Epilogue
Lana
I could feel his eyes on me as I typed away at my computer. I had no idea how, but I could. It made me smile and feel loved in a way I had never experienced. Not that anyone knew what we had going on behind closed doors and secret little apps on our phone.
I doubted anyone would ever understand.
Not that he was watching me from a screen at that particular moment.
No. It’d been four years and, somehow, Wils had talked me into not only moving in and marrying him but setting up a workspace in his office. He didn’t go in daily anymore. Not since we had our twins. He hated being away from us on the daily, but when he did go into the office, we usually joined him as well.
Not that we got all that much work done when we went with him.
I glanced behind me and smiled. Wils had our three-year-olds in his arms. Quietly, I picked up my phone and brought up the camera to snap a picture of Bart on his chest napping soundly while Camden sat on his knee and colored something on his desk. Wils patiently encouraged him and told him about the colors of the crayons.
“I hope that’s not the contract you told me you needed to work on today.” I grinned, and my handsome husband, my stalker, winked in my direction and shrugged.
“It’s prettier this way.” Wils grinned, and I rolled my eyes.
That was my husband.
I had no idea how much love could change someone until I talked to Lark once. When he told me what Wils had been like before me, I couldn’t believe it. Well, I could. I’d seen the stern stuffy side to him when we’d first met, but to see him change into someone so different was eye opening.
My husband was crazily protective and loving. Smart and funny.
And some would even say easy going now.
Not a lot of people, but some. Especially those closest to him. As much as he had changed, a lot of other things hadn’t. Such as his obsession with me.
If anything, it’d grown. He still had cameras all over our house and trackers on our cars. I was almost positive that if he could figure out a way to put one in the boys’ shoes when they started school, he would.
The need to make sure his family was safe drove him, gave him purpose. I couldn’t fault him. I didn’t mind the cameras since I had my own set I watched when I got curious. My face started to heat up as I remembered the night before.
The way he’d made us watch ourselves, a little video he had taken in our bedroom a week earlier, had been hot. For the anniversary of our little fender bender, we hadn’t been able to get away like we usually did. My mom was on a cruise, and Viv had her hands full with her own little ones, who had caught a cold a couple of days earlier, so I didn’t feel right asking her to watch my boys.
Not that that had stopped Wilson from finding a way to celebrate. Best wrong turn ever, he’d whispered, and I’d giggled.
But he had really stolen my breath away when, after putting the boys to bed, we’d walked into our candle-lit, rose-filled bedroom. It had been an occasion he wasn’t shy about celebrating and reminding me of just how important that day was for him.
But last night, we’d watched the way he had loved on my body that night. The way he’d cherished and kissed every inch of me while he had me on all fours, his strong powerful body covering the back of mine. To be honest, I wasn’t sure which night had been hotter.
But that was him.
That was us.
It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was perfect for us. I glanced around his office, and I smiled at the little sign on one of his bookshelves.
Wrong turns take you on the greatest adventures. His grandfather’s words were something he held on to, and I couldn’t deny I loved it.
Afterall, I was forever thankful he had made that wrong turn that took him to a dead-end street right before I hit the back of his car. It changed my life. And not because of the money that came with Wils but because I met the man I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with.
My soulmate. My other half. And what could be better than that?
Would you like a sneak peek to the next So Wrong, It’s Good book? Wrong Idea coming April 17 th !
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Carver Storm
I stepped into the spa area of the resort and headed to their breakroom. All while ignoring every little detail I wanted to change. I wasn’t sure who made the coffee here, but it was a million times better than the one Miss Bell insisted on making in the main break area by my office. I’d poured my coffee, about to walk out, when my brother walked in with his nose stuck behind an iPad. Before I knew it, my distracted brother bumped into me, too consumed by whatever was on the screen to notice me standing there. Somehow, I managed to hold my coffee out to keep it from spilling and splashing all over me. Unfortunately, his open-faced cream cheese bagel landed on my black dress shirt. Cream cheese side down.
