“Excuse me?”

I blinked, sure that I’d misheard Julian just now.

To his credit, he didn’t flinch. He should have. But he didn’t. “You’re fired.”

“I’m.” I paused, blinked again, looked around, wondering if anyone else was hearing this nonsense. “I’m what?”

His hands reached out, grabbing my elbows and squeezing gently. “Let me explain.”

“Okay.” I stood stock still, staring at him. “That’s a really good idea. Explain to me why you’re firing me. Me. Your best employee. In the middle of a company party.”

“Because you’re too good for this company,” he replied.

“Okay.” I narrowed my eyes. “I’m listening.”

He grabbed my hand. “Come with me,” he murmured. “It’s too noisy here.”

I let him lead me off the dance floor and out into a deserted hallway. Then I turned to face him, crossing my arms over my chest to keep him from touching me. I lost my mind whenever his hands were on me, and I needed my wits about me right now. Especially since he looked absolutely scrumptious tonight in the three-piece suit I’d made him get fitted for last week. He was just too tempting tonight.

“You’re going to do great things, Taylor. You’re smart, and ambitious, and driven. You’re going to make lip gloss that will change the world.”

Despite myself, the corners of my mouth twitched, and I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from smiling. I had to be Take No Prisoners Taylor right now.

“Yes, I will,” I agreed, because I really did believe in my dream with everything I had.

“But you can’t do that while you’re making coffee for me.”

“I do more than make your coffee, thank you,” I snipped.

“I know. My office and my schedule are better organized than I ever could have imagined. And you even do it at home. You fold my laundry and record Top Gear and make sure my favorite beer is always in the fridge.”

I nodded, because I deserved all this praise. “I know this.”

“But Taylor, you can’t change the world while you’re running mine.” He stepped forward, placing his hands on my shoulders, and I shivered, just like I knew I would. “I’m firing you so you can go back to school and pursue your dream.”

Well, that was it. He finally saw me, all of me. And he not only respected me and the things that were important to me; he supported me, too.

But there was one small catch.

“I don’t have enough saved,” I admitted. “I have a year and a half left on my undergrad program, and I’m still a little short. And if I decide to go to graduate school, that more than doubles the amount I’d need. Syracuse is a private school. It’s expensive.” It was also upstate, farther away from Julian than I would really want. But I didn’t want to think about that right then.

“I thought of that,” he said slowly. “And I know you don’t want my money. But I love you.” He smoothed my hair back from my face, tucking it behind my ear. “What’s mine is yours. And I want to help you achieve all the amazing things I know you can achieve. I want to help you go back to Syracuse, or, you know, something closer to home, since lots of schools have good chemistry programs.” He gave me a pointed look, but I was too distracted to think about his suggestion right now.

I blinked back tears. “Say that again.”

“Which part?” He grinned, telling me he knew the answer already.

I smacked him lightly on the shoulder. “Stop being a tease.”

He cupped my face in his hands. “I love you, Taylor Zofia Kusmierski.”

I raised a brow at his use of my full name. “Oh, so you did read my file, huh?”

He grinned. “Yeah. I just thought that little frown line right-” he pressed his thumb between my eyes- “here was adorable. You get so mad when you think I’m not paying attention to you.”

I leaned forward. “I do not have any frown lines.” I nipped his lower lip. “Adorable or otherwise.”

“You do. And they’re as perfect as the rest of you,” he murmured, just before he covered my mouth with his.

His kisses were addictive. I already knew this. But this one felt like so much more than the ones before it. This was one I wanted to taste again and again, because it was the first kiss that made his intentions clear. He was going to care for me, to worship me, to love me, forever.

And I would do the same, because as much as I needed him to understand me, I understood him, too. I knew he loved his family, and he was a little bit too jealous, and he could piss me off without even trying. I knew he was messy and careless and he sometimes said the wrong thing. I knew I would have an uphill battle convincing him to trim the hobo beard.

But I also knew he was mine, and I was his.

I broke the kiss reluctantly. But his hands were creeping up my hips, and I knew where he was going with this.

“Take me home,” I told him. “Because if you think my first time will be in a hallway of a winery, with a thousand of our co-workers just steps away, you are crazy.”

He grinned. “Babe, if this is crazy, I don’t want to be sane.”