Page 62 of Runaway Bride for the Boss

“Why are you crying, baby girl?” I ask.

“I’m just really happy, Alexander. You make me the happiest woman alive.”

“You know what would make me really happy, sweetheart?” I ask mischievously. “If you would move in with me. I can’t stand to be apart from you for another minute. And as soon as you let me, you’re getting off that birth control, and we’re filling this huge fucking house with as many babies as we can.” Just the thought of Autumn pregnant with my child makes me hard. She throws her head back in a full laugh that fills my heart to the absolute brim.

“Well well well, Mr. Beaufort, I didn’t realize that I’d be calling you Daddy so soon.” She pushes me back on my bed and starts to crawl up my body. “We better get practicing then.”

My grin widens, and my heart expands in my chest. This woman.Mywoman. I lean forward and kiss the hell out of her.

EPILOGUE

AUTUMN

ELEVEN MONTHS LATER…

Istretch languidly on Alex’s…wellourbed. I finally let him convince me to move in with him a few weeks ago. I reach out to his side of the bed and frown when the space is empty. I drag my hand across the cool sheets, indicating that he left the bed some time ago.

My eyes snap open, and I sit up to take my glasses from the nightstand and place them on my face. I glance around our bedroom with a slight frown. I flick a glance toward the clock on the nightstand: it’s barely past seven.

“Alex?” I call out, thinking he might be in the bathroom, but it’s quiet in there, and I don’t get a response. Did he have an early morning meeting he forgot to tell me about? Thanksgiving is in just two days, and he’s been trying to wrap up work enough so that Ezra will be able to handle both their workloads while we’re out of town.

I tried to convince him to wait until the New Year to fly to Cancun, since Ezra has been trying to spend more time with family, but he’s insisting on the day after Thanksgiving.

He’s been shifty these past two weeks, so I suspect the rush might be because he wants to propose on the beach or something super romantic. My heart does a swift pitter patter at the thought and I squeal quietly as I roll to my stomach on the bed.

I adjust my glasses, smiling like a fool as I raise my left hand up and imagine a ring on my finger. What will Alex pick, I wonder. I don’t care what it looks like or how big it is as long as he’s the one putting it there. Alex down on one knee makes me feel all kinds of turned on. He’s knelt before me on a handful of occasions – always in the throes of intense pleasure.

“Mrs. Autumn Beaufort.” I whisper quietly. I can’t help squealing again.

To think that exactly a year ago, I was scheduled to marry another man. Thank God, I didn’t go through with it. Now Larson is in a prison somewhere in Miami. Alex was going to kill him for his betrayal last year, but I had to stop him. It’s not that I cared about the outcome of his life, but It just didn’t sit right with me. I know exactly what kind of awful treatment he’ll be receiving there, locked up with all kinds of men that he surely deems beneath him. They’ll certainly humble him. I chuckle darkly at the thought. A worse punishment than death, I conclude.

So, after Larson pointed out the third person who helped steal from Alex, he planted some incriminating files he had on Larson and the police picked him up. Alex wanted him as far away from us as possible, so Miami it was for Larson Brown. I sleep like a baby every night without an ounce of guilt. What an ass.

The sound of a car pulling up in the driveway reaches my ears, and I reluctantly get out of bed wondering who it mightbe. We rarely get visitors, and I’m not expecting Andrea until at least ten. I stroll to the window and pull the curtains back. I frown when I see Andrea’s car; the woman gets out of the car bundled up in warm clothing and rubbing her hands together as she jogs up the front steps. The cold came early this year, and we got the first snow last week. It’s been freezing ever since.

My frown deepens as she disappears through the front door. We’re supposed to go Christmas shopping at eleven because Alex and I won’t be back in town until next year. I want to buy all our gifts and wrap them up today, then pass them out on Thanksgiving at the Beaufort estate when we’re all together. The thought of last year’s gathering makes butterflies erupt in my stomach. The ambiance, the family dynamic, how far Alex and I have come since then – it’s all a dream.

Why is she so early? I know she was at the bar until at least two AM last night because I stopped in after a really late night at work – Hill of Autumn Landscaping Inc. My dream job and one I can’t seem to stop putting in overtime hours to build.

I groan as I trudge to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. When I’m done, I’m honestly surprised Andrea isn’t already banging at the bedroom door. I make my way to the closet and bypass my own side in favor of Alex’s clothes. I toss on one of his shirts and leave the room. What’s taking her so long? Patience is not one of Andrea’s virtues.

I’m making my way to the elevator, wondering if Andrea is in the kitchen with Mrs. Staten when I realize she’s probably down there pounding five cups of coffee. I smile as I reach the elevator. I notice the door to Alex’s home office is ajar. My smile widens and I make a detour, although my steps slow when I hear Andrea’s voice.Huh. I don’t mean to eavesdrop. My plan is to go into my man’s office and claim a taste of what I was searching for in bed this morning, but then I actually hear Andrea’s elated voice.

“This is so beautiful,” she coos. “I came as soon as I got your text. I can’t believe after weeks of searching, you finally found the perfect one.”

My feet stall as I wonder what she’s talking about. Weeks of searching for what? The perfect what?

“I should have just had one custom-made from the start. Only the best for my special girl.” There’s a richness in his voice that indicates that he’s smiling.

I scoot closer to the doorway and peep. Andrea bounces a little on her feet as she claps her hand. “I can’t wait for her to see it. I can’t believe this is happening, Alex!” She moves into his arms to hug him tightly. “Congratulations.”

Alexander chuckles as he wraps his arms around her and gently pats her back. “Don’t get ahead of yourself; she might not like it.”

I might not like it? Like what? And what did he mean by something special for me?

Andrea pulls out of his arms. “What are you talking about? You know she’s going to love it because she lovesyou.” She closes the small square box in her hand, and I almost faint.

Oh, my God, oh my God, are they talking about what I think they’re talking about? My heart starts pounding loudly, and I almost miss her next words.

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