WHEN TUCKER TOLD me he’d marry right here and now, I almost started to cry. I didn’t deserve this man, but I was a greedy bitch, and I wanted him.

Forever.

“Is that why you had me get dressed up? Are we getting married?”

I smiled. I wanted Tucker to know I wanted to marry him, but not because it was to save my position at CMI. It was because I loved him and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

“No. I have no intentions of marrying you today.”

His mouth dropped open, and he took a step back, visibly upset by my words.

“I want to marry you but on our terms. When we’re ready.”

He looked so confused. It was adorable.

“Wait, I’m confused. Why are we here and dressed up if we’re not getting married? I thought you had to—”

I kissed him again, and he moaned into my mouth as he pulled my body closer to his. It didn’t take much for either of us to get lost in one another.

“Charlie, you’re making me crazy, both physically and mentally,” he whispered against my lips.

His hands slid up and down my body, driving me mad with desire. I needed to stay strong or I’d be dragging him off into a closet and having my way with him.

Note to self: Tucker’s kisses make it impossible to think straight.

When we finally needed air, I took a step back. My chest rising and falling with each breath.

“I asked you here because I wanted to do something, and I wanted to do it in this room.”

His brow raised and his eyes burned with something naughty. “I’m all up for whatever you have planned.”

My tongue darted out and ran over my lower lip, pulling a groan from Tucker’s mouth.

Taking his hand in mine, I brought him over to the sofa and we sat. I closed my eyes and blew out a deep breath.

“Charlie? You’re starting to worry me. What is it?”

I opened my eyes and faced him.

“Tucker, I fell in love with you the first moment I saw you. The first time you took my hand in yours, as innocent as it was, I knew it was more than friendship.”

“I feel the same way, baby,” Tucker whispered, his hand coming up to the side of my face, causing me to lean into it.

“The marriage clause my grandfather tried to set into action is bogus. My father had it removed, but let’s just say I had to fire a few people who deceived not only my father and myself, but the board as well.”

“What? You mean, you don’t have to marry anyone to stay CEO?”

I shook my head. “No. It would never hold up in court anyway and the piece of shit lawyer tried telling me and the board it would take months, maybe even over a year, to contest it.”

Tucker let out a visible breath and shook his head in disbelief.

“So, you don’t have to get married?”

With a huge smile on my face, I got ready to jump off the cliff and straight into the future I wanted and deserved. I just wasn’t sure that Tucker would join me in the free fall.

“No, I don’t have to get married, but I want to get married.”

His brows pulled in tight.

“Tucker Middleton, will you do me the honor of marrying me and letting me become your wife? Maybe let me walk around a big country kitchen barefoot and pregnant—once or twice?”

I had to bite back the laugh I wanted to let out. The shocked look on Tucker’s face was priceless. He sat there in stunned silence before I lifted my brows and spoke.

“Um, your silence is sort of sending me the wrong answer, so …”

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Tucker smiled the most beautiful, brilliant smile I’d ever seen.

“God, yes, Charleston. Yes, I’ll marry you and knock you up as soon as you’re ready.”

Laughing, I jumped into his arms, our mouths pressed together. The second I opened my mouth to him, our tongues danced in a sweet rhythm. Tucker pulled me closer to his body, and the feel of his hard length pressed into my stomach made me groan in need.

“Your place or mine?” he asked as he broke the kiss only long enough to speak.

My hand pushed through his hair, giving it a tug back so I could answer him.

“Mine. It’s closer.”

Fifteen minutes later, we were at my penthouse. The door shut and my hands were all over Tucker, desperately trying to get him out of his clothes.

“Shit! Why did I have you wear this suit? Too many layers.”

Tucker’s hands were on my back, unzipping my dress. When it fell off my shoulders, his mouth was on my neck, then down my neck to my breasts. My heart raced like never before as he cupped one and then kissed along the cleavage of the other. His finger glided over my sensitive nipple. Even through the thin lace of my bra, I felt the heat from his hands and fingers.

“Tucker!” I gasped, while fumbling with this stupid zipper on his pants. “I need you inside of me. Now.”

