Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
PIPER
On Saturday night, Levi and I return to the Astoria for another event.
But this time, it’s for an event his family are hosting—the Vale Summer Ball.
Although I’ve seen his father and brothers before, this is technically our first official meeting. And I’ll be meeting his whole immediate family.
Weeks ago, when I was here, I felt completely out of place and overwhelmed.
Now I feel comfortable in my skin again, without the tension and worry about looking good for Arthur.
It’s also nice to just be out with Levi somewhere that isn’t about business.
This is just about fun.
Levi’s hand settles naturally against the small of my back as we move through the glittering ballroom.
The Astoria is just as beautiful as it was before, and the same vibrant vibe fills the air. I think this is one of those places where you can always rely on having a good experience.
We spot his family in the far corner of the room and make our way over.
I’m nervous, but not in a bad way.
Levi introduces me when we reach them, and they all make me feel ridiculously comfortable. It’s like I’ve known them forever.
Louise and Adeline practically claim me as their own within the first ten minutes. I also get on with Isla and Elodie, Knox and Dorian’s wives, right off the bat.
His father is a sweetheart, and I’m not entirely surprised that Locke has the same sort of personality and humor as Levi.
If I were to take a guess, I’d assume that although all the brothers are close, Levi seems closest to Locke. And he definitely felt like the middle child amongst the group.
Before I know it, I’m absorbed in them and the night is perfect. We talk and dance, laugh and sip champagne, and everything is amazing.
I keep thinking how much my life has changed.
In the same breath, I wonder what it would be like if I hadn’t made certain decisions.
The biggest of all was that I could have stayed in San Francisco and tried to make things work there after Reece. Of all the places I’ve lived, that was home the longest. My family are all there, and I adored San Francisco for its beauty. It made sense to stay.
But I didn’t. I saw something more for myself.
This must have been it.
I’m glad I was right and didn’t cut myself off from this chance. Of course, I very nearly did when I was stuck in my feelings about getting too involved with Levi.
Thank God I didn’t.
Now I’m genuinely happy and looking forward to going to England. It was one of the places on my bucket list.
Isla talked a lot about England because she and Knox will be heading there on Monday and spend six weeks there—so I’ll have company when Levi and I arrive.
Levi and I are nearly home now, and from the way he keeps looking at me, I can tell it’s going to be a long night.
When we walk through the door, that’s it.
He takes my hand and pulls me flush against him for a desperate kiss, then he picks me up and carries me straight to the kitchen.
I have no idea what this man has in store for me.
He sets me on top of the breakfast table and kneels to take off my heels. He sets one on the floor, then he holds my foot with the other and kisses the top of my feet.
“These look good on you, Butterfly,” he rasps, his warm breath fanning over my skin. “But I like your bare skin. It’s special.”
I giggle. “How is my skin special?”
“It’s on you. And everything on you drives me crazy.” He slips off the remaining heel and plants more kisses on my feet before moving up my leg.
Pleasure stirs and tingles race across my skin. It spreads over me, leaving me wanting more.
Levi moves up and up until he reaches my thigh, then he bunches my dress up to my waist.
I’m wearing a shorter dress tonight, so it’s easier to move up my body. With the dress out of the way, it takes bare moments for him to roll my panties down my legs.
With a wicked smirk, he spreads my legs wide and buries his face between my legs.
His tongue thrusts deep into my pussy, and, oh my God, a burst of pleasure pushes through my nerves, then I’m on fire.
He pushes my legs wider, then he’s licking into me, shattering me with his tongue. My orgasm rises, and I brace myself against the table, trying to stop myself from drifting into the ether.
Sweet pleasure flows through me.
I expect him to continue eating me out, but he stops.
I gasp and glare at him.
“No, please don’t stop,” I moan.
A wicked smirk brightens his face. “I don’t plan to. I just want you to come on my cock.”
The next minute sees him whipping off his clothes and slamming his cock into me. He presses deeper, until he’s buried to the hilt.
Then he starts moving inside me, and I lose my mind.
He devours me all night, and we’re so wrapped in each other we spend the next two days in bed.
We only manage to drag ourselves away because I have to visit the office building today and Levi has clients he has to see before we leave for England. We have a little over two weeks now before we fly out.