“Shit! Carver! I am so sorry, man! I didn’t see you.” He pulled the bagel off me, and my eyes shut as I breathed in deeply. “Relax, Car, it’s not that bad.” I opened them and looked down.
“Harrison,” I growled. It was worse. Smack dab on the middle of my chest, I had a ring of cream cheese. “Jesus, do you put a whole tub of cream cheese on your bagel?!” I growled. I could feel my blood pressure rising.
“It’s not that bad.”
“What the hell are you looking at anyhow that has you that distracted?” Harrison was great at what he did, but the guy was also easily distracted. It seemed out of the three of us, I was the only one who knew how to focus.
“It’s nothing.” He set the iPad down and brought me a paper towel. Before I could stop him, he tried to wipe off the cream cheese, only making matters worse.
“This is all I needed this morning,” I growled, and he winced. “I have a meeting with the construction crew, working on redoing the rooms. I don’t have time to head down to my place and get a new shirt!”
“I know.” He sighed. “Oh! I have an idea.” He turned and hurried away. I turned my back and headed to the sink. Before I turned the faucet on, he returned with a navy-blue polo in hand. The very kind our employees wore as a uniform.
“Here!” He handed me the shirt, and I looked down at it like it was going to bite me.
“I can’t wear this!” I exclaimed. I knew how childish and snobbish I sounded.
“Why?” he asked and rolled his eyes. “You think you’ll break out if a shirt’s not tailor made for you?” he teased. “Or are you more afraid to look like everyone else?”
“Harris,” I growled. Jesus, I missed Grant. He was the middle brother, who knew how to keep Harrison in line. “You know that’s not why,” I clipped. My head started to throb.
“Breathe, man. It’s fine. Put it on, and later, when things settle down, you can go get one of your designer duds and put it on. I promise you won’t get a rash, and if you do, I’ll buy you some aloe to help with the itching.” I shook my head, and he rolled his eyes. “Sometimes, Carver, you need to learn to take yourself less seriously.” He was one to talk. If I were the youngest without any real responsibility, maybe I could walk around like nothing mattered.
“And maybe you need to learn to take some things seriously,” I responded like an asshole. Harry looked at me, his brows bunched together like I was crazy, and scoffed.
“Are you fucking kidding me? My entire job is taking shit seriously. And I’m here. With you. Turning this place into the jewel of your fucking portfolio one day. Not like Grant,” he defended. I knew he was right.
He might be the youngest and sometimes distracted, but he wasn’t aloof. He wanted The Crown to sparkle as much, if not more, than I did. Ignoring me, he walked over, tossing the bagel into the trash, and poured himself a coffee.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered, feeling like an ass. “I was a dick.”
“Yeah, you were,” he mumbled under his breath. “I’ll be in my office if you need me.” He mumbled, not meeting my gaze before he turned and walked out. I looked at the polo in my hand and unbuttoned my shirt. Taking the messy one off, I pulled the new polo on. I had started to rinse my dress shirt off in the sink when I heard Nicole’s voice down the hall.
“Are you sure you haven’t seen Mr. Storm?” she asked god only knew who.
I ran my fingers through my hair and was about to walk out and deal with her when it hit me. I didn’t want to deal with her. Trying to put off that conversation, I stepped into one of the spa rooms. I’d just shut the door when I remembered I’d left my dress shirt in the sink.
“Shit,” I whispered under my breath. I turned, and it felt like I had been punched in the gut.
I could only see her back, but I knew she would be beautiful. Tiny and curvy with an ass in those jeans that tempted me to bite the side of my hand to stop myself from groaning like an animal. What the fuck is wrong with me? I wondered.
She turned and confirmed I had been right.
The woman was beautiful.
Shoulder-length wavy almost curly hair that swayed with her movement. Olive-toned skin with a face of a goddess. Her dark eyes widened, and she made a squeak-like sound when she noticed me.
