“Now that we’re engaged, you need a ring. I’m going upstairs to look at your jewelry stash to see if I can find one Conrad Williamson would want to pass along to his future daughter-in-law.”
Sonja sat on the stool, waiting for Taylor to return. She’d brought all the jewelry home and stored it in a portable safe in the closet in the spare bedroom until it could be appraised. She estimated the rings, bracelets, necklaces, brooches, watches, hair and tie clips were worth millions and told Taylor he should confer with his mother and siblings which estate pieces they wanted to keep or sell.
Sonja covered her mouth with her right hand when Taylor returned holding the Asscher diamond ring between his thumb and forefinger. Her eyes widened when he went down on one knee and grasped her left hand.
“Miss Sonja Rios-Martin, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She had accused of him being traditional and he was playing the part. “Yes, Mr. Taylor Edward Williamson, I will marry you.”
Taylor slipped the priceless ring on her finger, rose and kissed her mouth. “Thank you, muñeca. And thank you for trusting me enough to accept me as your future husband.”
“I love you for being you and for trusting me with your family’s secret.”
He eased back, meeting her eyes. “You have no idea how much I love you, Sonja.”
“I think I do,” she said shyly when she saw lust shimmering in the dark eyes. “Dinner will have wait until you show me, papi.”
Taylor scooped her off the stool, took the stairs two at a time and walked into the bedroom. No words were spoken because their bodies communicated wordlessly how much they had come to love each other. They fell asleep, their limbs entwined, and it was much later when they left the bed to shower together before returning to the kitchen to eat and make plans for their future and establish a new foundation for Bainbridge House.
Coming next month
TUSCAN SUMMER WITH THE BILLIONAIRE
Susan Meier
It wasn’t right. He was feeling things he wasn’t allowed to feel, definitely mixing business with pleasure, when he knew better.
He shook his head. “I could virtually run our multibillion-dollar conglomerate in my sleep, and your simple family business is breaking all my rules, making me crazy.”
She shrugged. Her lips turned up into a smile that stole his breath and made his blood race.
He still held her hand. They stood only a few inches apart. The full moon smiled down on them while the vineyard that was at the center of their problems rustled in the breeze.
But she was smiling. Amused by him.
The humor of it struck him and his own lips rose. “This is crazy.”
“There’s that word again. You use crazy a lot…especially about yourself.”
She really was funny. Fun. He felt like he was getting a glimpse of her as she really was, maybe as she had been before their employee embezzled.
With their gazes locked, everything inside him slowed to a crawl. Warmth suffused him, along with a yearning so pure he couldn’t fight it. He inched closer. The connection between them rose, swelling around him, urging him even closer.
“I think I’m going to kiss you.”
Her eyes didn’t even flicker with surprise. And why would they? They’d been attracted since the second they’d laid eyes on each other.
“You shouldn’t.”
Her voice was a soft whisper that skipped along his spine, but she didn’t move. Didn’t step back. Held his gaze.
Expectantly.
The hum of whatever it was that buzzed between them drowned out his common sense and reasoning. Simple curiosity filled him, as desire surged in his blood and temptation promised fulfillment, pleasure enough to make it worth the risk.
He lowered his head and kissed her.
Continue reading
TUSCAN SUMMER WITH THE BILLIONAIRE
Susan Meier
Available next month
Copyright © 2021 Susan Meier
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