Hooker (L.A. Liaisons Book 2) (28 page)

“People,” Nate said, shaking his head. Then his gaze traveled down between us, and he licked his lips. “I’ve missed those pajama pants.”

“I missed these suspenders,” I replied, snapping one like a rubber band.
 

His dimples deepened, and then he cupped my face, his forehead resting against mine. Such a simple act, but it was all that was needed to have the anxious nerves evaporating like the ocean on your skin under the hot sun.
 

“Nate?” I said, breathing him in and opening my eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“I know.”
 

And then he kissed me, and it was butterflies, and fireworks and explosions, but most of all, it was the assurance that he knew who he was kissing, really knew, and wanted to anyway. My hands threaded through the soft strands of his hair that now sat just above his collar, and his stubble grazed against my cheek as our tongues tangled. And then it occurred to me that this was the first time I’d ever been able to do this with him in public. To do more than hold his hand, without a wig, without a hat, just open and exposed and without any other cares in the world.
 

And it felt fucking fantastic.

When he pulled away, he kissed the tip of my nose and then lifted his eyes to the sign above him. “You know…I think that sign’s a little misleading.” He looked behind me to make sure the coast was clear and then pulled a Post-it pad out of his pocket, along with a Sharpie. After scribbling something across it, he peeled off the sticky note and slapped it on the sign, right over the word “one,” so that it now read:

MEALS FOR
TWO

“Much better,” I said, my arm going around his waist as his wrapped around my shoulders. We stood there looking at his handiwork until the intercom came on, alerting shoppers that the store would be closing soon.
 

Nate picked up his empty basket and put it underneath mine to share. His brow wrinkled as he looked up and down the aisle at the selections behind the frosted doors. Then he winked at me and said, “There’s nothing here that’s appealing to me anymore. I’m suddenly in the mood for ice cream.”

“Yeah, that sounds good. We can stop by Licked if you— Ohhh,” I said as my brain finally picked up what he was throwing down, which should’ve been blatantly obvious by the way his eyes never left by pants. “Lead the way home, then, Mr. Ryan.”

EPILOGUE

Six Months Later

“WHY THE HELL am I blindfolded? It’s not like I don’t know where my new office is. Or the fact that the girls will be there, because I
did
invite them for drinks, ya know.” Shayne sounded faux annoyed as I led her up the sidewalk and into the building that housed her new business, Happily Ever After, Inc. I halted her so I could open the door and took a moment to admire the way her long blue dress molded to her body like a second skin. As she brushed past me, I stepped in behind her, and then grabbed her hand as we walked over to the bank of elevators.

“I figured you missed wearing disguises,” I said, punching the up button, and the doors immediately opened.
 

“Aren’t you hilarious. If I fall on my face—”

“Do you honestly think I’d let you fall?”

Her teeth came out to bite her bottom lip as a smile threatened to break free. “Maybe…if you needed a good laugh.”

“Nah. The only way I’d let that happen is if I hit the ground first.”

“Aww. So you fall, I fall. That’s so cute.”

“Well, more like
you
fall, I try to hold us up, but yeah, something like that.”

She giggled as we reached the seventh floor, and I held her around the waist as we exited the elevator and headed to her new office.

“You ready?” I asked when we came to a stop in front of the door.
 

“I think I’m gonna spew I’m so excited,” she said, holding her stomach, and then she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Can I take the blindfold off yet?”
 

“No.”

“Okay. What about now?”

“Nope.”

“Now?”

“Shayne,” I growled.
 

“Okay, okay.”

I rapped on the door three times and then pushed it open. As we entered, I took off her blindfold and flipped the light switch.

“Surprise!”
 

Shayne jumped about a foot as the thunder of voices vibrated across the room. The space was packed with people, all new clients and former ones that had made the jump from HLS, as well as Shayne’s girlfriends, and even her—

“Mum? Dad?” she said, her eyes wide before she ran straight into their open arms. “Oh my gosh, what are you doing here?”

