“L-live together?” Tiffany asked, stuttering in surprise.
I smirked and refused to back down, my spine strengthening at the knowledge they weren’t going to beat me down. “Mm-hmm! After my stepbrother attacked me, Nathan insisted I get rid of my place. It was almost like we were living together anyway, so we made it official. I moved in with him. He worries.” I shrugged nonchalantly like it was no big deal.
“Beside the point,” Jennifer said, changing the subject. “You’re gone. They won’t keep you over him, so you better start packing, because he is going to leave you in the dust.”
“You know, I always wonder…if that is what you really think of him, why are you so desperate to get him? The thrill of the chase? Or is he simply a nice trophy for your bedpost? To me, he’s the most wonderful man I’ve ever met, not just another guy to f**k. Though he is fantastic in that department; I won’t lie about that fact.”
I didn’t even get to enjoy the furious looks on their faces as Nathan came out of nowhere and grabbed my arm, pulling me from them. While he was moving me from their presence, an announcement came over the speakers to meet in the conference room.
People gathered, cramming into what was a small space for the number of people who were coming in.
“Excuse me, can I have everyone’s attention? I have a very important announcement to make,” Nathan shouted over the crowd to make sure everyone heard him. The room settled down to listen, curiosity winning over. “I know many of you have heard rumors I’m having an affair with my office mate, Delilah Palmer. Well, I’m here to put those rumors to rest. I am not having an affair with her.” He then turned to me, smiling at the confused look on my face. “We’re in a relationship.”
The room burst into whispers and talk, silencing Nathan. My cheeks were red as everyone stared at me. Words of disbelief, “I knew it,” and “thought they hated each other,” circled around.
“Effective immediately, I have left my position with Holloway and Holloway.”
I stared at him in complete shock. He never mentioned anything to me about leaving. My hand tightened on his. I wasn’t ready for that. I needed him.
“No! She was the one who was supposed to leave!” Jennifer cried. The other BS members chimed in with agreement.
“Fat chance of that happening, girls.” Caroline beamed with pride at them. “Unlike you, Delilah is worth something to the company.”
There was a ruckus, and I knew Caroline was about to take a BS down when Jack’s voice boomed out for order.
Nathan turned to me and took my other hand, his gaze finding mine.
“I know you won’t always be safe with me, but I need you. Over the last ten months, you have come to know me more than anyone. You are my best friend, my lover, my soul mate, the love of my life, savior, my naughty girl, and my sweet Honeybear. I want to show everyone that you’re mine and I’m yours,” he said, then dropped down to one knee. In one hand he held a small box and opened it up revealing a stunning ring inside. “Delilah Anne Palmer, will you marry me?”
My breath caught in my throat. Gasps filled the room. His words were foreign to my ears. Did he just say what I thought he said, or was I imagining it all? Was he holding a diamond ring in his hand? Oh, dear.
My body started to shake, and Nathan’s expression turned to one of panic and fear. He stood and wrapped his arms around me.
“Shh, calm down, baby.” His hand made soothing strokes in my hair and down my back.
I clutched onto his suit jacket. “Did you just…propose?”
“I did,” he replied, pulling back a bit. “I want you to be my wife. I want to make you Lila Thorne. It has such a nice ring to it.”
I returned to staring at him before standing on the tips of my toes and wrapping my arms around his neck, kissing him as hard as I could. He pulled me closer, lifting me from the ground.
“Yes!” I cried after releasing him. “Yes, yes, yes. I’ll marry you.”
He placed a kiss on my neck and drew back to take my lips. The roar of applause filled our ears. After planting my feet back on the ground, he placed the most beautiful diamond solitaire and platinum ring on my left hand.
My right hand covered my mouth as I stared down, holding back sobs of happiness. “It’s beautiful.”
He beamed down at me. “I’m happy you like it.”
We shook a few congratulatory hands before the room returned to a gentle hum.
“If you’ll all excuse us, I have a desk to clean out and a fiancée to celebrate with,” Nathan said with a smile, wrapping his arm around my waist, pushing his way through the gathered crowd.
“What now?” I questioned as we walked, receiving pats on the back and congratulations as we went.
“Well, I need a new job, and you have a wedding to plan.” He could not stop grinning, not that I blamed him. His smile was so large I was afraid it might break his face. I’d never seen him so happy.
I leaned my head against his shoulder as we walked. “So, I guess this means I have a date to the Christmas party?”
“Seeing as we aren’t violating office policy any longer, I suppose you do.”
Everyone was still milling in the hallways and conference room, gossiping about Nathan’s unexpected and shocking proposal. Their heads were still spinning. There would be no one to interrupt us.
He pushed my back against the wall as soon as we made it through the door of our office—his mouth tantalizingly close to my ear. “Now, I think we have some celebrating to do,” he whispered as his teeth scraped along my neck. “Where better than the first place I took you?”
His hands were on either side of my thighs, dragging my skirt up and over my ass. I ripped his shirt open, sending buttons pinging around the room.
No more masks to hide behind, no more pretending.
No more breach.
Whatever life hurled our way, we would face it together.
