I raise my hand to knock on the door, hesitating and closing my eyes.
I’m so nervous, I feel sick. I have no idea what today is about. Because it’s here at our hotel, I’m hoping it may be about us on a personal level, but I’m well aware that he may just want to fire me without the children overhearing.
But it is our Thursday, and it is 7:00 p.m.
I have hope.
I drop my shoulders, exhale, and I knock.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door opens and there he stands, dressed in a navy suit. He towers over me as his big brown eyes hold mine.
“Hello,” he says softly. “Thanks for coming.”
He gestures to the room and I walk past him to step inside.
My heart beats like crazy.
Being this close to him and the smell of his aftershave brings back so many memories. I can already feel the lump in my throat beginning to close over.
Don’t cry.
Don’t beg.
I wring my hands in front of me as his eyes hold mine. “How are you?” he asks.
I nod, unable to speak properly. “I’m okay,” I whisper in a barely there voice.
He runs his hand through his hair, his pause creating tension.
“Thank you for staying for the children.” His eyes drop to the carpet. “It would have been easier for you to leave.”
“I couldn’t leave them.”
His eyes rise to meet mine. “But you left me.”
“I had to.”
“It’s been… difficult,” he admits.
“For me, too.” I tear up, unable to hold it in any longer. “I miss you,” I whisper.
He presses his lips together and nods, clearly struggling to speak, but I feel that he has so much to say to me. The room is heavy and silent. I know I’m going to have to lead this conversation. He’s clearly unable to. I take his hand in mine and I lift it closer to my mouth.
He watches me, his eyes become glazed, his pain palpable.
My face falls at his upset. “Baby,” I whisper as I take him in my arms. “Don’t look at me like that.” I hold him tight, and he clings to me as if his life depends on it.
“I can’t fucking stand being without you,” he whispers into my hair.
I smile sadly, and I kiss his lips. His face screws up against mine.
“Oh, Julian,” I whisper as I stare up at him, cupping his face in my hand. He’s so hurt.
“I’ve been working through things and…” His voice trails off. “I’m trying.”
“I know you are.”
Why am I doing this to us?
“I don’t care.” I shake my head. “I don’t care if you don’t want to marry me. I don’t care if I don’t have children. I just want you,” I whisper through tears. “I can’t live one more day without you,” I breathe. “I just want you. I don’t care about the other things anymore.” I frown. “I’m sorry for doing this to us.”
He stares at me as his eyes cloud over. “You would give up what you want for me?”
I nod. “I would.”
“But you being happy is what makes me happy.”
I smile softly. “I’ll be happy as long as I’m with you and the kids. I don’t need anything else.”
His eyes hold mine, and then without a word, he drops to his knee, and his shaking hands pull out a black velvet box.
My lips part as my world stops.
His breathing quivers and he looks up at me, filled with hope. ‘Brielle Johnston, will you marry me?’ He opens the box to reveal a huge, oval, diamond ring.
My hands cover my mouth instantly.
“Please?” he whispers.
My eyes search his for a beat too long, and I drop to my knees in front of him. “W-what did you just say?”
He pulls my face to his. “Marry me, Bree.” His face is filled with so much hope, and my heart melts at the sight of him.
“But you said…”
“Forget what I said.” His hand cups my jaw and he presses his lips to mine. My cheeks are wet with tears. “I had no fucking idea what I was talking about back then.”
He takes the ring out, and with his hand still shaking, he slides it onto my finger.
“Answer me, baby” he whispers.
I frown, confused, still ringing with shock, until reality finally catches up with me and I smile broadly, “Yes.”
He stands, pulling me to my feet, and we kiss the best kiss we’ve ever had. I hold my hand up in the air to look at my ring.
It’s huge—like, stupid huge—and I smile goofily.
Is this really happening?
“Do you like it?” he asks, uncharacteristically uncertain.
I shake my head in awe. “This doesn’t look like the kind of ring a nanny would wear.”
He smirks as he takes his jacket off and tosses it to the floor. “That’s because you’re not my nanny anymore.”
My eyes hold his. “Then what am I?”