“We couldn’t miss our baby girl starting her new business, now could we?” her dad said, kissing her temple. He was about the same height as Shayne, with the same eyes, but that was where the similarities ended. She had her petite mom’s coloring, right down to the ivory skin and wild red curls, though she kept hers cropped just above her shoulders.
 

Shayne was shaking her head in disbelief. “You flew all the way across the Pacific just for this?”

“Of course, baby. Not to mention there was someone we’ve been dying to meet.” Her mom looked over at me before stepping forward and holding out her arms. As I embraced her, she said, “So good to finally meet you in person, Nate. You’re so handsome. That video chat thing doesn’t do you justice.” Then she pulled back and looked up at me. “And look, you’re even taller than our Gracie girl. Garry, can you believe she found someone bigger than she is?”

“Mum!” Shayne protested.

“Oh, darling, I don’t mean big as in your thighs,” she said, and then turned to me and whispered, “She’s so sensitive about her legs, you know.”

“Uh, Carolyn, why don’t we let Shayne make her rounds and catch up with her later, hmm? I’ll get you some punch. We’ll see you in a bit.” Garry put his arm around his wife and led her over to the banquet table that the girls had set up with finger foods, desserts, and drinks.
 

Shayne rounded on me and shook her head, though she had a huge grin on her face. “Let me guess. That was all your idea.”

“Guilty.”

“You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”

“Why yes, I do.”

She playfully slapped at my chest and then frowned. “Is my makeup all smeared now?” she asked, her beautiful eyes looking up at me as she swiped underneath her eyes.
 

I shook my head and brought her hand to my lips to plant a soft kiss across her knuckles. “Nope. You’re perfect.”

She beamed and then leaned in for a kiss—

“Oh, break it up, you two, and come greet your guests,” Paige said, as she came up beside us and stole Shayne away. “Nice touch with the blindfold,” she called out to me over her shoulder.

“Nate, hey.” A hard clap on my shoulder had me turning around to see Ace standing there.
 

I greeted him with a clasped hand and a pat on the back. “Good to see you here, man. Thanks for coming.”

“Wouldn’t miss it. The place looks great.” He looked around the open space, decorated in airy beach colors that Shayne had said reminded her of childhood summers spent at the beach where she grew up in Wollongong. And I only remembered
that
piece of information because I’d made her say it five times fast, and shocker of all shocks, she did.
 

“The girls went through the client list that’s scheduled for the next couple of months and invited all these people. This whole thing is just going to explode, you know that, right?”

“If this is where she’s starting, that’s damn impressive. And thank fuck she’s away from that psychopath of a boss. That woman’s attempt at conversation was to unzip my pants under the table.”

“And I thought her grabbing my ass was bad,” I said, laughing. “But seriously, thank you for helping make her dreams come true. The girls said they’ve never seen her so happy.”

“No, I don’t believe that for a second.” He looked me dead in the eye. “But as far as the business side of it goes, I mean it when I say it’s the least I could do for…hell, all of it. I’m just glad I screwed your head on straight before you lost her for good.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Whoa, man, word choices.”

“Oh, shit. Yeah, you know what I mean—”

“What the
fuck
are you doing here?” Paige shrieking from behind me had us shutting up and turning in her direction. A man in a casual suit, the top half of his shirt unbuttoned, was barely in the door before Paige stomped over, attempting to usher him back out. With a self-satisfied smirk, long dirty blond hair pulled back, and sporting what looked like eyeliner, he looked like something out of one of those glam rock bands or some shit. Come to think of it, he’d been at the club in Vegas with us back in January. Didn’t look like those two were on any better terms.
 

“You’re becoming a broken record, Pita,” he said, his smile lazy. “One of these days you could greet me by simply saying hello.”

Her hands balled into fists as they went to her hips. “You mean goodbye. This isn’t a brothel, Dickwad.”

“Judging by your appearance here, I’d say that statement is false. Besides, I heard this is the hot new place to pick up chicks.”

“There won’t be any reason to pick up anyone when I cut off your balls and serve them as an appetizer at my next wedding event.”