I couldn’t wait.
I smirked and refused to back down, my spine strengthening at the knowledge they weren’t going to beat me down. “Mm-hmm! After my stepbrother attacked me, Nathan insisted I get rid of my place. It was almost like we were living together anyway, so we made it official. I moved in with him. He worries.” I shrugged nonchalantly like it was no big deal.
“Beside the point,” Jennifer said, changing the subject. “You’re gone. They won’t keep you over him, so you better start packing, because he is going to leave you in the dust.”
“You know, I always wonder…if that is what you really think of him, why are you so desperate to get him? The thrill of the chase? Or is he simply a nice trophy for your bedpost? To me, he’s the most wonderful man I’ve ever met, not just another guy to f**k. Though he is fantastic in that department; I won’t lie about that fact.”
I didn’t even get to enjoy the furious looks on their faces as Nathan came out of nowhere and grabbed my arm, pulling me from them. While he was moving me from their presence, an announcement came over the speakers to meet in the conference room.
People gathered, cramming into what was a small space for the number of people who were coming in.
“Excuse me, can I have everyone’s attention? I have a very important announcement to make,” Nathan shouted over the crowd to make sure everyone heard him. The room settled down to listen, curiosity winning over. “I know many of you have heard rumors I’m having an affair with my office mate, Delilah Palmer. Well, I’m here to put those rumors to rest. I am not having an affair with her.” He then turned to me, smiling at the confused look on my face. “We’re in a relationship.”
The room burst into whispers and talk, silencing Nathan. My cheeks were red as everyone stared at me. Words of disbelief, “I knew it,” and “thought they hated each other,” circled around.
“Effective immediately, I have left my position with Holloway and Holloway.”
I stared at him in complete shock. He never mentioned anything to me about leaving. My hand tightened on his. I wasn’t ready for that. I needed him.
“No! She was the one who was supposed to leave!” Jennifer cried. The other BS members chimed in with agreement.
“Fat chance of that happening, girls.” Caroline beamed with pride at them. “Unlike you, Delilah is worth something to the company.”
There was a ruckus, and I knew Caroline was about to take a BS down when Jack’s voice boomed out for order.
Nathan turned to me and took my other hand, his gaze finding mine.
“I know you won’t always be safe with me, but I need you. Over the last ten months, you have come to know me more than anyone. You are my best friend, my lover, my soul mate, the love of my life, savior, my naughty girl, and my sweet Honeybear. I want to show everyone that you’re mine and I’m yours,” he said, then dropped down to one knee. In one hand he held a small box and opened it up revealing a stunning ring inside. “Delilah Anne Palmer, will you marry me?”
My breath caught in my throat. Gasps filled the room. His words were foreign to my ears. Did he just say what I thought he said, or was I imagining it all? Was he holding a diamond ring in his hand? Oh, dear.
My body started to shake, and Nathan’s expression turned to one of panic and fear. He stood and wrapped his arms around me.
“Shh, calm down, baby.” His hand made soothing strokes in my hair and down my back.
I clutched onto his suit jacket. “Did you just…propose?”
“I did,” he replied, pulling back a bit. “I want you to be my wife. I want to make you Lila Thorne. It has such a nice ring to it.”
I returned to staring at him before standing on the tips of my toes and wrapping my arms around his neck, kissing him as hard as I could. He pulled me closer, lifting me from the ground.
“Yes!” I cried after releasing him. “Yes, yes, yes. I’ll marry you.”
He placed a kiss on my neck and drew back to take my lips. The roar of applause filled our ears. After planting my feet back on the ground, he placed the most beautiful diamond solitaire and platinum ring on my left hand.
My right hand covered my mouth as I stared down, holding back sobs of happiness. “It’s beautiful.”
He beamed down at me. “I’m happy you like it.”
We shook a few congratulatory hands before the room returned to a gentle hum.
“If you’ll all excuse us, I have a desk to clean out and a fiancée to celebrate with,” Nathan said with a smile, wrapping his arm around my waist, pushing his way through the gathered crowd.
“What now?” I questioned as we walked, receiving pats on the back and congratulations as we went.
“Well, I need a new job, and you have a wedding to plan.” He could not stop grinning, not that I blamed him. His smile was so large I was afraid it might break his face. I’d never seen him so happy.
I leaned my head against his shoulder as we walked. “So, I guess this means I have a date to the Christmas party?”
“Seeing as we aren’t violating office policy any longer, I suppose you do.”
Everyone was still milling in the hallways and conference room, gossiping about Nathan’s unexpected and shocking proposal. Their heads were still spinning. There would be no one to interrupt us.
He pushed my back against the wall as soon as we made it through the door of our office—his mouth tantalizingly close to my ear. “Now, I think we have some celebrating to do,” he whispered as his teeth scraped along my neck. “Where better than the first place I took you?”
His hands were on either side of my thighs, dragging my skirt up and over my ass. I ripped his shirt open, sending buttons pinging around the room.
No more masks to hide behind, no more pretending.
No more breach.
Whatever life hurled our way, we would face it together.
I couldn’t wait.
