Filthy Rich (Blackstone Dynasty 1)

“You make me insatiable and have from the beginning. I can’t help it. Especially when I have your tight naked ass pressed up against my cock. What do you think I am, woman? An alien?”

“Sometimes I do, yes.” I turned slightly so I could meet his eyes. “Sometimes I think you can’t possibly be a real human man because of how amazing you are, and how kind and generous—Caleb, I want to tell you something important—”

He stopped me with two of his fingers pressed to my lips. “Wait—before you say whatever it is, I have a request.”

“All right,” I said, curious. “What is your request?”

“I’d like to give you something first. I’ve had it for a few weeks, but then I wasn’t so sure if you would welcome it, so I’ve held back from giving it to you to wait for the right time. But, I’d like to give it to you now, before you tell me your something important.” He tilted his head at me. “Please?”

“Okay, Caleb.” I absolutely adored him like this. He could be so demanding and dominant during sex, and then transform into the sweetest, most romantic gentleman imaginable. I don’t know how he did it, but the combination was pure magic for me. “I can’t seem to say no to you.”

“I can’t give you my gift from inside the bathtub, either.”

We both laughed as he helped me out of the tub. I loved this part, too. Caleb liked to dry me off and get me settled after we showered. He was very good as he drew the supersoft Egyptian cotton towel over my skin. He gave extra attention to my breasts and even dropped a few soft kisses as he worked. “You’re so beautiful, standing here like this for me,” he said on a whisper.

Caleb was very good at just about everything, and I didn’t even try to stop the few tears that fell as I watched him take care of me. He didn’t react at all to my crying, which oddly, only served to help me to fall even harder for him. The only concession he made to having noticed my tears was when he finished with the towel at my cheeks before helping me into my robe.

HE handed me a red velvet case with Cartier embossed on the top. “For you,” he said with an unreadable expression as my heart bounced around inside my chest.

Dressed in my robe, I sat beside him and accepted the box with shaking hands. I lifted the lid to find a link bracelet in white gold with the classic Cartier C diamond clasp. The bracelet had three charms attached. A lighthouse with what looked like a diamond at the top to represent the light, a little house with a round window filled in with a red stone, and finally a heart-shaped padlock with a tiny key linked to the lock handle.

“Oh, Caleb, it’s so beautiful. Thank yo

u. Thank you for such a perfect gift.” I leaned forward and kissed him. “Where did you get this?”

“I found it when I was in Abu Dhabi, and I thought you might like it.”

“I more than like it. I love it. How did you know I always wanted a charm bracelet?”

“Well, I didn’t, but I hoped you would,” he said. “I’m really glad you love it—so does this mean you’ll drive the new car I’m getting for you?” He gave me his melting little-boy grin.

“You aren’t going to let the car thing go, I can see. All right, I agree to the car, but right now I want you to help me put this gorgeous bracelet on, and tell me why you chose each charm.”

“Thank you,” he said while gently closing the diamond C clasp around my wrist. “It started when I was looking for something that would remind you of me when you wore it. I know the C is for Cartier, but it’s also the first letter of Caleb, so you should think of me when you see that part.” He winked. “The little house with the round window is your cottage of course, but the little red stone in the window reminded me of a meatball . . . so you got a cottage with a meatball window. That should be self-explanatory.” He chuckled. “The lighthouse is the Fairchild Light to represent how you are a south-end island girl.” He kissed me sweetly. “The padlock is my heart . . . to which there is only one key. The key is you. You are my key, Brooke Casterley.”

“That was the most beautiful explanation I’ve ever heard . . .”

“Look at the back of the padlock, and you’ll see my initials are engraved there. I had yours added to the shaft of the key.”

In beautiful antique script were the initials C.J.W.B. on the padlock, and on the key were mine, B.E.C. “So I won’t ever forget that you are the heart and I am your key?” I asked.

“That is correct, beautiful.”

“What if I told you that you are the same for me, Caleb? That I am the heart and you are my key?”

“Am I, Brooke?”

I nodded my head up and down because I needed a moment to compose myself from the onslaught of emotions bubbling up. “You are inside my h-heart, Caaa—leb. You’re in here s-so very deep, inside a p-part of me I thought—I thought—wouldn’t ever be c-capable of f-f-feeling this way.” I splayed my palm over my heart and struggled to get the rest of the words out. “But my heart does work. You healed what was broken inside it and brought that part back to life. I know now what I was feeling. I didn’t recognize it right away because I’d never felt it before, but I figured it out when you went away on your trip. I missed you dreadfully, but more than that, I saw how much you cared by having your people looking out for me while you were away. That’s when I knew for sure. So, at the same time you were choosing this beautiful gift for me, I was realizing I had fallen in love with you.” I took his face in both of my hands, rubbed my thumbs over his cheeks, and felt the stubble on his jaw beneath my fingers. “I love you, Caleb Blackstone, who is so very deep inside of my heart.”

He closed his eyes for a moment as he took in my words. I heard a rush of breath come out of him and realized he’d been waiting to hear me say it. But now, finally faced with hearing those three important words from me, he was stirred up. I could feel him trembling beneath my hands as I touched him. As clear as day for me to see—telling Caleb I loved him was profoundly meaningful to him.

Loving him had made me realize something. It wasn’t about one’s station in life. I love him—every beautiful, generous, thoughtful part of him. And it was so easy to do so, as if he’d been made for me. I was now seeing it must be the same for him. He loves me completely. It hadn’t made sense to me before, but loving him had opened my eyes to the startling fact. Love simply was.

Caleb didn’t say a word when he swept me up into his arms and kissed me. He kissed me the whole distance as he carried me up the stairs. He didn’t stop kissing me while he stripped me out of my robe, nor while slipping out of his jeans, which he’d donned after our bath. He kept on kissing me once we were naked on my bed together, and he’d put himself inside me.

When we were as close as two people could possibly be, he said it back to me.

“I love you, Brooke. Only you.”