I wrapped my legs around his waist and felt his hands over my hips while he carried me to the bedroom. We'd been kissing furiously since he shut the door behind us, but I had to pull away and quickly check the time.

"Still got two hours remaining with the sitter," I said, looking back at him.

He smiled.

"That doesn't give me nearly enough time to do what I want to do with you," he said throwing me onto the mattress. "But I'll settle with just two hours."

I laughed as he kissed my face, then my neck before nibbling on my ear and making me moan.

His touch, his presence, and the moment made me feel free. Freer than I'd felt for a long, long time. The dark cloud that had been lingering over my head was lifted, and I couldn't wait to move on with my life. I was happy that I no longer had to blame myself for not giving Max's father the benefit of the doubt, telling myself that I should forgive him for prioritizing his career. It was now clear that he wasn't worthy of any guilt or any thoughts.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" Brad asked, stroking my hair.

I shook my head. "Nothing. Just kiss me."

He pulled away. "Easy, wild little cat. Want to talk first? Maybe order some pizza too?”

"How about we do all the talking after we're done with the more important things?"

My wink had him climb me like a tree, and he started licking me, teasing me in the most torturous way.

"No teasing," I panted. "Not today. Please."

He looked me in the eye and pulled my pants down with one hand, then unbuckled his own.

I spread my arms and held on to the sheets, twisting them and moaning as I felt him enter me.

"We've never had sex while it was just the two of us in the condo," I said into his lips while he fucked me.

"That gives me more reason to make you scream, doesn't it?"

Oh, he lived up to his promise. I didn't hold back. I didn't want to. Not today.

His shoulders were strong and broad, and I dug my nails into them every time he thrust so deep that it touched my sweet spot.

I told him that I was going to come, and he sucked on my nipple and brought his fingers to my lips. I licked them while he rode me, then grunted and moaned when he released.

"Fuck," he whispered, falling beside me.

"That would be the correct way to describe it."

He snorted. "You sound like you're in a good mood. I wonder why."

I wanted to say that was because I'd just had the hottest man make me feel like I was the prettiest woman on Earth. But I wasn't so cheesy.

"Why wouldn't I be? You kind of saved my ass.”

He tightened his lips and stared at the ceiling. "I never thought you'd think of it that way. Hell, I didn't even think you'd forgive me.“

He was now looking at me, and I saw the fear in his eyes when those thoughts occurred to him.

I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but instead, I told him that I was looking forward to our first date.

"I can't wait," he said, pulling me into his chest and kissing my head.

"You wanted to talk to me about something?" I asked, remembering that he'd told me he had something to catch me up on.

He didn't respond until I nudged him, then he said, "I'm quitting. I'm no longer going to be a partner at the firm."

My stomach dropped.

"Are you serious?"

He wasn't smiling and that answered my question.

"Wow. Well, how and why?"

"We bagged a high-profile client recently who ditched my father's firm because he'd fucked up."

I shrugged. I wasn't sure how good news such as this would lead to his quitting.

"And when I spoke to the client, I felt happy that I'd beaten my father. I was proud of the fact that I was finally getting ahead of him in the game. But not once did I stop to think that this meant progress in my career and my ambitions. This business has never been about me but about him, and I'm ready to let go of it now."

I listened to him, trying hard to process everything and still see his point of view.

"So, are you with me?" he asked.

I smiled. This was one of those things that I definitely didn't have to think about before answering. "Always. I'm always with you."

A part of me wanted to bombard him with questions, wanting to know what his plan was, but I already knew. He wanted to immerse himself in his restaurant business, his lifelong dream.

"How are you going to maintain these muscles of yours?" I joked, running my hand over his ripped chest. "You know, with all of your intense love for food and restaurants?"

"Oh, I don't have a choice, do I?" He laughed. "I need to make sure I continue looking good for you. Wouldn't want you crushing on younger and hotter men in the future."

I snuggled into him. "I like the sound of having a future with you."

He tightened his grip around me. "I do too. But first, we've got to also talk about your future."

Brad's next few words were completely surreal. Most of it sounded like it was some kind of dream that I was in and that I needed to wait for someone to pinch me out of it.

He told that he wanted me to join the firm.

"As a junior associate, of course, then we'll see how you like it and if you want to continue."

Apparently, his talk with Zander at the party really stayed with him. It was a combination of that and everything that I'd told him about my love for working at big corporations.

"Let's face it," he said. "I don't like numbers, but you do."

