Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 52215 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52215 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Finally, the meeting wraps up, and I practically run out the door. I get strange looks, but I after you’ve made a fool of yourself in front of hundreds of people these little things don’t matter one bit. I grab a taxi and give the driver the address to my penthouse. I slide my hand into my pocket and feel the small velvet box. My heart thumps faster against my ribs. I’m way too nervous. I’ve got to calm myself down before I give myself away.
Act cool.
Take a deep breath.
Smile.
I repeat the words until we pull up outside of my building. I toss the cabbie a fifty and hear him yell, “Wow! Thanks!”
I rush to the bank of elevators and push the ‘up’ button. At least five times. I know it won’t make it come any faster. I’m just really anxious. I get into the elevator. I never noticed before how long the ride takes to get to the penthouse.
After an age, it dings on our floor, and the doors open. I step out into the penthouse.
Jade comes around the corner. “I thought you said you wanted me ready by five sharp?” she says. “You’re fifteen minutes late. I was about to change back into my pajamas.”
She’s wearing a little blue halter dress I’ve never seen before. It must be new. I love her in blue. Hell, I love her in every color. Sometimes, I feel like I am in a dream. Then I have to stop and remind myself how lucky I am to have her at all. I almost fucked everything up with her. I can’t even imagine how dark and lonely my life would be without her.
She wraps her arms around my neck, and I slide my hands around her hips.
“Sorry, the meeting ran late,” I say.
“You probably don’t remember anything since your amazing assistant wasn’t there.”
I kiss her soft lips. “Damn right. I’m completely lost without her.”
She grins at me.
“Are you ready?”
She makes a funny face and looks down at her outfit “Are you saying you don’t like how I look?”
“You know you blow my mind. I was asking if you are ready to go,” I explain.
She smiles. “Yeah, I know. Just the same way you blow mine every single time I see you.”
I take her by the hand. Tonight could go one of two ways, but I’m feeling more and more confident that it’ll go the way I want it to.
At the restaurant, the hostess leads us to our table in the back. The waitress is right behind her. She takes our drink orders and disappears.
“Can you believe that this time last year, we were in Bangkok?” she asks, her eyes unfocused as she looks into the past.
I smile at her. She thinks we are out celebrating our anniversary. One year of us being together, but it’s more than just that. “No. This year has flown by in a flash.”
“I can’t believe I’ve put up with your ass for this long,” she teases and then winks. Her foot brushes along my leg under the table.
“Are you playing footsy with me, Miss Emerson?”
“I might be playing a few other games a bit later,” she promises.
The waitress takes our orders. Jade orders a steak, and I’ve always loved that she’s never been one to order just a salad and sit picking at it. No, she has a healthy appetite which I truly appreciate.
“I love meat,” she says and licks her lips, when the waitress leaves. “I can’t wait to get all that delicious meat inside of me.”
Double entendre. I love that she does that. God, I’m just so in love with her.
Dinner is delicious. The waitress comes around to collect our plates and asks if we want dessert. We politely decline, and I pay the bill.
We stand to leave. I stop and bend over, pretending to tie my shoe.
She’s looking around at the people and decorations. I pull the box out of my pocket, flip open the lid, and stare up at her. I’m waiting for her to look back at me. The lady next to us gasps, and that’s when Jade looks at me.
“Oh, my God,” she says, her hand flying to her mouth.
“Jade, you are the one person that was able to steal my heart. You were that one girl who got me to change my wicked ways. I can’t picture my life without you. I wouldn’t have a life without you in it.”
There are tears in her eyes.
“I love everything about you. From your witty banter to your intelligence. You balance me out and make me whole. I don’t ever want to go another day without knowing that you want to spend the rest of your life with me. So…Jade Emerson, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she yells before she starts to cry.
Someone starts a slow clap, and it turns into a standing ovation from everyone in the dining room.