Page 36 of Naughty and Nice
Again, he lifted my chin. “Tell me.”
“You’re not wrong.” Peering over his shoulder, I saw his belt on the desk. “I won’t be in another relationship like I was before.”
Nick must have followed my line of vision because he turned toward the desk and back to me. “I’m not my uncle.”
“But…punish? I’m an adult, not a child.”
The fire simmered in his orbs. “I’m well aware that you’re a grown woman.” He took my hand and lowered it to his blue jeans. “I don’t get hard for a child.” Releasing my hand, he kissed my forehead. “I like to be in control, Liliana. I’ve watched you. Submission isn’t foreign to you. I promise, nothing will be nonconsensual as long as you obey my one rule.”
“One? What?”
“Know that you’re loved and cared for.” He lifted my hand to my chest, placing it over my heart. “Know in here. The residents, Mia, Izzy, and me.”
Is he saying he loves me?
Nick went on, “Never tell anyone that you won’t be missed or aren’t important. Know your worth, your value. Because to me, you’re priceless.”
My chin lowered as I dropped my forehead to his chest. My words came out muffled. “I’m not worthy of your love.”
Nick wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. “You are, and that’s your one and only pass on breaking my rule. From now until forever, I won’t tolerate you thinking or saying otherwise.”
When I looked up, tears slid down my cheeks. “I’ll do my best to change my thoughts. It may take some time.”
His smile bloomed. “That’s what we have—time. In the meanwhile, I’ll enjoy my handprint on your ass when you forget.”
I shook my head, surprised by how appealing his threat sounded. Maybe there was some truth to the idea of enjoying Nick’s naughty side. “I might do it on purpose.”
Nick’s laugh filled the office. After a quick kiss, he led me to the table. The sweet scent of roses filled my senses.
Once I sat, he crouched down and opened the picnic basket. “What’s this?”
“What?” Before the word was fully out, my focus was on the diamond ring in his grasp. “Nick?”
Still on one knee, he asked the question I’d never been asked before.
“Liliana, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Chapter
Fifteen
Liliana
* * *
After we ate the lunch Nick packed, I said goodbye to Celeste and Reina. “If you need anything, call. Mia told me to take a few days off, and I think I’m going to listen to her.” While I was certain they had a thousand questions about what happened in my office, with Nick standing at my side, they didn’t ask. “I’ll be back on Monday.”
Since it was Thursday afternoon, that wasn’t much time away. Hopefully, the apartments had seen all the excitement they would for a while. Besides, Christmas was at the end of next week.
The engagement ring was currently in my skirt pocket. I reasoned that we needed to have Mia and el Patrón’s blessing before we made a public announcement.
In Nick’s car on our way to Mia’s home, he reached over and squeezed my knee. “Don’t be nervous.”
“Did you ask el Patrón before you asked me?”
“Technically, you and I spoke about it first.”
Tightness formed in my chest.
