Always Mine (The Barrington Billionaires, Book 1) (25 page)
Read Always Mine (The Barrington Billionaires, Book 1) Online
Authors: Ruth Cardello
Celeste joined the group. “Oh, my God. That was the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen.”
Sophie smiled at Celeste. “I agree, and I hope I’m there to see yours.”
Wide-eyed, Celeste laughed. “Mine? I’m not even dating anyone.”
Sophie looked at Emily and winked. “Yet. I have four more sons.”
“Whoa,” Celeste said, raising her hands. “I’m not looking to get married.”
“Love changes that.”
Asher wrapped his arms around Emily again and murmured, “It certainly does.” Emily savored the moment. Never in her life had she imagined being this happy or believing that maybe, just maybe, something good could last.
Asher’s brothers and Kenzi appeared. Kenzi had a huge smile on her face. “Asher, I didn’t know you had it in you, but that was amazing.”
Asher smiled and gave his sister a brief hug. “It’s like I’ve always said, you people underestimate me.”
Ian shook his head. “Oh, boy. Well, love may have taken his heart, but his ego is intact.”
A general chuckle spread through his family.
“Laugh all you want,” Asher said, “because Mom is now turning her matchmaking eye at the rest of you.”
Sophie smiled in the face of her shocked children’s faces. “I’d like grandchildren while I’m young enough to enjoy them. Is that so wrong?”
As the group laughed again, Emily wrapped an arm around Asher’s waist. She loved watching him laugh with his family.
My family soon.
She closed her eyes briefly.
Mom, your dream brought me mine. Thank you.
That night Asher
took Emily to his apartment—their apartment from that night on. He took her coat and although he was excited to finally have her alone, there was something he wanted to show her before he carried her off to his bed. “I have another surprise for you.”
“Another one?” Emily’s eyes flew to his. “I’m not sure I can take anymore. I’m already so happy I might pass out.”
He chuckled and kissed her gently. “Stay conscious. You’re going to love this.” He looked at the door of his spare bedroom and said, “At least, I hope you will.” He turned her around and covered her eyes with his hands. “Now walk.”
“So bossy,” Emily said with a laugh. “But I love it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said as images of what they’d do after he gave her the surprise flew through his head. It was difficult to concentrate, but he wanted to do this for Emily. They stopped at the door of the spare bedroom and he said, “No laughing.”
She put a hand over his on her eyes. “Oh, did you make something for me? I’m sure I’ll love it.”
He swung the door open and lowered his hand. Emily gasped and walked inside. What she seemed to notice first was that her own sketches, the ones she’d left in Paris, were framed and hung all around the room. She stopped and touched one of them. It was her sketch of the two of them lying in bed together with their legs and arms entwined, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. She threw her arms around him and kissed him so passionately he almost lost control. He broke the kiss off, though, and said, “Did you notice what I added to your collection?”
Emily turned back to take a second look and her head tilted to one side as she took in the framed painting beside her sketch. “You drew stick people.”
He took her hand in his and ran it over the painting. “3D stick people.”
She looked around the room, a huge smile spreading across her face as one of his sketches caught her attention. “Does that one have a boner?”
He wiggled his eyebrows at her, loving that she was reacting to his gift the way he’d hoped she would. “It does. Do you want to feel it?”
She started laughing softly, then harder and harder until it was impossible not to join her. When she could finally speak, she said, “I love it. I love all of it. And I love you, Asher. I love your bossy side, your goofy side, your sexy side.”
“Wait, I do not have a goofy side. Take that back.”
She sidled up to him and grinned. “You drew a stick person with a boner. That’s goofy.”
He swung her up in his arms. “It was an artist detail that added to the overall ambience of the piece. Besides, you taught me to laugh again, and you’ll pay for that.”
“Bring it on,” Emily said with a sexy laugh. “Bring it on.”
‡
A
couple days
later, Emily was sipping coffee on the couch in the apartment she now shared with Asher when she noticed a package on the table near the door. It was addressed to Asher and felt like a book. She was curious, but she placed it back on the table.
“You can read it if you want,” Asher said from behind her.
Emily swung around. “What is it?”
Asher pulled her into his arms and hugged her. “Something the Andrades sent me. I skimmed a few pages, but it’s my deceased aunt’s journal. I have no desire to read it.”
“I might, if you’re sure it’s okay. I wish my family had kept journals.”
Nuzzling her neck, Asher said, “What’s mine is yours, at least, as soon as you pick a date.”
She went up on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the lips. “I will. I’m looking for the perfect location.”
“Pick one soon or I’ll pick one for us.”
Emily wriggled against him. “I do love it when you talk tough.”
“What else do you love?”
Emily ran a hand down his chest, over his flat stomach, and cupped his erection.
“How much time do we have?”
“As much as we need,” Asher groaned and claimed her mouth with a kiss that led them back into the bedroom. A while later they were naked and sprawled together on the bed.
Completely at peace with the world, Emily said, “Do you think your family is worried that we haven’t surfaced from your apartment yet?”
Asher kissed her bare shoulder. “They’d be more worried if we did. I do need to get back to work, though. Brice is after me for a change. He said—”
Emily rolled onto her back and stretched, and Asher stopped talking. Emily chuckled. “What did he say?”
“Who?”
“Never mind,” Emily said and snuggled back up to Asher. Asher’s business was waiting for him. A construction company in New Hampshire was waiting to discuss their bid with Emily. Neither mattered in that moment. “Why do bees make terrible friends?”
