“Well, hello,” I say.
“Hello, Mr. Sinclair.” She snaps a photo then releases a few of my buttons on my shirt and takes another one. “I hear you made a few lists this year.”
Instead of my usual groan, I grin. “That’s what they say.”
She straddles me and leans into my ear. “What do you think about naked photo shoots?”
Epilogue
Harper
Three Months Later
The last few months raced by. My new job with Cindy is fun and exciting. I’m learning a lot about photography. Steven loves his new position, too.
His old company called him and begged him to return. Dudmeyer even personally apologized. It seems Matt flailed too many times and got demoted back to his former position. But the trust was broken.
The judge didn’t allow bail for Maximillion since he was a flight risk. A week after his arrest, someone killed him in prison. The speculation one of Giovanni’s men did it was all over the news.
The announcement of Maximillion’s death crippled Beth. She couldn’t get out of bed for weeks. No matter what he had done to her, her heart was still attached to him. And she blamed herself. Quinn found a grief counselor for her, and she’s been slowly getting better.
The press hounded Beth but is slowly focusing on other headlines. For several weeks, they harassed Quinn and Steven, too. But the real story was Beth’s relationship with him. So the press finally backed off them. Beth’s still living with Quinn and Jamison but is about to go back to her place.
The death of Maximillion affected Quinn and Steven, too. It wasn’t grief but more of a shock. Maximillion was dead and could never mess with their mother again. But he was also their father, whether they liked to call him that or not. Quinn struggled with guilt about not feeling horrible her father died. Steven was enraged with his mother falling into a depression over Maximillion after what he did to her.
We worked out some of his anger together in the gym.
Steven and I have settled in. I rearranged his kitchen and feng shui’d the entire place. There really wasn’t a lot to do since he’s a minimalist, too, but the things driving me crazy, I repositioned. It only took me a few hours, and my quirkiness amused Steven.
My lease Steven paid off is coming due, so we’re going to spend the weekend in New York. Jamison went behind my back and paid movers to take all my belongings to his penthouse, so I have to go through my few items and decide what to move to Chicago. But I thought it would be fun to be tourists with Steven all weekend since he hasn’t spent a lot of time in New York City. Valeria finished shooting Quinn’s movie, and Jamison’s place is empty, so we are staying there. We also have plans to meet up with Claire and Ethan one night.
When we get to the penthouse, I go to the guest suite. All my things are in three boxes. One is a large box, and the other two are half the size. My furniture was rented, so I don’t have anything else to deal with.
“Guess you are a minimalist,” Steven teases.
“Perks of me.”
He grins. “Oh, I think there are more perks than just your anti-hoarding skills.”
“Glad you think so. I should sort through this stuff and get it over with.”
“I’ll grab a knife.”
He leaves the room and comes back then opens the boxes. We pull everything out.
“You’ve been holding out on me, Harper. These are definitely going back with us.” Steven holds up several pieces of lingerie. “I think you should give me a fashion show. Try this one on first.” He tosses me a cherry-red push-up, lace teddy.
I rise. “All right.” I grab a pair of matching red stilettos.
“Even better. Wear the shoes.”
I softly laugh, go into the closet, put it on, then slink over to him. He’s standing by the window with his hand in his pocket, overlooking the city.
I clear my throat.
He licks his lips as his eyes wander over my body. The intensity of his stare burns as much as the day I visited him in his office and took off my dress. “Spin,” he demands and twirls his finger in the air.
I turn, and he steps behind me and puts his hand around my hip. His index finger strokes my slit, stirring up all my flutters and tingles. He moves my hair and puts his lips near my ear. “You know how you tell me all the time you love me?”
I tilt my head up and reach behind him, clasping his neck. “Yeah, because I do.”
He gently brushes his lips to mine. “I love you, too.”
I smile. “I know.”
“Do you love me enough that you want to be my wife?”
I freeze. “Are you asking me?”
He spins me and kneels, takes my hand, and holds a sparkling ring in front of me. “Yes. I’d be lost without you, Harper. You’re my soul, and every moment I have, I want to spend with you.”
Tears fall down my cheeks.
His blue eyes, that I’ll never get enough of, are full of love and the look he reserves only for me. “When I laid eyes on you, I felt something I never had before. You called it an ache, and no matter how much time passes, it only intensifies. Until I die, I’ll worship and take care of you, if you’ll let me. Will you marry me?”
I nod, put my hands on his cheeks, and kiss him, choking out, “Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes,” I laugh and wipe my face.
He slides the ring on my finger and kisses me with all the fire as always. He pulls back. “It’s time to make good on my promise.”
“Your promise?”
His eyes twinkle with heat. “I just said I’ll worship you.” He leans forward and licks my ear. “I’m going to keep you hot...” he sucks on my lobe, “...and wet...”
Ready to read Anna Monroe’s story? It involves a hot Russian named Dmitri…Click here to read (check out the Blurb and Sneak Peek Prologue in the next few pages if you need more info!)
Wrapped In Perfection Blurb
It’s Complicated: Book Six
Dmitri Ivanov is determined to repair every broken piece of me...
My battered body healed. My heart hasn’t. Everything my ex convinced me to hate about myself, Dmitri turns upside down.
From day one, he requires my commitment to him—including my full trust.
In return, he claims he’s giving his to me.
But the element of danger Dmitri gives off, isn’t just in my head. He’s involved in things. His past isn’t buried so deep it never re-appears. And the thing he hates most about himself, I should run from.
It only binds me closer to him. And the person I’m changing into won’t let him discard me—even if he says it’s for my own good.
”Wrapped In Perfection” is the sixth installment of the “It's Complicated” series. It is a billionaire love story with a mafia twist and has a HEA. Trigger Warning: This book may trigger survivors of domestic violence.
Read WRAPPED IN PERFECTION, book six of the IT’S COMPLICATED series - click here.
Wrapped In Perfection Sneak Peek