EPILOGUE
ALI
It’s surreal to be standing in a hotel ballroom completely decorated in the theme of my debut novel. The entrance to the large space is lined with an enlarged version of the book’s cover and a giant print of my author photo. There’s a smaller sign between them that reads, “Book Launch Party.”
Chris finds me gawking at the large posters. “How you doin’?” he whispers into my ear. I shiver, my skin breaking out in goosebumps.
“This is crazy,” I whisper back. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Believe it, baby, because it’s real.”
He kisses my temple, arm protectively curved around my back. We’ve been together for a year now, though it feels like so much longer. I’m so grateful his company changed the rules for us so we could date. I can’t imagine my life without Chris Carmichael in it.
We stand together and survey the room. There are over a hundred people here and the party has just started. I wipe a tear from my eye, hoping no one notices, but Chris knows everything.
“What’s wrong?” he asks softly.
“Nothing,” I say. “Happy tears, I promise. I’m just trying to wrap my head around this whole thing. They’re all here for me.”
“Yes, they are. And you deserve it. Your book is amazing and in a few days, the entire world is going to know it too.”
Because my book comes out on Tuesday, just four days away. There are copies here for the guests, but the public won’t get to read my baby until the release date. I’ve been told that pre-orders are off the charts, so I’m looking forward to release day.
“Thank you so much, Chris. This is all because of you,” I murmur gratefully.
“No way,” he says. “It’s all you, baby.”
I smile up at him, and he bends down to kiss me tenderly. It took some getting used to, but I love having a boyfriend as amazing as Chris. It’s unreal that I got a book deal and a boyfriend all in the same month, when for years, I was dating duds. How did I get so lucky?
An hour into the party, Jenny finds me and tells me I need to make a speech. I hate public speaking, but Chris stands up on the stage with me, so I don’t freak out. Or run away like a scared rabbit.
“Hi, everyone,” I say, looking out at the countless faces staring back at me. “As I’m sure you know from the giant picture of my face by the door, I’m Ali Hartman and I wrote You Can’t Go Home. This book started as a writing project while I was in school, and it became a story I couldn’t let go. Thankfully, I found someone who believed in the story as much as I did. None of this would be possible if my agent, Darla, hadn’t found my query in the slush pile and signed me to her agency.”
I motion to the redhead in the crowd, and she waves, grinning ear to ear.
“Of course, it takes a village to finish a book. I’m so grateful that Carmichael Publishing, especially my editor Jenny, loved my book as much as Darla and I did. They took a huge chance on me, and I can’t thank them enough.” Polite applause smatters across the room. I take a deep breath because my final thank you is here.
“And my boyfriend, Chris, who is standing here with me, has been my rock and my muse since we first met just over a year ago. You can thank him for inspiring my second book, which is going to come out next year.”
He smiles at the crowd and gives me a light kiss on the cheek.
“Everyone at Carmichael Publishing has been amazing. Thank you for the opportunity to get my voice out there and show the world what I’m made of. And thank you to all of the guests who came out here to celebrate my book with me. You make all of this possible. Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my parents. My mom is a poet and my dad owns a hardware store. Together, they taught me how to write, how to persevere, and how to love. I owe them everything. Thank you, Mom and Dad.”
I hold up my glass to the room. “To those who inspire us, and to those who make our dreams come true. Cheers!”
Everyone in the room takes a drink. I leave the microphone, expecting to climb off the makeshift stage and mingle with the crowd again, but Chris stops me.
“Hi, everyone,” he says into the microphone. “My name is Chris Carmichael, CEO of Carmichael Publishing and also the lucky man who gets to call Ali his girlfriend.”
The crowd ahhhs and I stare up at him. Where is he going with this?
“For the past year, I’ve been standing by Ali while she slaves away, proving herself over and over again. We got off to a rocky start, but now that I have her, I’m never going to let her go. That’s why,” he says, turning to me, “I’m here to ask you all to be witnesses for this important question.”
Oh my god! Is this really happening? My jaw drops as my eyes go wide, heart beating furiously. But it really is because Chris drops down to one knee and pulls a small satin box from his suit pocket.
“Ali Hartman,” he pronounces, those blue eyes seizing mine. “Will you marry me?”
The rest of the world disappears into a blur so that there’s only this man before me. My eyes fill with tears as I extend my left hand. “Yes! Of course, yes!”
Chris slides the simple, three diamond band onto my finger and I pull him up to me. Our lips meet in a passionate kiss as the audience explodes into applause.
Because I’d noticed Chris acting oddly weird over the last few months, but I thought it was work stress. I never imagined he was planning to propose to me at my book launch.
I can’t think of a better proposal.
Once we make our way off the stage, my parents find me and congratulate us. The twinkle in their eyes says they knew Chris was planning this. I pull him tight against my side and smile as he kisses my cheek. My fiancé. I could really get used to that.
Chris and I part ways after we hug my parents. The women in the room want to see my ring while the men want to congratulate Chris on popping the question.
But another hour into the party, we find each other again.
“Hey,” he growls into my ear. I recognize the sultry tone of his voice and meet his lust-filled eyes. “Let’s get out of here. I booked us a room upstairs.”
“There are still people here!” I gasp. “I can’t just leave my own party!”
