Page 32 of In Charge

Epilogue

Robbie

Six months later

I stood at our apartmentwindow and watched the city come alive. Families busy, rushing their children off to school before the parents headed to work themselves. A horn sounded in the distance, followed by several more. Probably a group of taxi drivers all trying to gain the same position in the bumper-to-bumper traffic. Someone yelled something nearby, and an outburst of laughter followed. Manhattan was my city—noisy, busy, and sometimes a little dirty. Home.

I’d never lived anywhere else except the city. Its sounds and atmosphere were my normal, and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I’d traveled a lot and visited other places, but I’d always come back here.

Today, I was going somewhere I’d never been before.

There’d been a lot of firsts for me these past six months. I finally faced my father and dealt with my anger toward him. It felt good to cut that anchor and be free of the hold I hadn’t realize he had on me. So much of my life was driven by my anger at my dad. It controlled me in ways I didn’t recognize. Not anymore. I still had my moments—it was hard to just stop being angry after twenty-nine years of it—but with Maya’s help, I was improving every day.

Opening my heart to that woman was the trigger that set my life on a new path. She stood by my side, even after all the mistakes I made. I didn’t deserve her kindness and love, but she gave it to me freely, and I had every intention of spending the rest of my life showing her how much I loved her in return.

I peeled my eyes off the busy street below and opened the small box hidden behind my clenched fist. Inside was a solitary princess cut diamond set in a simple platinum band. Classic, just like Maya. Today, we’d leave for a long weekend to her home in Southern Ohio, where I’d meet her parents for the first time. If all went as planned and her family accepted me, she’d return to the city as my fiancée.

Hearing footsteps down the hall, I slipped the box into my pocket. Our flight left this afternoon, and she was anxious and excited about introducing me to her parents.

Not nearly as anxious as I was, though.

“Are you packing or staring off into space again?” She slipped her arms around my waist and hugged me from behind.

“I got the suitcases out.” I reached around to pull her to my side and kissed her. I never tired of her soft lips against mine.

“That’s great, but they don’t do us any good empty.” She slapped my ass and pecked my cheek. “Come on, let’s get this done so we have time to stop for lunch before our flight. I still have to finalize those contracts for Julia before we leave, too.”

“I thought we agreed—no working today.”

“It won’t take me long. An hour, tops.”

“Fine.” I tried to sound irritated, but she saw right through me and laughed. Keeping Maya from work was next to impossible, but if I got my way, she’d go the next three days without it. “But that laptop does not go with us.”

“Yes, honey.” She smiled, but I could see the apprehension in her eyes.

“The company will survive without you for one weekend.” Julia was promoted to a senior manager after Maya stepped into her new role and if anyone knew how to keep Maya and her clients happy, it was Julia. I squeezed her tight and enjoyed the feel of her warmth next to my body. “Besides, you’re going to have to entertain me for the weekend. I’ve no idea what to do in the country.”

“Just relax and enjoy the silence.” She patted my chest and walked to the closet.

“That sounds terrifying,” I called after her.

“No, it’s wonderful.” I could hear the smile through her words. “Besides, it’s not really silent. There are noises; they’re just ... different.”

“You’re going to have to explain that to me.” I leaned against the window frame and watched her as she packed her clothes. Her face lit up as she thought about her home. I was damn lucky she was sharing it with me.

“It’s the sounds of nature. Bugs chirping, birds singing, rustling of the wind through the trees, and twigs breaking from some critter crawling along the forest floor. Oh, and when it rains, the loudest chorus of frogs fill the night in a never-ending sex orgy.”

“Sex orgy?” I raised my brows.

“Yep.” She laughed. “If that happens, you can forget about sleep for the night. You think I’m loud during sex? You should hear the frogs.”

“Hmm, you’re painting an image in my mind that’s going to result in further delays if we don’t change the subject.” I pushed off the window frame and was back by her side with my arms wrapped around her before she could answer me. I buried my face in her neck and kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear that always made her wriggle.

“Robbie, we have to pack.” Her voice was low and husky. A sound that was music to my ears.

“Then you shouldn’t have brought up sex orgies.” I covered her mouth with mine, the union of our tongues sent a shiver straight to my cock. Dammit, the things this woman did to me was unnatural.

“Down, boy.” She broke our kiss, panting. “Pack and work first.”

I growled in protest, and she laughed. I didn’t want to pack or let her work. I wanted her legs wrapped around me with my cock buried inside her. My favorite place to be. “You’re going to be the death of me, woman.”

“I hope not.” She smiled. “I plan on having you by my side for years to come.”

I dropped my forehead to hers and sighed. I hoped she meant that because not having her would destroy me. “I love you, Maya.”

“I love you, too.” She pressed her lips to mine. “Now get to packing. My parents are excited to meet you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” And as excited as I was to meet them, too, I was mostly nervous. Asking a father for his daughter’s hand in marriage might be the most terrifying thing I’d ever done. But Maya was worth it.

My life began with her and, if this weekend went as planned, it would end with her as my wife.

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