I reached out, running my hand over her wild curls, and cupped her face. She woke, her blue eyes soft with slumber. She smiled, covering my hand with hers and pressing it into her cheek.
“Hi,” she mumbled, her voice raspy from sleep.
“Hi,” I replied, bending to kiss her.
“How was it?” she asked anxiously.
“Smooth and successful. Everything is good, baby.”
“Are you hungry?”
I shook my head, spinning a curl around my finger. “Not for food.”
“Oh.” Her eyes went round, and she bit the corner of her lip. “I see.”
I grinned. “I want a shower and to hold you in our bed.”
She sat up, pushing back the hair from her face. I noticed a cut on her hand, and I caught it, studying the angry-looking mark.
“What happened?”
“Oh, when I was giving my place a clean, I knocked a glass I had off the shelf. I cut myself cleaning it up.”
“Your place?” I questioned, feeling a knot in my stomach.
“Yes.”
“Why were you at your old place?”
“Getting it ready.” At my horrified gaze, she shook her head. “I’m fine now, Julian. All healed. And not being at the bar, no one is looking for me. It’s time for me to go back to—”
I cut her off. “No,” I stated firmly.
“Excuse me?” she replied, her voice cool.
“You can’t.” I grabbed her hands before she started swinging. I brought them to my mouth, kissing them, letting my mouth ghost over the mark on her skin. “Don’t ask me to take you back there. I can’t.”
“Why?’ she asked, her voice trembling.
“I want you here, with me.”
Her anger bled through her words. “Because why? You like to fuck me? Have your dinners made? Your apartment clean? Someone to play cribbage with? Why do you want me to stay, Julian?”
I dropped to my knees in front of her, my heart racing in my chest. “Yes, all of those things. But most importantly, because I love you.”
Shock registered on her face. “What?” she whispered.
“I love you, Taliyah Wells. I want you here with me. Always. Don’t go back to a place where I can’t protect you. Don’t leave me alone here.”
“Julian.” Her voice was low, surprised.
“Stay.”
“But—”
“Marry me.”
TALLY
I was stunned into silence. First, by Julian’s declaration of love—a sentiment I knew he found hard to express. He showed me all the time with his gestures, the way he cared and looked after me. With his body repeatedly, his murmurs and words of passion sinking into my skin, branding me as his.
But his asking me to marry him? That took me completely by surprise.
I met his gaze. His unwavering, intense gaze. I couldn’t doubt his sincerity. It blazed from his stare, his focus entirely on me.
He was always watching me. Observing, noticing, his gaze taking in tiny details nobody else would even perceive. Every time I looked up when he was around, I knew I would be met with his return stare. I also knew he watched me from his desk. I had discovered the small camera while tidying the office. I pretended I didn’t notice it, or the others like it around, but given what he did for a living, I wasn’t surprised, and now I knew what he used the second monitor on his desk for. From the dust around them, I knew they’d been there a long time, not something he’d put in after I was hired. But I had no doubt he watched me some days. It should creep me out. I should demand the removal of the cameras.
But somehow, knowing how carefully he watched me, understanding that this need to protect me drove him somehow, only left me with a feeling of ease. I was safe. Always safe here, with him.
And I had fallen for him—hard. His intensity didn’t frighten me. His bossiness and the certainty of his decisions were sexy. He didn’t apologize or mince words. He ran a tight ship and had the respect of the men he oversaw. He was commanding and confident. I liked that part of him.
I got to see a different side to him. Funny, teasing, and even when the words were edged with arrogance, he was charming. He hid his softer side from the world, only showing the in-control man he had to be. He showed me that part of him, his touches tender, his voice low and caring. He expressed his thoughts out loud about how much he liked having me there with him. He praised my cooking, watched stupid shows on TV I knew he had no desire to view, yet he did it because he knew I wanted to. I loved the way he challenged me. I adored our silly but epic cribbage battles that went on without end, neither of us ready to give in. I loved the fact that he gave as good as he got and didn’t let the fact that I was a woman come into play. He was as determined to win as I was. I loved to hear his laughter, to be the one to make him laugh. He seemed to enjoy our alone time as much as I did.