Asher shook his head. “Why?”
“Because they’re always too buzzy to do anything with you.”
Asher met Emily’s eyes and they both started laughing. “That was awful.”
Emily rolled on top of Asher and joked, “You think you can do better?”
He looked up at her seriously and said, “Never. You are my life, Emily, always mine. Don’t ever doubt that.”
Emily looked up at him and shook her head with a smile. She’d known a love like theirs was possible because she had witnessed it from her grandfather, but she’d never dared hope for it for herself. “If I ever do, I’ll look at the painting of you with the boner and—”
He gave her ass a slap. “Remember that it was drawn with love.”
Emily laughed and between kisses said, “Yes, that’s what I was going to say.”
Life was good, but she had a feeling that, with Asher, it would get better and better. Always his? Absolutely.
THE END
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I am so grateful to everyone who was part of the process of creating
Always Mine
. Thank you to:
Private Daniel Dubois of the Woonsocket, Rhode Island Fire Department, for helping me decide how and what to burn. And his wife, Kathy Dubois, for joining me on this publishing journey. I am so grateful for all you do.
Nicole Sanders at Trevino Creative Graphic Design for my new cover. You are amazing!
My very patient beta readers. You know who you are. Thank you for kicking my butt when I need it.
My editors: Karen Lawson, Janet Hitchcock, and Marion Archer.
My Roadies for making me smile each day when I log on my computer. So many of you have become friends. Was there life before the Roadies? I’m sure there was, but it wasn’t have as much fun.
Thank you to my husband, Tony, who is a saint—simple as that.
The Legacy Collection:
*
Also available in audiobook format
Where my billionaires began.
Book 1: Maid for the Billionaire
(available at all major eBook stores for FREE!)
Book 2: For Love or Legacy
Book 3: Bedding the Billionaire
Book 4: Saving the Sheikh
Book 5: Rise of the Billionaire
Book 6: Breaching the Billionaire: Alethea’s Redemption
Book 7: A Corisi Christmas Novella
The Andrades
*
Also available in audiobook format
A spin off series of the Legacy Collection with cameos from characters you love from that series.
Book 1: Come Away With Me
(available at all major eBook stores for FREE!)
Book 4: Somewhere Along the Way
Recipe For Love, An Andrade Christmas Novella
The Barringtons
A new, seven book series about the Andrade’s Boston cousins.
The first series in the Barrington Billionaire WORLD.
Book 1: Always Mine
Book 2: Stolen Kisses (Available for Pre-order)
Book 3: Trade It All (Coming 2016)
Book 4: Let It Burn (Coming 2016)
Book 5: More Than Love (Coming 2016)
Book 6: Forever Now (Coming 2016)
Book 7: Never Goodbye (Coming 2016)
*Look for a linked series set in the same world, written by Jeannette Winters (my sister).
You won’t have to read her series to enjoy mine, but it sure will make it more fun. Characters will appear in both series.
Author Jeannette Winters
Book 1: One White Lie (Coming late 2015)
Book 2: Table for Two
Book 3: You & Me Make Three
Book 4: Virgin for the Fourth Time
Book 5: His for Five Nights
Book 6: After Six
My characters also appear in her Betting on You Series in the Billionaire’s Longshot.
Book 1: The Billionaire’s Secret (FREE!)
Book 2: The Billionaire’s Masquerade
Book 3: The Billionaire’s Longshot
Book 4: The Billionaire’s Jackpot
Novella: All Bets Off
Lone Star Burn Series:
Fun, hot romances that roam from the country to the city and back.
Book 1: Taken, Not Spurred
Book 2: Tycoon Takedown
Book 3: (Coming soon)
The Temptation Series:
Guaranteed to put you on Santa’s naughty list.
Twelve Days of Temptation and Be My Temptation
Two hot novellas about one sizzling couple.
Other Books:
Taken By a Trillionaire
Ruth Cardello, JS Scott, Melody Anne.
Three hot fantasies about alpha princes and the women who tame them.
Ruth Cardello was born the youngest of 11 children in a small city in northern Rhode Island. She spent her young adult years moving as far away as she could from her large extended family. She lived in Boston, Paris, Orlando, New York—then came full circle and moved back to Rhode Island. She now happily lives one town over from the one she was born in. For her, family trumped the warmer weather and international scene.
She was an educator for 20 years, the last 11 as a kindergarten teacher. When her school district began cutting jobs, Ruth turned a serious eye toward her second love– writing and has never been happier. When she’s not writing, you can find her chasing her children around her small farm, riding her horses, or connecting with her readers online.
Website:
RuthCardello.com
Email:
[email protected]
FaceBook:
Author Ruth Cardello
Twitter:
@RuthieCardello
Excerpt from Maid for the Billionaire, Book 1 of the Legacy Collection
Available at all major eBook retailers for FREE!
Dominic Corisi knew instantly that Abigail Dartley was just the distraction he was looking for, especially since having her took a bit more persuading than he was used to. So when business forces him to fly to China, he decides to take her with him, but on his terms. No promises. No complications. Just sex.
Abby has always been the responsible one. She doesn’t believe in taking risks; especially when it comes to men – until she meets Dominic. He’s both infuriating and intoxicating, a heady combination. Their trip to China revives a long forgotten side of Abby, but also reveals a threat to bring down Dominic’s company.
With no time to explain her actions, Abby must either influence the outcome of his latest venture and save his company or accept her role as his mistress and leave his fate to chance. Does she love him enough to risk losing him for good?