Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Sounds great,” Rowan said. “Your home is charming, by the way. And I love your dress.”
“This old thing?” Mom flushed. “Thank you.”
“Speaking of charming,” I teased. “Let’s put away your bags.”
Once he retrieved them, I led him to my room, grateful again that it was separate and had its own entrance. There would be plenty of time to introduce him to the rest of my family, but for now, I needed to be alone with him like I needed my next breath.
“Told you your mom has better fashion sense than you,” he said as I closed the door behind him.
“You asshat.” I backed him against the door. “Now show me just how much you missed me.”
“Your room is cozy. It could use some, oof—” Before Rowan could finish his thought, I planted my lips against his in a desperate, needy kiss, moaning at the taste of him. I’d missed his warmth and scent so much. I clutched the back of his shirt—likely wrinkling it, which he would be sure to complain about later—and yanked him so close, there was scarcely any space between us.
“Need you so much,” I said as his fingers gripped my hair, his mouth connecting firmly with mine, his shaft thickening against my hip.
Fingers groping, mouths bruising, we barely drew away long enough to unbutton our pants and push them down to our knees, along with our underwear.
Finally skin to skin, he hissed against my mouth. “Perfection.”
When our stiff lengths slotted together, I shivered. He reached between us to wrap his fist around both our cocks, using the precome he’d swiped with his thumb to slick the way.
Our lips never parting, we rutted and rocked into his tight grip, his other hand grasping my nape and holding me in place. “I love you, Shae Shanahan.”
“Fucking hell, I might never get tired of hearing that.” I pecked his lips. “I love you too.”
His eyes softened, and seeing that vulnerability sent me over the edge. We spurted one after the other, breathless and trembling, then laughing as we took in our mess.
My chest was full and achy, my emotions completely undone. My heart practically burst from my chest to pray at the altar of Rowan Abernathy, the man I loved to hate because I was afraid he would ruin me. Turned out he had ruined me—for all other men. My stubborn sartorial lover.
Epilogue
The following spring
Rowan held up the cheetah-print blouse as I swiped to the calendar on my phone.
“Kendall’s not going to wear that no matter how much you try.”
“But it’s Versace,” Rowan replied with a pout, and Beth laughed. We were in the main dressing room, coordinating our schedules—Beth using Rowan’s planner like I’d shown her.
I’d been working at a temp job in the corporate world last fall when Rowan called to tell me the news that Kendall and Naomi had parted ways.
I’d winced. “Am I allowed to say I saw it coming?”
“I think we all did.”
I shook my head. “I’m surprised it took this long, honestly.”
“So…that leaves an open position for an assistant under Kendall.”
“Well, I hope she finds someone soon,” I’d replied absently, poring over a spreadsheet.
“What I mean is, I think you should apply. You come highly recommended.”
I’d straightened in my seat. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious.”
That was when I heard Kendall in the background shout, “Did you ask him yet?”
And the rest was history.
The salary the network offered blew my mind, but Kendall had apparently insisted, and I couldn’t say no. It had afforded me more of the simple pleasures I’d never indulged in before, like nicer work clothes—not Rowan-level nice, but still. And though he’d encouraged me to donate or burn all my chinos immediately, I held on to them just in case. I’d even opened a savings account to prepare for a rainy day, as my dad liked to say.
During the workday, I only saw Rowan in passing, and I wasn’t required to steam any more clothes, except in a pinch. And I’d admit, Kendall and I got along famously. I was still attending classes, but I was also really enjoying this job. She’d recently asked me to take over some of her social media accounts, which I was excited about.
Casey had certainly been happy for me. “If I had to keep listening to you whine about how mind-numbing board meetings are, I’d have kicked your ass.”
Him warming up to Kendall hadn’t taken long. Rowan had already gotten brownie points for traveling to Stockton to sweep me off my feet. Plus, the bouquet of flowers he’d shown up with at our apartment to celebrate Casey’s latest production helped.
Casey and Paul were still going strong, his boyfriend a near-constant presence.
“See you tonight?” I asked Rowan.
“Of course.” He kissed my cheek. It was Thursday, which meant a living room of clothing for one of Kendall’s shoots in the morning and Rowan, Beth, and I discussing the details over Asian food. I was no longer involved in visiting snooty design assistants or lugging clothes up elevators, hallelujah. But Beth seemed in her element, and to listen to the two of them, you’d think they’d been working together for years. She anticipated his every move, and he seemed to feed off her creative energy.