Love You In The Dark

He’d been on me about my work schedule lately–apparently, seventy hours at the office didn’t make for a happy boyfriend.

Just then, my phone rattled to life. Maverick’s broad smile popped up on my screen when I answered his video call.

“Hey there, beautiful stranger, long time no see.” The teasing tone of his voice turned me to silly putty. “Buzz me up.”

“Buzz you up?” A grin spread across my face as I stood and exited my office to reach the main control panel at the receptionist’s desk. The office building was already locked after-hours, per safety protocol, but there were a few occasions where Maverick had dropped me off dinner and dessert when I worked late. “Did you bring dinner? I’m sorry, I’m behind on this case–”

“I’ve got something to make you feel better.” His grin tilted and my eyes took in the uniformed collar at his throat.

I buzzed my gorgeous boyfriend in and then blew him a kiss on the video call and hung up. Thirty seconds later, the elevator doors swung open and I was in his arms. He swung me, pressing his lips at my ear and murmuring, “Fuck, I miss you more every day.”

“Every time I see you in your EMT uniform, I’m reminded of our elevator adventure.”

“Mm, here’s to many more, gorgeous.” And just like that, Maverick dropped to one knee and slipped a velvet box from his pants. “Nailing you down for a date has been almost impossible the last couple of months, I’d have a better chance at seeing you if this elevator broke down and you needed rescuing.” He paused, taking my hand in his and dotting a kiss on my vacant ring finger. “Or making you my wife.”

I gasped softly when he pulled a giant, round diamond from the box and began to slip the cool metal on my ring finger. “Holy shit, Maverick–”

“You’ve always been mine, Jade, you rescued me a long time ago when you didn’t even realize it. I need us to be official, no more late nights or busy schedules–marry me and I’ll spend the rest of my days sweeping you off of your feet.” He dropped another kiss on my now glimmering ring finger. “I love you, beautiful.”

And with tears in my eyes, I screamed: “Yes, oh my God, Maverick, yes, yes, yes!”

Most men leave wedding planning to the bride.

But Maverick Cooper wasn’t most men.

After another few weeks of me blanking on date nights and spending more hours in the office than with him–Maverick pulled a fast one, made a point to clear my weekend schedule with my receptionist and whisked me off for a surprise weekend at The Clifton.

But when I’d expected spa days and nights spent naked in between the sheets with Maverick, instead I’d had a surprise wedding fit for the Queen of England. Saturday morning, Maverick had woken me with champagne and the local dress designer hauling every wedding dress she had available in my size into the penthouse suite. It’d taken me exactly fifteen minutes to find the perfect gown–a simple A-line that hugged my curves.

By five that evening, we were reciting our vows in front of a small group of our family and friends on the rooftop of The Clifton, locked together as newlyweds at the very place we’d come together again.

Maverick had seen what I needed, and jumped into action like always–taking care of me always, putting me first from day one. By the time the party was winding down, I was ready to fall into his arms and celebrate our new life–and he must have been on the same wavelength, because the minute we found ourselves alone for the first time all night–in front of the rooftop elevators, of all places, he’d pressed me against all of his delicious hard angles and uttered at my ear, “I’m sick of sharing my wife with all of these people. Meet me in bed in five minutes, I’ll tell the DJ the bar is open all night on us, but after what you told me earlier…” His eyes warmed as he thought of my earlier surprise announcement while we were still in bed, pre-wedding day hoopla.

He swatted me on the ass playfully and added a giggle, the glint on his eye conveying how serious he in fact was.

“Okay,” I breathed, suddenly more turned on than I’d ever been.

“And Jade?” He dotted a kiss on my wedding ring sweetly. “I hope you’re ready to really celebrate, with my head buried between those sweet thighs.”

Epilogue

Maverick – One Year Later

“Mm, I can smell how ready this sweet body is for me, beautiful” I pulled her down with me onto the California king bed in the penthouse of The Clifton. I needed a moment with her. My wife of only a few hours. There may be one thousand more in my future, but I needed this one.