“Can I help you?” she asked softly, her hands still toying with the top button of her blue and black buffalo plaid top. But my eyes were stuck on her chest. Her beautiful, perfect, overflowing chest. Mine, a voice in my head whispered. One word I didn’t understand but felt all the way through my body. Mine, it repeated, and I shook my head. I felt dizzy and a little off kilter.
What the hell was in the coffee?
“Sorry, umm—“ I was no longer the grown forty-two-year-old man who had most of his shit together. No, something about the sound of her voice and the sight of her had me fumbling over my words like some kind of tongue-tied teenage boy. Me. The man who could walk into a board meeting and not break a sweat at killing a million-dollar deal.
“Was I taking too long?” Her hand relaxed against the hold of the front of her shirt.
“What?” I rasped.
“I’m sorry! I got a little nervous and in my head, and time must have slipped past me…” she kept rambling, but I didn’t mind. Not when the sound of her voice did things to me. Shit, when had I felt this alive? All from hearing someone speak?
“No, I’m sorry. I should have knocked,” I finally spoke up. Was it just me, or did her gaze drop to my lips. “I’m Car, by the way,” I introduced myself, and when she smiled, I felt it in my chest.
Mine , a voice I’d never heard hushed its claim. Mine.
“I’m Max,” she blurted, extending her hand, and for some reason, I took it. The soft heat I felt from the casual caress had my dick waking up. “Maxine, actually, but everyone calls me Max,” she rambled, and fuck me, I was smitten.
“Nice to meet you, Max.” I shook her hand and hated having to let it go.
“Oh. Umm, did you and Kelsie switch?” I blinked. My brain tried to process what she’d asked, all while not over frying itself from the gorgeous sight she made. Kelsie is one of the massage therapists, I remembered quickly and cleared my throat.
“She had an emergency. I’m taking over.” The words slipped past my lips, and there was no way I could take them back.Not one way at all! What the hell do you think you’re doing? a voice shouted in my head as it waved red flags. I should get out. Leave and run down to my office and forget that such a creature existed. She had distraction written all over her, and that was the last thing I needed.
“Oh, is she okay?”
“Yeah. Peachy. I’ll step out and let you change,” I suggested. Okay, good! Get out and head to your office. We don’t date! And we’re not a massage therapist!
“You don’t have to,” she said, and when she stepped forward, it was like my feet were nailed to the ground. The gorgeous woman reached for my wrist, and my nose flared as zips of electricity rushed up and down my body. All from a simple touch.
“I don’t?” My voice cracked like a pubescent teenage boy’s.
“Maybe just turn around?” Turn around? What the hell! The temptation was too damn big. It was like my head was yelling at me to leave, rush out of there and get ack to work, but my heart and body said the opposite. Maybe it was my fault? It’d been a while since I got laid.
“I can step out and?—“
“If you do, I might not do this,” she whispered and then stilled. It was almost like I could feel the nervous energy radiating off her.
“Why?” I leaned in just a little closer. It was like we were two magnets, attracted to one another, unable to resist the pull towards one another.
“I’ve never been, umm, nude in front of anyone, and I didn’t realize how nerve wrecking this could get.”
“You’ve…” My eyes roamed up and down her body. “Never…” I couldn’t get the rest of the words out. Her face was a bright shade of pink.Did that mean she was a virgin? How could someone so beautiful be untouched?
“I mean, my doctor, but who hasn’t, right?”
“Breathe,” I found myself ordering, captivated by the way her eyes widened. But she did as I told her. “Good girl,” I praised. That bloom on her face brightened. I tangled our fingers together, loving the way her small delicate hand fit in mine.
“You want a massage?” I asked, and she nodded.
I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I’d never given or received a massage. People went to school for this, for fuck’s sake. How hard can it be? a little voice chimed in. She’s gorgeous. You give her a little rubdown, and that will be it, it whispered. You know you want to spend more time with her. Maybe give her some much-needed relief. She won’t know the difference!
