Owned (Office Intrigue Book 8) by Nicole Edwards (year 2 reading books TXT) 📗

appeared, pouring wine. Corvin came next, delivering a small basket of bread. Yes, I had considered the fact she hadn’t eaten lunch.

To my amusement, Braelyn dug in, snagging a breadstick and breaking it in half. She looked up at me sheepishly as she nibbled on one end.

God, she was beautiful. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, the long strands braided to keep it in place. Her dress was turquoise blue with thin straps on her sun-kissed shoulders and a skirt that brushed the tops of her feet.

She was so beautiful she put the sunset to shame.

Rolphe delivered salads, then Sim took them away when we were finished. Jones and Corvin brought out meals—steak and lobster tails, in keeping with the theme. Taurus stood by, refilling wine as needed, and Ari and Bram cleared the table when we were done. Auberon held off on getting dessert at Braelyn’s request. Evidently, her eyes were bigger than her stomach.

As I’d hoped, Braelyn seemed in no hurry to leave once she’d sated her hunger.

“This is stunning,” she said, staring out at the water and the moonlight bouncing over it. “Why don’t we do this more often?”

“Perhaps we should.”

“Definitely. Please tell me we don’t have to go in yet.”

“Not for a while,” I said, standing and holding out my hand. “Care to go for a stroll?”

She smiled up at me, placing her hand in mine. As we headed away, I snapped my fingers, signaling my possessions to move on to the next part of the evening.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” she said as we ventured farther from the house.

“What’s that?”

“Have you heard anything from Trent?”

I’d been waiting for her to ask me that, surprised it had taken her this long. It’d been two weeks since I’d last spoken to Trent. At the time, he’d told me I had to be patient. And though I continued to check in with Ransom, he’d heard nothing, either.

“I have not.”

She sighed. “Would it matter if we did? I mean, what do I care?” She chuckled. “I’m pretty content just as things are.”

“Are you?”

Her brow furrowed when she looked up at me. “Of course. Did you think otherwise?”

“I was merely hoping,” I admitted.

Although I’d put off one trip to the States because I didn’t want to leave Braelyn, I knew I couldn’t do it indefinitely. I had things that required my presence, and at some point, I’d have to make a decision as to whether or not she would go with me under an assumed name or she would remain here. I just wasn’t ready to be apart from her. Not sure I ever would be.

When we’d gone far enough, I turned us back around, slipping closer to the water so the waves gently lapped at our feet.

“Before coming here, I’d never been to the beach,” she said. “In fact, I’d never left Illinois. I think Ransom always worried our parents would find us if we didn’t keep our heads down at all times.”

“You feel like you missed out on a lot?”

Braelyn tucked her arm in mine, moved closer. “I don’t, actually. I’ve had a good life. Spent more of it looking over my shoulder than I would’ve liked, but considering the alternative…” I felt her eyes on me. “What about you? Do you travel the world a lot?”

“I have, sure.” I squeezed her hand. “And I hope to again. With you.”

“Do you believe in fate?”

I grinned, watching ahead of us as we neared the house again. “Not until you.”

I felt her arm tighten. “Me, either,” she said softly.

We were silent for a few minutes as we got closer to the house.

“What are they doing?” she asked when we were near enough to see the possessions had set up one of the cabanas, brought out one of the double-wide chaise beds.

“I wasn’t ready for the night to be over,” I confessed. “Wanted more time with you out here.”

There was such pleasure in her eyes it warmed my heart, stirred up the feelings I felt whenever I was with her.

“Care to join me?”

“I’ll follow you anywhere, Talon.”

And that … I was fairly certain my heart might’ve actually missed a beat that time.

*

Braelyn

Dinner had been a pleasant surprise, but this…

When we returned to the house, it was to find one of the cabanas had been set up, this one with heavy, gauzy curtains that were pulled back. The torches remained, positioned far enough away to make an intimate setting. But it was the rose petals that were strewn along the sand and across the blankets that were laid out on an enormous thick-cushioned chaise that looked as though it would serve as a bed.

Taurus stepped forward, holding out a glass of champagne, which I took, thanking him with a smile. He then offered one to Talon before moving out of the way.

I followed Talon, my feet sinking in the sand as we stepped into the cabana, then reclined on the layers of pillows on the bed. I was careful to brush off my feet, not wanting sand to get into interesting places.

“Why’d you do this?” I asked, curious.

“Because I want to spoil you.”

I stared at the smooth lines of his face. He was perfect in so many ways. I knew that sounded corny, but it was how I felt. I might’ve been naive in many ways, but I was smart enough to know he had plenty of flaws. Didn’t change how I viewed him. With every minute I’d spent with him over the course of the month, I’d learned so much about him. Not everything was expected, but it was now understood. Not many would approve of Talon’s lifestyle, his proclivities, but I accepted them because they were what made him who he was.

A man to be respected.

A man to be revered.

A man to be loved.

I opened my mouth to tell him as much but swallowed the words. I wasn’t sure Talon was a man who wanted to know he was loved. He held himself apart from everyone,