“I want to kiss your body, baby. Every inch of it.”

The dress fell to the floor, leaving me in only my white lace bra, matching panties and white heels.

Tucker’s lust-filled eyes moved over my body as though he was seeing it for the first time. “Jesus, you take my breath away every damn time I see you. Sit on the sofa.”

I inhaled a sharp breath at his command and quickly followed it. By the time Tucker was next to me, he had stripped out of his clothes and stood before me naked. My insides shook with the anticipation. Him touching me, kissing my body like he promised. Giving me the attention I had missed so desperately this past month.

My body jumped when his fingers ran lightly over the edge of my bra. “You’re so beautiful, Charlie.”

Opening my mouth, I tried to speak but nothing came out. The only thing I could focus on was Tucker’s large hand wrapped around his impressive shaft. My eyes slowly watched him move over it, the small bead of pre-cum beginning to make its way out.

I dropped to my knees from the edge of the sofa, taking him in my mouth. The hissing sound that escaped from his lips made me smile and propelled me to work faster. I took him deeper while he laced his fingers in my hair, guiding me to the perfect rhythm.

“God, Charlie. I need … need you … to stop.”

With one last suck, I let his cock fall out of my mouth and peered up at him. Reaching down, Tucker lifted me and covered my mouth with his. My bra was quickly discarded, and when I felt his hands touch my hips and slowly move to my panties, I broke the kiss and stripped them off.

“Sit.”

Tucker’s voice was full of desire.

I dropped back onto the sofa and waited for him to bring me to a place only he could.

His hands gently pushed my legs apart, and it didn’t take long before I was squirming and pushing my hips into his face.

“Yes. Yes. Tucker, yes!”

Stars exploded behind my eyes as I gripped his hair within my hands. I wasn’t even sure what all I said; all I knew was that I had never had such an intense orgasm. When I thought it was over, his mouth was on me again. His fingers worked inside me in the most delicious way.

“I can’t. No more, Tucker!”

The pleas coming from my mouth fell on deaf ears because I was soon falling again. This time my body shook, and I nearly screamed for Tucker to stop. My mind and body were all over the place because at the same time, I never wanted it to end.

I was in a state of euphoria. Nothing in the world mattered except for this man and this moment.

“I’m not making love to you on the sofa with that damn cat staring at me again, woman.”

Tucker’s words brought me back to Earth. I glanced over to see Mr. Pootie sitting on the arm of the sofa. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Scooping me up, Tucker nearly ran to the bedroom.

We had so much to talk about still. I needed him to know what my plans were for the future. I needed to know his plans. How soon would he want to get married? When did he want kids? Where were we going to live?

Gently, he laid me on the bed and crawled over me. His mouth kissed me on the lips. “You’re thinking too hard, Charlie.”

“We have so much to talk about.”

His gray eyes seemed to sparkle as he gazed into my blue. “We’ll talk … after I make love to you. Then fuck you in the shower, then make love to you again before I take you out to get something to eat.”

A smile moved over my face. “Let’s order in.”

Guiding him into me, I arched my back as he slowly pushed in. The feel of our two bodies connecting made my chest flutter.

“I love you,” I whispered against his lips.

“I love you too, Charleston.”

My mouth turned up as he continued to kiss me. I loved how he called me by my full name when he made love to me. There were so many ways in which I loved this man, and I wanted to show him all the ways starting right now.

“Say it again,” I demanded.

He lifted his head so we could look into each other’s eyes. Slowly moving out and then ever so slowly pushing back in, he spoke.

“I love you, Charleston. You’re mine and you’ll always be mine.”

“Always,” I choked out as a tear trailed down my cheek. Tucker quickly kissed it away as he slowly made love to me.

He did exactly as he promised. He made love to me, fucked me in the shower, then made love to me again on the sofa before calling in an order of Chinese takeout. Mr. Pootie sat in between us on the sofa as I ate my General Tso’s chicken and crab rangoon. Tucker ate sesame chicken, and I was pretty sure Mr. Pootie was working hard on getting some of Tucker’s food.

