted intoawsandahs. The only people who frowned and stayed quiet were Queen B and Curtis’s father. Queen B drained a glass of wine—her last hurrah before she was arrested. I knew it wasn’t nice, but I was doing a little jig in my head. She deserved every shitty prison meal without wine in her future. Curtis’s mother gave Knight Senior a dirty look, then turned our way, smiled, and placed both hands over her heart. His brothers and sister were high-fiving. I grinned.
I had so many questions. How did Curtis get this gorgeous place for the business? How much was I getting paid? Was I going to crash with Amy for a while or get my own place?
I didn’t know if it was too soon to move in with Curtis, though maybe he wouldn’t want that just yet. But at least we had time to figure everything out. I didn’t have to operate on cat-pee fumes, donuts, and desperation. I had security.
I still couldn’t believe I owned more of this business thanCurtis. And if Amy had a hand in the paperwork, there was no way she would’ve let him do anything that could potentially hurt me. How was this all real?
Tonight was the icing on my life, and I couldn’t be happier—I was safely in Curtis’s embrace, and I had a job and an actual company.Shut the front door! I was going to be able to live in New York and see Amy whenever I wanted. I spared a small thought for the grocery store I’d have to give notice to. I’d still have to pay the rent on that shitty apartment, but now I had a proper job, I could easily afford it.
Life couldn’t be sweeter.
I peered up at the love my life. Curtis smiled down at me, turning my stomach to butterfly mode. “I think we should seal this deal properly.”
I tilted my head to the side. “With a handshake?”
He grinned and shook his head. “No. Like this.”
He lowered his mouth to mine, the soft, insistent pressure of his lips like heaven. I never wanted to be out of his arms again.
Pour some sprinkles on me because this donut girl was done.
EPILOGUE
CURTIS
It was a year after my announcement to the world that I loved Faith—our anniversary, if you will. I thanked the pastry gods daily that she said it back. The business was humming along nicely. We were getting a new big client every couple of weeks. And we were established enough now that I had people I trusted to run the operation while we were gone. Faith had moved in with me seven months ago, and things had never been better. Waking up to her every day, making her come every night, it was a dream come true. I’d never felt more comfortable with anyone. Her joy was my joy. Which was why we were in Italy.
We’d been in Florence for three days. Today I’d rented a car, and we were on the way to our next accommodation after eating lunch at a winery overlooking the Tuscan countryside. Faith couldn’t help exclaiming over everything—the delicious pasta and prosciutto, cute stone houses with flaking paint, the olive trees, the bumpy cobbled and dirt roads, people speaking Italian. We hadn’tstopped smiling since we got here. In fact, I didn’t think I’d smiled as much in my entire life as I had since Faith and I had made up and become a proper couple. She was even more enthusiastic about everything than Jack was, and that was saying something since my brother was the king of positivity.
The late afternoon sun slanted through the canopy of trees on the narrow road winding amongst the hills. We were nearly there, my sweaty hands on the steering wheel a reminder of the nerves zapping through my system. I might be a CEO and used to dealing with powerful people, but none of that was personal. This mattered more than anything, and I wanted everything to be perfect.
The navigation system piped up that our destination was on our left. I pulled the car into the beginnings of a dirt driveway, stone walls on either side. The iron gates were open, so I started along the gravel driveway.
Faith sat up straighter and looked at me. “Ooh, are we here?”
I grinned in answer as our tires crunched along the path.
“Is it a big hotel or a small one? Look at all the pretty trees. Everything’s so green, and the air is so fresh.” She inhaled through her nose and smiled. “This is amazing.” She put her hand on my thigh. Even after being together for a year, she still managed to make my heart race. If there was somewhere to pull over, I would have taken time to show her how she affected me.
The driveway climbed steadily up the hill. I slowed the car to a stop and turned to Faith. “Shut your eyes.”
Her forehead furrowed. “Why?”
I rolled my eyes. “Why do you have to ask about everything? Just trust me.” I raised a brow.
She laughed. “Okay. It worked out well the last few times I’ve trusted you.”
I raised my hand to her face and ran my thumb along her bottom lip, the sensation traveling all the way to my dick. I really,reallywanted to be inside her. “And it will continue to work out well. Always.”
I leaned over and placed my lips on hers, my tongue nudging its way into her eager mouth—I could afford a minute or two of tasting the love of my life. Kissing her was one of my favorite things in the world.
