Angelica’s face is flushed with happiness when we leave the secure building. On the way out, I give her another surprise. “Any time you need anything, you can come to this building and go into my safe. When you signed that pad and entered your finger, I was adding you to the security system so you can always enter. I keep an amount of cash in case of emergency in the safe, as well.”

She shakes her head. “You’re too much.”

“You’re too much. You—” I lose the words I wanted to say. “You changed everything.”

We get into the car and Angelica leans up against me as Stuart steers us into the traffic. Her chest rises and falls, her breath calm. My own chest opens up, my heart overflows. I’ll never say it to any of my friends—not Connor—but there’s no better feeling in the whole world than being in love.

Than being in love with Angelica.

It’s so clear to me now that everything else I thought was love was mutual lust, a business transaction that was ultimately hollow, a risk not worth taking.

“Wait,” she says as we go past the usual turn for the penthouse. “Where are we going? My place?”

“Oh, right. We’re not going back to my place.

“Okay.”

“Or yours.”

She sits up straight, eyes shining. “Where, then?”

I turn toward the front of the Town Car. “Stuart?”

He brings the car to a stop at the next light, then pulls something off the front seat and hands it back to me.

“Jett, what did you—?”

I hold up the garment bag in front of Angelica and unzip it, revealing an evening dress in dusky rose. I’ll tell her later that I bought it for her the week after we met, and I’ve been saving it all along for something special.

This is it.

“Do you want me to look away?”

“No,” she says with a wicked smile, then starts stripping off her jacket. I glance in the rearview mirror. Stuart’s eyes are locked on the road.

Good man.

Angelica is down to her bra and panties in less than thirty seconds. Then she reaches for the dress.

“Wait.”

She pauses, her hands in the air, and gives me a look.

I put the bag on the seat next to me and lean over, running my hands over the curves of her waist. I am never, for as long as I live, going to pass up the chance to worship her body in every possible way.”

“Jett....”

I kiss her, soft and slow, and she moans into my mouth, starts to press the length of her body against mine....

I pull away.

She groans in frustration. “Why?”

“We’re almost there.”

She points an accusing finger at me. “You did that on purpose.”

“Not entirely. I can’t resist you.”

“Good.”

She leans over me, and for a moment I think she might straddle me, which would be icing on the cake. Instead, she runs her lips along my jawline, then snatches up the garment bag from the other side of me.

“Vixen.”

“I never claimed otherwise.”

She shimmies into the dress, which looks stunning even when she’s sitting in the backseat of the Town Car. I can’t wait to get her home. Her place, mine—I don’t care.

But first—this.

Stuart pulls up in front of the main entrance of the Swan and stays seated, like I discussed with him earlier. I get out and go around to Angelica’s door, open it, and hold my hand out to her. She takes it with a wide smile.

“Back to first-date territory?”

“Plus a little extra.”

There’s a photographer from one of the gossip magazines outside the main entrance, leaning up against the wall, and I take my time leading her in. Before we go in the door, I dip her back and kiss her again, the click of the shutter carrying over the traffic noises.

I want everyone to see.

I want everyone to know.

I don’t give a shit what news breaks in the coming days and weeks. I want the world to know I love Angelica Chandler.

I’d shout it out right now, but there’s something I need to do first. For her. For me.

When I break the kiss and lift her back up to standing, we’re both a little breathless. Giddy. Electricity arcs between our hands.

“Did you get us the same table?” Angelica jokes as we head into the lobby, but then she sees who’s standing inside and her jaw drops.

“Mom? Adam?”

Her mother and brother are both dressed to the nines, her mother beaming and radiant in something midnight blue, her brother in a suit I had sent over for him this morning. It only took a little dishonesty on my part, which I’m sure Angelica will forgive—their numbers were the very first ones saved in her phone.

“Honey,” her mother says, wrapping Angelica in her arms. I see instantly from whom she gets her good looks. Her mother pats her back, then steps back and sizes me up. “Jett Brandon,” she says, a little wonderingly. Then she laughs, deep and rich. “I can see why she fell for you.”

“Mom!”

Adam steps forward and shakes my hand. “Adam Chandler,” he says with a sheepish smile. I give him a firm shake and a nod.

“Are we ready?” I say, getting an enthusiastic nod from Angelica’s mother and a slightly more subdued one from Adam.

“Jett,” Angelica says, linking her arm through mine. “What are we—?”

“You’ll see, I promise.”

I lead them down one of the hallways off the lobby, taking us past the main dining rooms to one of the more opulent rooms for rent. There are about twenty tables inside, and when we come through the door, Angelica’s mother gasps.

Each of the tables is set with glittering centerpieces, candles, the works—and gathered near the door is a crowd. Connor is here, most of my best friends, and Angelica’s, too—even her boss couldn’t hide her excitement when I told her about the event. The woman might be cold-hearted, but inviting her will make things easier for Angelica in the long run, I hope.

Not that she’ll need to work, if she doesn’t want to.

That’s beside the point.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” I say, and everyone applauds like we’re royalty. When they quiet down, I continue. “I want to introduce to you the love of my life, the woman who makes me better in every way, the woman I hope will never leave my side: Angelica Chandler.”

In the crescendo of their applause, Angelica turns to me, pulls my face down to hers, and kisses me.

Our forever begins now.