I couldn't argue with that. Numbers were my thing. I'd much rather stare at Excel spreadsheets rather than having to deal with people's personal issues and playing referee in marriages.

"What if I fuck up?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Who doesn't? But the chances of your fucking up are much smaller than mine."

"That goes for everything," I joked. "Not just in this business."

I squealed when he spanked my ass for saying that.

"I'm not taking no for an answer, Heather," he said, looking more serious than ever before. "I know you're a fast learner and you'll make partner in no time. But I'm sure you know it's not going to be easy.”

"I know. And I also know that I won't be treated any differently from the other junior associates. I want to climb up the ladder on my own. I don't want favors."

He was definitely liking the sound of what I was saying.

"You're an amazing woman," he said, then slid out of bed. "And I’m a dead man if I’m late and the board members decide to vote against me before I get a chance to quit."

* * *

I got home feeling giddy about so many things that when Jessica answered the door, I grabbed her hand and twirled her around.

"What the hell?" She laughed, then straightened her face and pulled me out of the apartment.

"Lily, watch your little cousin for a minute!" she yelled and shut the door behind her.

"I'm sorry. I thought the babysitter was supposed to stay until longer. Did you have to leave work early because of me?”

“What? No, no, no!" she said, looking like I'd just spoken French to her. "It's not that. Why do you look so happy? I didn't expect you to return home in this mood. Please tell me you're not back with—”

I grimaced and stepped back, wanting to cover my ears in case she finished her sentence.

"God, no."

"So then, why do you look like you're on cloud nine?"

My smile returned and I stomped my feet like a little girl. "Because I am. I met Brad."

"He told me he was going to be there," she said. "Well, at least I'm glad you're not pissed at me for giving him my blessing."

I held her by the shoulders and tightened my grip in excitement. "Do you?"

"Do I, what?"

I groaned. "Give him your blessing, Jessica."

She narrowed her eyes, then extracted all of the information out of me. "We only have a few minutes before Lily breaks Max."

I told her what happened at the park and then went a little overboard with describing to her what happened between Brad and me when we got to his place.

"Ew. Skip over that part."

Her jaw unhinged when I got to the part where Brad offered me a position at his firm, the firm that he was resigning from.

"That's a secret for now, though. He hasn't made a public statement yet, so don’t tell anyone.”

She crossed her arms together. "And who might I tell, you think? Herman Coleman?"

I burst out laughing. I didn't have much of a reason to, but laughter was just flowing freely out of me.

Jessica rubbed her hands together and widened her smile before opening the door, then started dancing out of nowhere. She held my hands and got me to join her.

"Bring me my phone, darling," she told Lily. "It's in my purse."

My sister paused for a second to turn on some commercial hits, and we continued to jump up and down like little girls who were out of control. Lily joined the party soon enough, shaking her arms and giggling.

"Should we call the girls?" I asked when we'd exhausted ourselves.

"So not in shape," Jessica replied, panting.

I chuckled. "Yes. You've gotta get your ass to the gym."

"So do you." She elbowed me. "Did they say they were coming?"

She was referring to Kelly, Rachel, and Dani.

I nodded. "I made it sound like it was really urgent and everything. They know it was a majorly stressful day for me. I'm sure they'll show up."

My phone buzzed on my lap. "Yep. They said they'll be here soon."

"I hope Dani brings some dessert," she said, rubbing her belly.

I ruffled her hair. "Such a fatty."

She wrapped her arms around me, letting a weird kind of sound escape her throat. "I'm so happy for you, Little Sis."

Lily climbed the couch and put her head on her mother's lap.

"We're both happy for you." Jessica grinned.

It took Dani, Rachel, and Kelly about fifty minutes to show up from the moment I'd texted them. It looked like each of them left immediately after I asked them to come over.

Jessica and I had calmed down considerably since then, so when they showed up with grim faces, I hugged them and shed tears of joy.

"Another group hug," I said, being squeezed a bit in the middle.

I repeated my story, and Jessica listened again like she was hearing it for the first time.

My sister hadn't seen me genuinely happy in a while, and I could only imagine that her motherly heart was full of joy when she watched me blush away every time I said Brad's name.

"He's invited me on a date," I said, sounding like a teenager who was talking to her best friends in school. "A real one."

"Does that mean you'll finally admit it?" Dani arched a brow.

Spreading my lips as wide as they could go, I smiled. "Yes. Bradley Coleman is my boyfriend."