“I’m selling the stores,” he said.
I was thrilled the worst case scenario I'd immediately jumped to wasn't correct, but also stunned to hear he was selling.
“You are?”
“I am. The distributor who offered to buy the thrusters way back when I was in college has been making offers for years. I just finished negotiating what I would accept. They’ve got the financing in place, and there’s a board meeting next week for their company to vote on it. Since it’s a no brainer financially for them to take on what is essentially a golden goose, I think it’s going to happen.”
“But a few days before I showed up for that first day of Senior Project, Robert told me you were looking to expand to Arizona and Nevada in the next two years.”
He laughed as he linked our fingers together and squeezed my hand.
“That was before I met you, Angel. In an instant, I saw the fork in the road, and I chose the path that would take us forward. Leaving my past behind was the right thing to do.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t be selling sex toys anymore. I don’t want you exposed to it. That isn’t worthy of you, and it isn’t how we’re going to live our lives.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You mean you’re giving this all up for me?”
“No,” he said firmly. “I’ve given up nothing, Angel. I have you, which means I have everything.”
“I’m speechless,” I murmured. “I’m worried you’ll be mad later because you had to have lost money. I hope you don’t think I was against it, or—”
He moved swiftly, lifting me up from my chair and pulling me into his lap.
“Oh Angel,” he sighed. “You’re so off base. First, we haven’t had the money talk, but I think now’s as good a time as any. Before I agreed to sell the stores, I was a multi-billionaire. In addition to the stores and the online stuff, I own a ton of real-estate. Once this goes through, I’ll be even richer. This is in no way a loss. If I never work another day in my life and live off the interest from investing this money, we’d still be rich. It doesn’t matter, though. Even if it made me a pauper, I’d have chosen you, Natalie. Making decisions for the good of our relationship is as easy as breathing.”
My lower lip trembled as I stared into his eyes. He had the biggest heart of anyone I’d ever known, and I adored him. The way he made me feel was priceless, and the way he treated me was beyond my wildest expectations.
“I don’t know how you do it, but you’re unbelievably gifted at making me feel like your princess,” I murmured as I dropped a kiss on his lips.
He cupped either side of my face and looked into my eyes. “It’s easy when I love you as much as I do. You’re my life, Angel.”
I gasped as I stared back at him, his face growing blurry as my eyes filled with tears.
“Really?” I squeaked. “You love me?”
“Loved you the minute you looked up at me with those big blue eyes. Loved you more when you spoke to me for the first time. Loved you when you said you wanted to come with me. Loved you when I took your virginity. You hit me like a goddamn freight train, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“I love you too,” I said emotionally. “You’re my Prince Charming.”
I kissed him then, deeply. He let me take charge, his hands taking up residence at my waist when I straddled him in the chair. Our tongues slid together sensually as I rocked back and forth on his lap. It went on and on, a slow and deep exploration of each other that transcended everything. I wasn’t even aware we were in the store until he ripped his mouth from mine and stood up. I wrapped my legs around him as he walked us to the door. After turning the CLOSED sign to face out, he pulled the shade and locked up.
“Couldn’t let anyone walk in on this,” he chuckled.
I laughed as he walked us back to the chair and sat down before pulling me into another series of hot wet kisses. A few minutes later I pulled back breathlessly and slid from his lap and down to the floor, where I got between his legs and removed his shoes and socks as he stared down at me intently.
I’d begged and pleaded, but Jordan had staunchly refused to allow me to give him a blowjob until he got his test results back. He’d gotten the results on the way into the vinyl store that morning. Not surprising, seeing as how he was a condom freak. But he’d been focused like a laser on knowing for sure.