Epilogue
EPILOGUE
S ix Months Later
"Long Luxury Properties," I answer my office phone, still getting used to the sound of my own company's name.
"Is this the same Gina Long who used to answer her phone with a boring 'hello'?" Elizabeth teases from the other end of the line.
I laugh, spinning in my chair to face the floor-to-ceiling windows of my new office. "A lot's changed in six months."
"Tell me about it. New company, new home, new man. Well, old man made new again. How is, the delicious Mr. Ford, anyway?"
"Busy," I say, glancing at the framed photo on my desk of Jeremy and me on the cruise we took after the paperwork had been finalized, his arm around my waist, both of us laughing at something off-camera. "The development is in its final phase. The grand opening is next month."
"And how's living together going? Still in the honeymoon phase?"
I smile, thinking of our morning routine of coffee on the terrace, the New York Times crossword that we never finish, Jeremy's tendency to sing off key in the shower. "It's good. Really good."
"Mmm-hmm. And the bedroom situation? Still as... dominating as ever?"
Heat rises to my cheeks. "Liz! I'm at work."
"So? Your name's on the door. No one's going to fire you for talking about your sex life."
She has a point. One of the perks of owning my own firm is answering to no one but myself. Jeremy provided the initial capital, true to his word about no strings attached, but I've already paid back the investment, with the commission that finally cleared from his development. Long Luxury Properties is thriving, specializing in the kind of high-end properties I've always excelled at selling.
"If you must know," I say, lowering my voice even though my assistant is out to lunch, "things in that department are... exceptional." I squirm in my seat, still feeling the effects of how exactly exceptional they were this morning when I intentionally sassed him to the point of a spanking and a hard fucking. My favorite way to start the morning.
"I knew it!" Elizabeth crows. "Once you embraced your inner sub, there was no going back."
"I am not a sub," I protest automatically, though with less conviction than I might have once mustered. The truth is, there's something freeing about surrendering control to Jeremy in the bedroom which gives me a balance to the autonomy I maintain in every other aspect of my life.
"Sure, honey. Whatever you say." Her tone makes it clear she's humoring me. "Anyway, the real reason I'm calling, we're finally doing an in-person book weekend away. You in?"
"Absolutely." I've been looking forward to meeting some of my Naughty Girls friends in person for years. "Where and when?"
"Charleston, three weeks from Friday. Some of the women from the Charlotte chapter are going to meet us, too. I’m jealous of how often they get to meet in person. Christine found this amazing boutique hotel with a private lounge where we can finally discuss our Daddy Dom obsession in person." She pauses. "You’ll have to behave. Only you, RJ and Jess have real life Daddy Doms, the rest of us can do whatever we want."
"Fair warning, whatever happens during girl’s weekend, stays at girl’s weekend.”
Elizabeth laughs. "Deal."
After we hang up, I sit for a moment, marveling at how much has changed since Jeremy walked back into my life. My new firm. Our new home, we'd moved in together three months ago, merging our lives with surprisingly little friction. My relationship with Sydney, stronger than ever as she starts her first real job, no longer worried about her workaholic mother.
And Jeremy. My second chance at a love I thought I'd lost forever.
My phone buzzes with a text from him.
Jeremy: Lunch? I miss you.
We'd seen each other four hours ago, tangled in sheets, his voice rough in my ear as he told me exactly how beautiful I was, how much he wanted me. Even now, the memory makes heat rise to my cheeks.
Me: Meet you at Paolo's in 20,
I text back.
I miss you too.
Such a simple admission, one that would have been impossible for me to make a year ago.
* * *
Ready for the next story? Click here to read Daddy’s Naughty Bridesmaid.
When you're a professional bridesmaid, blending into other people's lives comes with the territory. But pretending to be the bride's best friend while dodging suspicious questions from her groom’s bossy older brother? Yeah, that's new—even for me.
I’m Jackie Lawrence, problem-solver extraordinaire and president of the Charlotte chapter of the Naughty Girls Book Club. Weddings are my job, and I’m damn good at them. But this one? It’s messier than the secrets spilled at the bachelorette party with an open bar. The bride's ex–best friend tried to steal her fiancé, so now I'm playing the role of loyal BFF while keeping the wedding from imploding.
Enter Matthew Dayton: broody storm-chasing meteorologist, war-hardened Marine vet, and the groom’s protective older brother. He’s got sharp eyes, a skeptical smirk, and an annoyingly accurate radar for BS—including mine. But when the storm between us breaks? It’s electric. He calls me on my bluff, peels back every layer I try to hide, and when he learns what I really want? Let's just say... Daddy is more than willing to deliver.
Now I’m balancing a lie I didn't ask for, heat I can’t ignore, and a man who sees everything. And when the truth comes out, the real question is… will Matt still want to keep me? Or was I always just another passing storm?