Tell Me Why

EMERALD

Our next stop was a park where a horse-drawn carriage waited for us.

A month ago, I would have put up an argument about it being such a sappy romantic cliché, but considering that I was now the walking poster child for such things, I shut up and got in, my heart fluttering.

“Where do you see us in a year?” Tate asked after we began our ride around the park.

“In the penthouse fighting over the remote,” I answered with a laugh.

“Obviously, but what else?” he asked, a small smile on his lips.

“I haven’t had much practice with looking into the future farther than a month for the past few years,” I admitted with a shrug. “Even then, it was about bills and groceries, not what my life would be. What do you see?”

“Not the penthouse,” he answered with a small smile. “An actual house. A yard with a fence, a big tree in the back with a swing, maybe a dog. I’ve never had a pet before, but I’ve always wanted one.”

“Not even a goldfish?” I asked him, and he shook his head. “We’re getting a goldfish.”

“What?” He chuckled. “Where are we going to put it?”

“It’s a goldfish, not a Mastiff. It comes in a bowl. Pick a shelf.” I rolled my eyes.

“You’re serious?” He laughed.

“They’re pretty low maintenance. Clean water and a few flakes of food and boom. Happy fish.” I nodded.

“All right, but how tempted would you be to start hitting Devon with it?” he asked with a sly grin.

I laughed and took his hand in mine, holding it against my cheek for a moment.

“Why a swing?” I asked when I stopped laughing and leaned into his side under his arm.

“Big trees should have a swing,” he answered.

“What about work?” I asked him. “This hypothetical house sounds like it would be a bit of a drive from the office.”

“I don’t care. A little drive isn’t the end of the world, Emerald,” he answered. “I’d like to be out of the bustle of mid-city, actually.

“It’s fine, being a bachelor, but I’m done with that. I have better things to look forward to now.”

“Much better,” I agreed.

“I don’t want something enormous, though.” He made a face. “No matter what’s in them or how much, they always seem so…empty.”

“Says the man living in a doctor’s office.” I lifted an eyebrow.

“I told you to do what you wanted with it.” He rolled his eyes.

“Seems pointless now with your plans at a house.” I laughed.

“What makes you think I was serious?” He laughed.

“I know you, Tate. You wouldn’t say something unless you were pretty serious about it.” I shook my head and patted his knee. “Took me a while to take that to heart.”

“You were being rather stubborn,” he agreed, and I poked him in the side, making him lurch and grunt. “Not fair, Shrimp.”

“Totally fair, Treeman,” I said and lifted up to kiss his cheek. “If I’m stubborn, what does that make you?”

“A glutton for punishment?” he guessed.

“You got your way, didn’t you? If I’m stubborn, you’re hardheaded.” I laughed.

“I’m persistent. It’s one of those traits you need in business.” He smirked.

“Stubborn,” I clarified.

“Determined,” he said.

“Also stubborn.” I laughed.

“Driven,” he added.

“Currently by a horse. Your ass is so pampered it’s amazing you know how to be human at all.” I giggled.

“My ass, as you well know, is worth pampering,” he said, and I broke down, unable to stop the laughter.

The ride ended, and Dale took us back to the penthouse. The entire elevator ride, Tate was touching me.

Nothing overtly bedroom rated. A soft caress down my arm to my hand before bringing it up for a quick kiss to the knuckles.

Fingers across my shoulder or neck as he moved my hair behind me.

A hand on my hip as he moved us across the small space and into a corner.

The soft pressure on my lower abdomen when he held me there and ran a finger along the line of fabric at the back of my shoulder.

Outwardly innocent but with an ulterior intent.

We stepped out of the elevator while he continued his sensual assault, leading me toward the bedroom.

“Tell me you didn’t say yes because of the will,” he said next to my ear, his voice husky in a way that made my legs shake.

“I said yes because I wanted to,” I answered in a breathy, airy voice. He slowly dragged the zipper down my back, his knuckles trailing down my spine as he went.

“You wanted to save the company,” he pointed out.

“Not as much as I want this.” I let my head fall back as he slipped his hands into the open dress, pushing the fabric off my shoulders and down my arms until it fell in a puddle at our feet.

“Which part?” he asked, running his lips from my shoulder, up my neck, and kissing behind my ear.

“All of it. All of ~you~.” I sighed when his hands moved from my arms to my middle. He used my waist to steer me closer to the bed.

“Not just physically?” he asked, fingers tracing the tops of my panties.

“I want the sleepy mornings and the silly evenings and lunch every day,” I admitted easily.

“Waking up and going to sleep next to you is the greatest thing I never knew I could have,” he said.

“I love you, Emerald. I’ve never said that to anyone because I had no way of telling what it felt like. But this, I’m sure of. Marry me and I’m not going to let you go without a fight.”

“I’m not leaving. I can’t. You have too much of me. I wouldn’t survive.” I turned slightly to look at his face.

“The only thing I want to see on you right now is my ring on your finger. Get in bed, baby,” he demanded in his sexy boss tone.

Having sex with Tate had always been a heady, addicting mix of pleasures. Physically, there wasn’t anything left out.

He did things with my body that neither of the three before him could do. I didn’t even know some of the things he made me feel with just a single touch were even possible until he did them.

Mentally, though, he went a step beyond anything I thought I expected. The way he looked at me, how he touched me, even the desperate, rough moments were nothing short of caring.

This time, I could see the difference in him as he slowly slid into me, bringing us both into the place we most wanted to be.

I had thought there was passion between us before, but seeing him now, as we immediately found our own special rhythm, I knew I hadn’t been close to right.

~This~ was passion. That drive, the desire, the wanting and needing on a level completely unknown to words.

This was what neither of us knew was missing. The words that needed to be said in order to get to this place that was, undeniably, ~us~, came out of my mouth just as the wave of ecstasy crashed into me.

“I love you.”