“I’m in love with her,” I tell him. “I’m not being stupid about it, but I’m telling you, Dad. She’s it for me.”
“I know.” He nods. He looks at me with pride. “Hold on to her, Damian. She’s a keeper.”
Footsteps pad down the hall. I look over my shoulder to her. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, from her ocean eyes to the freckles that dot her upturned nose to those curves that bring me to my knees. She’s stunning.
She smiles brightly at me, and a shot of pride hits me right in the chest.
“I just got off the phone with Courtney,” she says.
“Courtney Vitale?”
“Yeah. She and Stephen are expecting again.” She comes up behind me and wraps her arms around my waist as I continue making dinner.
“Congratulations to them. That’s great.”
“She said it’s been a tough pregnancy for her, and she’s only just starting her second trimester. Pam has decided to step away from Cardinal West Outdoors to help her with Maggie. I guess she’s been really sick a lot. Anyway, she wanted to know if I knew anyone who would be interested in working for them temporarily until they can get someone onboarded. I think she was hoping it would help ease her mom’s worries if they came from a referral.”
“What did you say?”
“I told her thatIwould be interested. I have an interview with Pam Monday at 10:00 a.m.”
“That’s fantastic.” I turn around to face her, circling my arms over her shoulders to bring her in close.
“She wants me to work with CreativEdge as the liaison for all things marketing and handle their small-scale internal campaigns that they don’t use CreativEdge for.”
“So, you’re going to do such a good job that my biggest client finds out they don’t need me; all along, it was you they needed?” I smirk.
“Absolutely. I’m going to be so damn good at it, people will come from all over to ask me to help them with their own marketing needs,and before you know it, I’m going to be your biggest competition,” she jokes.
I nip at her lip. “That’s my girl.”
If anyone could do it, it’s her. My lips graze hers in a sweet, intimate kiss.
“Your sauce is burning.” My father’s voice jolts me.
Shit. I spin around to the stove again, casting a glance at my father, an amused smile on his face.
Epilogue
One Year Later
Arctictemperaturesturnmynose to ice as soon as Damian opens the car door for me. I step out in a pair of sky-high red heels and a little black dress, a thick winter jacket covering my outfit because Damian wouldn’t let me out of the house without it.
“You look amazing.” His gaze rakes over me from my head to my toes, his eyes darkening in a sinfully delightful way when they land on my shoes.
“Do you like the heels? Look, they have a bow.” I lift my foot off the ground to showcase my shoes.
“You know I do,” he growls. “I’ll like them even better wrapped around my neck.”
Heat races through me. It never gets old, having his eyes on me, the barely contained desire in his voice.
I look around him and grin when I realize where he’s brought me. Amillio’s Restaurant. Where it all began just a year ago.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, beautiful.”
He walks me to the door, my arm hooked into the crook of his elbow, just like the first time we came here. Only this time, it isn’t because we’re putting on a show of love and affection.
I’m simply in love with him.