As much as I miss being with Levi, I’m so excited to visit the office. This is the first chance I’ve gotten to see it again since the viewing.
Alexis is with me. She’s going to be helping me set up.
We arrive early in a ball of excitement. As I open the door with my keys, I get so emotional my hands shake a little.
I still can’t believe Levi bought the building for me.
I dropped by once last week with Levi when we got back from Texas. I just wanted to look at the place. We didn’t go inside because I still needed to wait another two days for the previous owners to finish clearing away their stuff.
So, this moment feels more real somehow.
The door swings open and the scent of newness greets us.
“This is it?” Alexis beams, hopping from one foot to the other. It’s nice to share this excitement with her.
I smile and take my first step inside as the new owner.
Alexis follows behind.
The feeling that settles over me is indescribable.
I look around and take it all in, then I breathe in that fresh scent of possibility.
Apart from being with Levi, this is undoubtedly the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And everyone knows it. Aunt Bess and the family are even flying over in two weeks before we leave for England.
It would have been nice to be here while the place was being decorated and designed, but honestly, I think I just like the idea of it.
There’s a hell of a lot of work to be done and a whole restructure of some of the rooms. The designers will be working on it for at least two months before it will look anything close to what I want.
And come on, what crazy person would pass on a trip to England with the man of their dreams, to watch shelves and desks being put in an office?
Not me.
“I can’t get over how big it is.” Alexis spins in a slow circle with her arms out.
I glance up at the high ceiling and long windows. “Me too. I never thought I’d start with something like this.”
“I agree. Not that I didn’t think you could do it. This is just wild.” She clasps her hands and beams at me. “What should we do first? When are the contractors arriving?”
“They’ll be here in an hour. I think we should just have a look around until they get here and maybe…” I pause and look at the white walls. “We could think about colors for the walls. I have notes, but it’s good to get a feel of the place first.”
I think the foyer and the meeting rooms should stay white or a cream color, but I personally would like my office a light blue.
“Okay. Walls.” She nods. “How about a soft cream? Or that moody green everyone’s obsessed with? Please don’t say gray. That reminds me of that horrible bar I worked at during college. Eww.”
I laugh. “Okay, not gray. And yes to the cream and green.”
“Yay me.”
“Come on, let’s start upstairs with my office.”
“Sure, Miss C.E.O. Are you going to have your name on the door?”
“Of course, I am.”
Giggling, we head upstairs and spend the full hour on my office alone.
The contractors arrive on time, and that’s where the excitement really begins. The company I’m working with has a full-service team of designers, decorators, and contractors who can create whatever you can imagine.
By noon, the designers already have a plan to get started and the contractors are already taking measurements. And by late afternoon, they start building. There are points when so much is going on and there are so many people here, I almost feel like we are in the way.
Soon, people start heading home, and it’s just Alexis and me.
We need to get going, too.
“I’m just going to sort my hair out. I’m going to meet Kevin straight after,” Alexis says, sorting through her bag.
Kevin is the new boyfriend. She’s been seeing him for three weeks now.
“Alright. I’m going to pack up my stuff.”
“Cool. I’ll meet you in the foyer.”
She heads to the bathroom and I go upstairs. We’d been hanging out in the downstairs meeting room while it got busy.
I left some notebooks and office design magazines in my office. That’s all I have to get, then I’m good to go.
I rush upstairs and to my office. The door’s already open.
I spot my books on the desk but freeze when my gaze lands on a white rose right next to the stack.
Blood rushes through me, then slows. It’s a strange feeling. Almost like being stung by a bee.
I walk closer to the desk, telling myself I’m being paranoid.
This isn’t Reece. He’s in prison. Locked away behind bars, where he can’t get to me.
One of the workers must have left the rose. Maybe as a thank-you or a well-done gesture. I’ve been incredibly vocal all day about how excited I am to have the office and open my own business.
I stop just in front of the desk and gaze down at the rose. It’s beautiful. Long-stemmed. Bright white.
Just like the ones Reece would get.
And…
Just like those, it’s sitting on top of a note. A folded piece of paper.
My hands are shaking now, shaking so badly the tremor has moved to my heart.
I slide the note from beneath the rose, pick it up, and open it out.
In the center is one word:
Soon.