“Your cat is giving me a weird look.”

“No he’s not,” I stated, attempting not to laugh because Mr. Pootie was indeed giving Tucker a weird look. If I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn he was about to jump onto Tucker and fight him for the container of food.

“Okay, can you make him go away? It’s bad enough his weird haircut is creepy, but that look in his eyes is really freaking me the fuck out.”

This time I did laugh.

“He’s sweet. Don’t be mean to my baby boy.”

“What are we going to do with him when we have kids?”

The question came from him like second nature. He shoved food into his mouth and turned to me, waiting for my answer.

My insides warmed, and my heart raced with happiness.

“We should probably talk,” I said, setting my container down and turning on the sofa. I sat with my legs crossed and Tucker did the same thing, except he kept his food clutched in his hands and away from Mr. Pootie’s paws.

“Okay, let’s talk,” Tucker said with a smile.

“Where do you see yourself in five years?” I asked.

He looked up in thought for a moment and then pierced his eyes on mine. “With you, in a house, probably outside of the city because I’m pretty sure we both hate living in the city. Maybe a baby, but for sure a dog.”

My brow lifted. “A dog?”

The most brilliant smile lit up his face. “Seriously, Charlie? The dog is all you got out of that?”

Now it was my turn to give him a smile. “Yes, because I see all that too.”

Tucker looked surprised. “Really?”

“My dream is to build a house, maybe on the land in Marble Falls, raise a family, and be a wife and a mother.”

It took Tucker a good thirty seconds before he moved to put his Chinese takeout on the coffee table and focus back on me.

“Wait. Charlie, you’re the CEO of your family’s company. I mean, I have no doubt you wouldn’t be able to handle that job and be a mother, but living so far from CMI, could you do that?”

I nodded. “Yes, especially when I’m no longer CEO.”

His face dropped. “So, wait. I’m confused. I thought you said you were CEO.”

“I am,” I stated. “But it was never my dream. It was my father’s, and I’ve spent the last ten-plus years doing everything for my father. I could walk away from CMI Consulting as a very rich woman. It’s not about the money, and I do care very much about my father’s business. That’s why I’m giving myself at least a year to be CEO, take the company in the direction I want it to go, get people on my team who see the same future I see, and then step down and let them run it. I’ll still retain a majority of the stock, so I very much have a say. It wouldn’t be like I’m turning my back on it. I’ll still be involved, just not in the day-to-day things.”

Pushing his fingers through his hair, Tucker let out a disbelieving chuckle.

“What will you do if you’re not working for CMI?”

“Be your wife. Follow my own dreams. I’ve always wanted to buy old houses and flip them. You bought your house and remodeled it. I was sort of thinking that might be something we could do for fun. You and me.”

Tucker’s eyes lit up. “I love that idea. What about kids? I know we’ve brushed over the subject a couple of times the last twelve hours.”

I took his hands in mine and kissed the back of each. “I want kids, but I also think it’s important to spend time with you. Just us. Maybe travel some and see some places we wouldn’t be able to see with a baby … or two. I don’t want to have a baby when I’m still at CMI because I’d love to be a stay-at-home mom.”

Tucker’s face lit up like Christmas morning. He reached for me and pulled me so I straddled him. My warmth pressed against his hardness.

“How many kids do you want?” I asked.

“Two? Maybe three. If we’re good at it. Well, I know we’d be good at the making babies thing, but you know what I mean.”

Laughing, I pressed my mouth to Tucker’s, and we were soon lost in one another. It didn’t take long before I was stripped bare and the man I loved moved slowly and gently inside me.

Tucker moved behind me, pulling me tight into his arms as we laid on the sofa in the most amazing after-sex glow.

“Son of a bitch!” Tucker cried out, causing me to open my eyes and see Mr. Pootie’s head buried inside of Tucker’s takeout container.

Smiling, I closed my eyes again and let my happiness settle around me.

Finally, everything was falling into place. Tucker and I were together and nothing would ever tear us apart.

If only I’d known in that moment how naïve my thinking had been.