The burst of pride I feel in my chest is unlike anything I’ve ever felt in my professional life before. To have somebody like Haley Palmer – the head of an organization I respect and admire as much as I do – applauding my work makes me feel beyond amazing.
She turns to Sawyer, excitement etched in her features. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to head out,” she tells him. “I want to start poring over this and getting some ducks in a row.”
“Of course,” Sawyer responds. “Touch base tomorrow. The office closes in three days for the holidays but after they are over we’ll start talking about setting up an office space for your team as soon as possible.”
“You got it, boss,” she snaps him a salute and then turns to me. “I can’t wait to start working with you, Berlin. I think we’re going to do some incredible things together for a lot of people. I can’t wait to get started, partner.”
“Partner?” I ask, confused.
“Who do you think is going to be the other co-director?” Sawyer smiles at me.
My eyes flit from Sawyer to Haley and back again. They both look like they’re ready to bust.
“It’s you and me, kid,” she chirps. “We’re partners in this.”
“Oh my God,” I gasp, hit by yet another wave of disbelief.
“See you at the office after the holidays.” She blows me a kiss and flounces off.
Sawyer pulls me into a tight embrace, and I melt against him. Tears of joy and gratitude are streaming down my face, and when he tips my face up, he wipes them away with his thumbs, giving me a gentle smile.
“Thank you for this, Sawyer,” I whisper. “Thank you.”
He shakes his head. “No, thank you,” he replies. “You’ve opened my eyes and made me pull my head out of my ass. You make me a better man in every way, and with your help, I hope to be a good father.”
“You are an amazing man, Sawyer,” I tell him earnestly. “And you are going to be an even better father. I promise you that.”
He presses his lips to mine, giving me a soft and gentle kiss. He pulls back, and the expression on his face radiates his love for me. I feel it in every square inch of my body and is so powerful; it makes me want to cry even harder. Damn the pregnancy hormones.
He slips his arms around my waist and guides me over toward the food trucks. I burst out laughing when I see my favorite truck sitting there – Kung Food. He returns my smile and plants a gentle kiss on the top of my head.
“Weirdly enough, taking me to my favorite food truck is probably the most romantic thing anybody has ever done for me,” I tell him.
“That’s me, Mr. Romance,” he grins.
I squeeze his hand and look into his eyes meaningfully. “You really are.”
As we walk toward the trucks to get some food, I’m greeted by many of the residents of the Jackson – people I’ve been working with.
“What’s going to happen to them?” I ask.
“The first thing we’re going to do is rehab the Jackson,” he explains. “We have temporary apartments for anybody who wants them, and they can move in here once we have the buildings completely refurbished. Of course, after that will be the Atwell. And then we might even look at your old building.”
I stop him and turn him to me, making sure to look directly into his eyes. My expression is serious, and I pull him down to me, giving him a kiss, I hope conveys the depth of my feelings for him.
“You are the best man I’ve ever known, Sawyer West,” I tell him. “And I love you with everything in me.”
“And I love you, Berlin Roth,” he responds. “With everything in me.”
My heart swells and feels like it skips a beat or twelve as I look at him. My life feels like a fairy tale. But it’s real. And my happiness is growing deeper by the second. Lost in a sea of emotion, I take Sawyer’s hand and march him over to Kung Food – as much as I love this man, I’m starving and need some food.
“Don’t think this gets you out of buying me a bulgogi bowl right now,” I say.
Sawyer laughs. “As long as we get egg rolls, too.”
Chapter Forty-One Sawyer
Berlin is still glowing by the time we get back to our neighboring homes. I don’t think she’s stopped smiling in hours. After all the drama and tension of the last couple of weeks, it’s been wonderful to see. I feel like the net of negativity that we’ve both been caught in was finally cut away, freeing us both, and the sense of relief we feel is palpable. It’s like we can both finally breathe again.
“So, your place or mine?” I tease.
She turns to me, leaning her back against her door. “Oh, you’re expecting sex tonight? And what if I say I’m not in the mood?”
I flash her a wolfish grin and step forward, pressing her up against the door to her condo. Her breath catches in her throat as I kiss her gently and slide my hands down her pants at the same time. I touch her through her panties, smiling fiendishly as I feel how hot and wet she is.
“Kind of feels like you’re in the mood to me,” I wink. “But hey, if you want to deprive yourself, I guess that’s your call. I’ll just go home and take care of myself.”
She squeals and slaps me on the chest. “You are awful. Just awful.”
“That’s not what you usually say when I’m inside of you.”
She nervously looks up and down the hallway, making sure we’re alone before she grips my cock through my pants, squeezing it tight. She leans forward. Her breath is hot against my ear. My body