“Okay.” I nodded, letting go of her hand. “Undress and get under the sheet,” I ordered. “I’ll turn around. Just let me know when you’re under the sheet and ready to go.”
“Okay.” She smiled almost gratefully up at me. “Thank you,” she added. Like a bastard, I turned around. Letting her believe this was normal. Professional. Almost like I was doing her the favor. I was a dick. There was nothing professional about the shit running through my mind.
My heart felt like it was about to pound out of my chest as I stared down at my shoes. When my head rose, my eyes widened when I realized I was standing in front of a mirror. One that was directly in front of my beautiful girl.
My beautiful girl? She wasn’t mine.
I shook the thought away, but I couldn’t tear my eyes off the mirror. It was like they were glued there. Something about the beautiful little pixie called me like no one ever had before. In the reflection of her standing behind me, her dainty little hands reached for the hem of her shirt, and she pulled it up and over her head, exposing her back and the strap of a lacy bra. I swallowed hard and tried to come up with baseball stats, anything to calm the way my dick was suddenly coming to life.
The back of my teeth mashed together as my hands fisted at my sides. I breathed deeply and tried to get a hold of myself, but fuck, it was hard. I was hard all fucking over. I couldn’t tear my gaze off her reflection. Especially not when she reached behind her and took her bra off. She folded that and her shirt, setting them on a chair next to the massage table. When she stepped out of her jeans, her plump ass cheeks bounced so beautifully my palm itched to smack them just to see them dance for me one more time. Spank? I’d never wanted to do anything like that. I forced my eyes down to the ground and kept them there. I heard her move around the room and closer to the table.
“Should I be face up or down?” her sweet-as-honey voice asked, and my brain went blank. It was an easy question.
“Down,” I replied, not sure why. She moved, her feet shuffling around, and then the table shifted as she settled her pretty little body on top. My Adam’s apple bobbed as my dick strained against my slacks. What the hell was wrong with me? When was the last time I’d ever had this kind of reaction towards a woman? Never. Not once. Sure, I’d had my share when I was younger. Dating had never been tough. I wasn’t conceded; I just knew I wasn’t a bad-looking guy. But nothing had ever stuck. Not with how work and making our hotels what they were today had always been my priority.
When she told me she was ready, I turned and blinked. How the hell did I find myself in this situation? There, on the massage table, lay the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Someone I most definitely hadn’t planned on and didn’t need in that moment. My eyes drifted from her and towards the door. I could walk out and pretend I’d never seen her. Go back to living my life without knowing such beauty existed.
I took a step, my head yelling at me to get the fuck out of there, when she turned. Her dark eyes met my blue ones, and I froze. She smiled so sweetly, so innocently, my heart had no choice but to crack wide open for her. I had no idea why the pull I felt towards her was so visceral, so strong, but I couldn’t deny it.
“I did it!” she whispered, her eyes glittering with joy like she’d just run a marathon. “Thank you!” She licked her lips, and I was a fucking goner. But as if that wasn’t enough, she kept talking, shaking not just my heart but my soul. “I don’t think I could have been brave enough to do all this without you.”
Her words tugged at my heart.
I hadn’t done anything, and she was giving me credit I absolutely didn’t deserve. I’d lied to her, letting her believe I was a trained masseuse when I wasn’t. Had even snuck a peek at the delicious curves that lay covered beneath the black sheet draped over her body.
I hadn’t touched her yet. I could get out and order someone else to take care of her. That thought alone had me seeing red. The idea of someone else’s hands on her, regardless of them being a man or woman, didn’t settle well with me.
No, you can’t , my realistic heart murmured. She’s yours. You can’t walk away.
She was mine.
All I knew about her was that her name was Max and this was her first massage, first time undressing in front of someone who wasn’t a medical professional, and she was more than likely a goddamn virgin. I had no idea how old she was or where she was from. Hell, she could be living on the other side of the planet for all I knew, here on vacation.
But she was mine.
And I’d just lied about who I was.
Fuck.