“You will be my wife, Mrs. Masters. You’ll be the mother of our children.” He kisses me softly. “The only woman I have ever loved.”
Goose bumps scatter down my arms and my throat feels dry.
Emotion overload.
I sob against his lips the second he kisses me.
“For God’s sakes, stop crying, woman, and just fuck me,” he breathes against my mouth.
I giggle as he walks me back towards the bed, lifting my dress over my shoulders and unclipping my bra.
I stop suddenly. “Julian, did you have sex while we were apart?”
“No.” He frowns. “But I can confirm that I now have carpel tunnel in my right wrist.” His eyes have such a tender glow. “How the hell could I have sex with another woman when I belong to you?”
Another tear rolls down my face and he wipes it away with his thumb. “I promise you, baby, you will never shed another tear because of me again.”
I nod, overwhelmed. He pulls the blankets back and lays me down, sliding my panties down my legs. His fingers gently circle through my sex before he slowly begins to undress himself.
Our eyes are locked.
His chest is broad, his stomach chiseled, and oh, how I’ve missed him.
He lies beside me and I pull the covers over us both. Julian takes me into his arms. The feeling of his warm body against mine is familiar. He’s warm, hard, and so fucking perfect I can hardly stand it.
“I missed you,” he whispers.
We kiss and kiss and kiss, and I can feel how strong the love between us really is. He pushes the hair back from my forehead to study my face. “The last eight weeks have been hell.” He kisses me softly. “Every day when you left, you took a little piece of me with you.”
I run my hands over his broad shoulders and up the back of his hair, never taking my eyes from him
“It feels so good to be in your arms again,” I tell him.
Our kiss turns desperate, and I can feel his erection against my legs as his body moves itself forward, trying to find its release.
“Now,” I whisper, almost desperate. “I need you now.”
He kisses me, and then his fingers find that spot between my legs. He slides two in and I wince. “Careful,” I breathe.
He watches me as he slowly pumps my body to prepare it for taking him again.
A rush of cream rises to meet him, and he smiles darkly down at me. “There’s my girl.”
I smile, and he pushes my legs back, riding me a little longer with his hand. Then he rises above me and positions himself, he pushes in a little.
“Ouch,” I wince.
“Relax.” His lips take mine and he surges forward again.
Oh God, the burn. It’s so good. I’m stretched to the max. I forgot how big he is.
“Open, baby. I need you open.” He pushes my legs back to the mattress and moves forward with force, slicing through my body.
I throw my head back onto the pillow, and his dark eyes hold mine. “Oh, fuck, yeah.” He moans as his eyes roll back in his head.
He slides out and back in again, and I cling to him as our kiss turns desperate.
“I love you,” I whimper.
Our breathing becomes ragged and he pumps me hard. “Don’t fucking leave me ever again,” he whispers with a hard pump.
I shake my head. It’s too good. I begin to thrash beneath him.
Nobody can fuck like Julian Masters can.
He’s a god.
“I won’t, I promise,” I pant.
His dark eyes hold mine and, as if he loses control and wants to punish me for hurting him so deeply, he lifts my legs up around his rib cage.
“Careful,” I whimper.
He spreads his legs wide and begins to pump me deep and slow. His arms straighten and his dark eyes penetrate mine.
His hair hangs over his forehead, forcing me to smile up at him. “I’ve missed you inside of me. I felt like I was dying without you.”
The last of his resistance crumbles, and he begins to ride me hard, taking what he needs from my body.
“Come.” He hits me hard as he watches his cock disappear into my body. “Come now,” he growls.
And like the slave my body is to him, I convulse on cue. Julian holds himself deep, crying out as his own orgasm rips through him.
We pant and gasp for air, our hearts racing out of control.
Our lips meet. The kiss is soft, tender, and gentle. My beautiful man is finally back where he belongs.
“I love you,” he whispers as he falls against me.
I hold him close and I can’t help but smile. “I love you, too, Mr. Masters.”
“Dad’s home!” Sammy calls from his place at the window.
Excitement instantly fills me. Julian had to go to work today, but we want to tell the children about our engagement together. I had to take my ring off and everything.
I stand in the kitchen with my nerves dancing in my stomach. As soon as he walks into the house, his eyes find me across the room and I melt.