The man bristled. “You get so flushed and passionate when you talk about my balls. Please continue.”

Wheeling around, I pushed Ace toward the drink table before they started throwing things at each other’s heads.
 

Even as I chatted with Shayne’s parents and struck up conversations with the other guests, I kept one eye on my girl, and I couldn’t help but be awed by the effortless way she put everyone around her at ease. Pride swelled in my chest, and well over an hour passed before the crowd parted enough that I could make my way over to her.
 

“I don’t think that smile has left your face since we walked in,” I said, coming up behind her.
 

“Oh my God, Nate, I’m floored. Sensory overload, seriously.”

“Well, there’s just…one more thing,” I said, taking her hand and leading her over to the wall of windows that overlooked the city. It was a stunning view, and Shayne would have the same one from her office that was to the left.
 

Shayne raised an eyebrow. “Another surprise? It’s not Val, is it?”
 

Laughing, I shook my head. “Fuck no, and security downstairs knows she’s not allowed within ten feet of the building.”

“Guess I can put my mace away, then.”

“Nah, keep it on you in case someone gets too handsy with my girl.”

“Your girl, huh?” She smiled as she stared up at me, her expression so full of joy I wished I could keep it on her face forever.
 

“Are you opposed to that?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “Because I’ve got to ask you something…”

Shayne’s eyes shot straight to where my hand was reaching into my pocket for what I wanted to give her. When I pulled it out, I held it behind my back.

“Do you remember our conversation on our first date?”

“You mean the IHOP date?”

“That would be the one. Do you remember when we talked about bucket lists and what I told you?”

Shayne’s hand grew shaky in mine when she gulped and whispered, “You said you wanted to fall in love.”

I smiled and nodded. “I did say that. And—”

“Oh my God, you’re not going to propose, are you?” Paige sounded horrified as she came to an abrupt stop next to us, her martini splashing over the lip. The room went dead silent as everyone turned in our direction.
 

Oh shit.

“Paige,” Shayne said through clenched teeth. “Shut
up
.
”

“Dude, at least get down on your damn knee,” she protested.
 

Okay, this is not going like I planned it.

Clearing my throat, I turned my attention back to Shayne. Yeah, now I was sweating like a motherfucker.
 

“There was something else I mentioned on that list,” I said. “And I thought it might be a nice addition to what you’ve got going on here.”

Shayne’s forehead pinched ever so slightly. “And what would that be?”

I looked over my shoulder and nodded at Ryleigh and Hunter, and her gaze followed. When they pulled back the curtain from the corner of the room, it took her a moment to realize what it was she was staring at, and then she gasped.
 

“Is that a—” She took a few steps forward, her hand still in mine, and touched the thin red iron bars that crisscrossed up and down the outline of the large heart sculpture. I’d had Hunter custom-build the piece with a partner of his over the last few weeks, and it stood about seven feet tall and the same distance wide.

Shayne’s eyes were watery as she looked up at me. “Is this for what I think it is?”

Bringing forward the object I’d held behind my back, I nodded. Then I opened my palm, and she gingerly picked it up. The padlock was the same shade as her hair, brilliant and fiery, and as she fingered the inscriptions, she smiled and a tear dropped. Our initials were carved into one side, and on the other, the date of—

“The day I met your Star Wars underpants.” She laughed, and the sound was like a thousand twinkling chimes on a breeze. Then she winked. “I mean you.”
 

“I thought maybe your clients could come back and…you know.” I gestured toward the sculpture. “Fill up the heart.”

“Fill up the heart,” she repeated, staring in awe at what stood in front of her. “I don’t know what to say.” Then she brushed a stray tear from her cheek as her friends gathered around her.

“And we made one for all of us too,” Ryleigh said, showing Shayne the bright pink lock with all four of their initials and the word “Forever” on the bottom.
 

Shayne looked around at all the family, friends, and others supporting her dream and said, “You guys, this is so much. I wouldn’t even have any of this if it weren’t for all of you.”