Rylie Allen. I can see you’ve read these. Answer me.
I chuckled. “If he is talking to you like that…”
“Yeah. The best friend is a bit pissed.” I raised an eyebrow at him and he just shrugged. “He’s a good man. His father is too.”
“Seriously though, if I take this job, I don’t want connections to be a benefit. I know the second I become Lucille Adaline Allen, it won’t matter, but…”
His gaze heated as he said, “Fuck, I like the sound of that.”
“Rylie.” I said, drawing out his name.
“I will not tell him the connection.” His phone went off again, and he chuckled. “Though I have a feeling, he will know the second he walks into that meeting with you and Sam this morning.”
“Seriously? He’s going to be there?” I groaned. “Not exactly how I expected to meet Malk in person.”
“I wish you could have met him last time you were here, but he was running a project in North Carolina for a while. I rarely saw him, myself.”
I looked over at the clock, then down at the ring on my left hand. I blinked, and took a few breaths, before saying, “I have to be there in an hour to discuss my new position.”
My eyes flicked to him, and his eyes softened. “Seriously, take it or don’t. Either way, come and move into my place.”
“I don’t…”
“Luce. You just agreed to be my wife. Why not just move in now? It’s one less move you have to make in the next year or so.”
“You sure?” I asked, but memories from years ago flew through my head. I shrank down into myself again, and Rylie was there.
“I could kill him for this.” He growled. “Sweetheart. You are Queen of my domain. Whatyousay goes. I will not control you. I will not belittle you. You know that. I think you also know I have proven to you I will do nothing but cherish every hair on your body and destroy anyone who would even think to harm you.”
His arms wrapped around me, and I found myself melting into him. I fought the shameful tears. “I’m sorry, Rylie. Every memory of what happened in that apartment just flew through my head in the matter of a second.”
“Sweetheart. It’s going to take a long time to undo that programming. I will be there every step of the way.” Rylie’s thumbs moved back and forth to settle me down, and I found myself resting my head on his shoulder.
“Now, let’s get in the shower. I want to drop you off, and then get this crap sorted at the office. I’ll meet you back here when you’re done, okay?”
I nodded, and let him carry me to the shower.
Chapter eleven
“Goodluck,sweetheart.”Ryliesaid, as we made our way to the meeting room at the Kolvinal’s Office building. There were a few double takes when I swiped my badge and Rylie opened the door for me, and I couldn’t help the smile on my face. “I’ll meet you back at the hotel, and then I’ll prove to you, once again, just how much I worship the ground you walk on.”
We made our way down the warm brick hall as my heels clicked on the white hardwood under our feet. Clocks hung on the wall, indicating the time in New York, Chicago, Denver, and Santa Clara. Each of our office locations. “No more surprises to spring on me?”
“Nope.”
“You sure, Rye? Because I’ve been in Chicago for eighteen hours, and I’ve gotten a promotion, found out my boyfriend is the sole partner and CEO of Webster Enterprises, and… I’m forgetting something.” I dramatically looked down at my hand and wiggled my fingers to make my new accessory sparkle in the recessed lighting above our heads. “Oh right, I got engaged to my boyfriend.”
He bumped my hip as we walked, and I looked up and smiled at him. His eyes sparkled as he took that hand and threaded his fingers through mine. When we reached the meeting room, he leaned down and kissed my forehead. His lips lingered, and I was reveling in the feel of them, when I heard my name shouted in excitement.
I sighed and looked up at Rylie, who had an amused grin on his face. “You might as well come meet him now. He’ll just hound me until the dawn of time, until you do.”
Rylie huffed a laugh and put his hand on the small of my back as he guided me over to the meeting doors where Sam was waiting. “This will only be the first of a number of introductions over the next few months, Luce. It’s fine. You are about to get a crash course in Rylie Allen.”
“I think I know you pretty well. It’s the world that doesn’t know Rylie Allen.” When we got to where Sam was standing, slack jawed, I said cheerfully, “Good morning, Sam.”
Sam looked at me, looked at Rylie, opened his mouth, and when I smiled at Rylie, I said, “Rylie, this is Sam Bradford, my boss. Sam. This is Rylie Allen, my fiance.”
The words fell off my tongue like melted butter, and I couldn’t help the amazing, warm feeling that flooded me.