His eyes flare.
“They won’t notice, baby. Well, they’ll notice but I don’t care.”
My heart skips a beat because how can I say no? My parents have already left, and so did Darla. There’s no one here I absolutely have to say goodbye to. I take Chris’ hand and let him lead me upstairs.
Once inside the elevator, Chris pushes me up against the wall and kisses me hard and deep. “You’re mine forever,” he says. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, husband mine.”
We try to contain ourselves as best we can until we reach our room. Chris fumbles with the key card, but once we’re inside, it only takes a few seconds for our clothes to end up on the ground.
Chris pushes my naked body down onto the bed and kisses my neck, then my breasts. Every time his lips touch my sensitive skin, I gasp for air. We’re no strangers to intimacy, but it always feels just as good as the first time.
“You’re so amazing at this,” I mewl as he works on my breasts. “You know exactly where to kiss me.”
He grins at me. “I know my girl.”
I grasp the sheets as he continues to suck my tender breasts. When he’s had his fun, he kisses down my belly to my thighs. “God, your hips are perfect,” he says. “Made for my loving.”
He peppers my thighs with kisses, teasing me. I try to push his head to my center, where I really want him to be, but he keeps moving around it before finally giving me what I need. His lips meet my swollen clit and I nearly orgasm at the touch.
“Yes!” I scream deliriously. I don’t care if the entire hotel hears. “Oh god, yes!”
“You like that?” he asks devlishly. He keeps licking and sucking my clit while his fingers find my sopping hole. He slams three fingers into me, causing me to scream out.
“Don’t stop,” I pant. “Your fingers feel amazing inside me.”
He obeys. His tongue, his lips, and his fingers ravage my pussy. “I’m so close,” I shriek. Each thrust of his fingers brings me closer and closer to the edge.
“Come for me baby,” he rasps. “Let me feel you come. I want to taste you.”
“Oh, yes,” I scream. “I’m comiiiiiing!”
My eyes close and my brain goes foggy as the intense orgasm takes over my entire body. I shiver as Chris continues to pump his fingers inside so that I can get the best out of the climax. I finally have to push his hand away merely to calm down. His digits exit with a obscene wet sucking sound, glistening under the lights.
With another devilish smile, Chris lifts them to his mouth and sucks.
“Shit my baby tastes good,” he croons. “Your pussy is like candy, sweetheart.” But he’s not done yet. My fiancé crawls back up so he’s next to me. He kisses my lips, so I can taste myself on him. “You’re so fucking sweet,” he says. “I love eating you out.”
I giggle breathlessly.
“You’re good at it. It’s why I’m marrying you.”
Chris laughs into my neck. My hand grasps his hard cock, and he jerks.
“I want you inside me,” I tell him.
“Your wish is my command, sweetheart. I’m here to obey.”
Chris moves to slide himself in me, but I stop him. “I want to ride you.”
He kisses me hard and flips me over so I’m on top of him. Over the last year, this has become my favorite position. I have so much control when I’m on top, and the sensation is fantastic.
I center his cock at my opening and lower myself slowly, my pussy lips spreading as he stretches out my cunt. “Oh, yes,” he groans when he bottoms out inside. That giant cock fills me up so good.
I start to lift myself up off his cock and slam myself back down. I moan with every thrust, loving how incredible Chris feels inside me.
“You’re so fucking deep,” I pant. “So deep.”
“Keep doing that, baby. Go faster.” I do as he asks, speeding up the pace. “Oh, God, yes. You’re gonna make me come, baby.”
Our lips meet. One of his hands fondles my breasts while the other moves between us to rub my clit.
“I’m gonna come again,” I cry urgently. “Keep doing that.”
I impale myself on Chris’ hard cock repeatedly while he pleasures my clit and nipples. It doesn’t take long before my second orgasm of the night rocks through my body.
“Yes, baby, come for me. I’m gonna pump my load in you.”
And with that, my man’s jizz fills me up as my pussy constricts over his cock, squeezing like a vise. It pulls more and more semen from his spurting fire hose, sucking it all deep into my fertile insides. I continue to ride him until I can’t take it anymore. I collapse on top of that massive chest, feeling his dick soften and his sperm drip out of me.
“Shit. That was amazing,” he growls, kissing my neck.
“You get that for the rest of your life,” I say archly. “Because we’re going to be married.”
Chris shifts so he’s on his side and I’m next to him. His intense blue gaze meets my eyes. “I never thought I’d want to be the guy who got married and had a family, but then I met you. There’s no one in the world I would rather spend the rest of my life with, Ali.”
“Me too,” I tell him, breathless with emotion. “I love you.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
The alpha male smiles at me and kisses my lips tenderly. But you know us. Within two seconds, I’ve lowered my hand to his cock to use my juices to pump him up. It doesn’t take long for him to get hard again.
Chris smirks. “Ready for round two?”
“Always,” I coo. And Chris climbs on top of me and we start our love making again. But this time, while he’s filling me with his perfect cock, I twist his ring on my finger. This amazing man is going to be my husband. I get all of him, forever.
Yeah, I could definitely get used to that. Because I started out tempting the boss, but he changed all the rules to be with me. And now that we’re together? It’s pure bliss … and will be forevermore.
THE END
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