I haven’t seen that look from him in such a long time and it feels so good.
It feels like home.
Willow is doing an assignment on the kitchen counter when Sammy rushes to meet him.
Julian walks in and puts his briefcase down. He seems nervous, too. “Hi, Will.”
“Hi,” she mumbles, distracted.
“I thought we might go out for dinner tonight,” he says. “To celebrate,” he adds.
Willow looks up from her assignment. “To celebrate what?”
He holds his hand out for me to take. I walk to him and he puts his arm around me. “We have some news.”
Willow smiles instantly, but Sammy simply frowns as he looks between the three of us.
“Brielle and I are getting married.”
Julian pulls me close to his body and kisses my forehead. The children stare at us in shock.
I wait for their reaction…
And I wait.
And I wait.
Oh no. Aren’t they happy?
“What?” Will frowns.
My eyes rise to Julian. I frown, unsure what to say.
“Brielle is going to be my wife. That means she’ll be your stepmother. She’ll be moving in to live with us,” he explains.
They both look at each other, then us, and then each other again.
Finally, Willow screeches. “Yes!” She jumps from her chair and nearly knocks her father and I over as she wraps her arms around both of us. “Oh my God. I’m so happy. This is awesome.”
I laugh at her excitement, and then my attention turns to the beautiful little boy in the room.
Sammy’s face falls.
“What’s wrong, baby?” I whisper.
“I don’t want you to marry Dad.”
I crouch down in front of him. “Why not?”
He twists his little hands in front of him. “Because if he gets cranky then you will leave.”
I smile and Julian rolls his eyes. ‘No, I won’t baby. I like your dad… even when he’s cranky.’
Julian smirks.
“That’s just who Dad is.” I smile. “And I love him, faults and all. I’m not going anywhere.”
Sammy smiles and looks between the two of us, a flicker of hope blooming in his little eyes. “Really?”
I nod. “Really.”
He jumps up to kiss me and hugs Julian.
“Where’s your ring?” Julian asks.
I dig it out of my pocket and hand it to him. He slides it onto my finger as the children watch on in awe.
Julian kisses me softly. “Now you’re really stuck with the three of us.”
I giggle and I pull the three of them into a group hug. ‘Where are we going to celebrate?’ I ask.
“I don’t know, but can I have some champagne?” Willow asks as she pulls out of the hug. “It is a celebration.”
“Definitely not,” Julian grumbles. “You’re only—”
Willow cuts him off. “Yeah, yeah. I get it, Dad. I’m only sixteen.”
The children are in bed asleep. Julian and I are downstairs in the living room, lying on the sofa in each other’s arms. I brought my essentials back for the weekend today and put them in my old room. “Let’s go to bed,” Julian says with a tender kiss to my lips.
“Okay.” I smile, stand, and go to walk to my room.
“Where are you going?”
“To my bedroom.”
Julian shakes his head and his dark eyes hold mine. “Your bedroom is upstairs.”
Time stands still.
He takes my hand and softly kisses the back of it before he leads me up the stairs at a torturously slow pace. We finally make it to his beautiful, luxurious suite.
He opens the walk-in robe. ‘This is your wardrobe.’ I look in and smile because it’s already cleared out and empty.
He takes me into the bathroom and opens up the bathroom cabinet—the one I got caught snooping through at the beginning of this whole story. “I’ve cleared your side out.”
I smile cheekily. “Am I allowed to look in here now, Mr. Masters?” I tease.
Who knew all those months ago that this story would turn out like this? I certainly didn’t.
He smiles and stands behind me, his lips dropping to my neck in reverence. I watch us in the mirror. Julian towers over me and is wrapped around me like a blanket.
He adores me. I can feel his love seeping through his touch.
“You can do whatever you want now, baby. This is your house and we are your family.”
I smile as my eyes tear up and I turn to him. “Then I would like to go to bed and make love to my fiancé.”
He kisses me softly. “Not for long.”
I frown.
“You have six weeks to organize the wedding.”
I frown as our lips meet. “That’s not enough time!”
“I’m not waiting any longer. I want you as my wife.”
