He believed he was right. I stepped out of the truck and said, “I have to go, but here, everyone thinks I’m Warren Tate. No one knows I’m a Norouzi. And I have loose ends to figure out before I come home.”

  We said our goodbyes, and once I made it to the door, I knocked then got to work.

  I worked and thought about how having Kerry at home when I got there was giving me energy to power through the day.

  I finished the ceiling fans and then went to a 3D-wall-panel installation for a realtor who wanted it done before closing.

  I lined up the work and finished my day early enough for the sun to still be up when I headed home.

  My lips tingled and were ready for her kiss as I headed up the stairs. I went up two steps at a time and hummed until I unlocked the door.

  I walked in and smelled the lemon cake she must have just finished cooking, which sat on the counter next to homemade soup.

  I closed the door.

  Her lips were thin, and her face was white. Something had happened. I went to kiss her. “Kerry…” She was my everything. I loved her. The moment our lips met, the world disappeared entirely.

  As it ended, she hugged me and said, “I’m happy you’re back ahead of schedule, but did something happen to one of the jobs?”

  The last thing she needed to do was worry. I squeezed her hand as she pulled away. “No. I worked fast to get back to you.”

  She cupped my face but then stepped back and rocked back and forth. “That’s sweet. So my mother spoke to my ex today…”

  I ran my hand down her back. “Why?”

  She nodded and met my gaze. “It seems my mother wanted to know if the medications I was on would make me delusional. And apparently, he apologized to her that it came to me jumping out of the car to make my point.”

  As long as she wasn’t afraid or worried about anything, it was okay. I smiled and stepped back. “That’s good.”

  She raised her chin high. “He offered to send me my prescriptions, but I said no. I don’t know why he had a few of his doctor friends on the line, but it felt like a setup. Since I left, I’ve been fine, and that’s what I said.”

  She was confident and capable. I winked. “You are more than fine. You’re smart, which is why I made you my partner.”

  She curled her arms around her waist. “You think?”

  I massaged her shoulders, and she let her hands fall to her sides. “Why wouldn’t you be? You know yourself the best, so what do you believe?”

  She sucked on her lower lip then met my gaze. For a second, she didn’t say anything, but then she curled her lips higher into a smile. “That I am rational, sane, and capable of running our business is exactly what I needed to hear.”

  Perfect. At least I’d not stressed her by mentioning how she had my heart whenever she wanted it. I let her go and grabbed the bowls, kissing her cheek on my way to the counter. “Good, and you know we’re exclusive, so no one else is invited into our beds or lives.”

  “Okay. I don’t want to share you.” Her eyes had a gleam in them that made me excited and tense. “And soon, we’ll be rich.”

  Right. My mind snapped. I’d not read the blog or told Kerry who I was. I let her go. “Yes. Do you believe in gossip?”

  She massaged the back of her head. “I don’t care what people think or say about me.”

  Whatever was on the page didn’t matter to us, then. I curled my arms around her and said, “Me too. I just want you.”

  Then we kissed, and fire burned in my veins.

  She followed me to the bedroom. “I thought for sure we’d eat tonight.”

  Goose bumps appeared on my arms, and my heart pounded in my chest, but I didn’t dare touch her yet. “Are you hungry?”

  She slipped off her shirt. “Only for you.”

  “We’ll eat later,” I said, following her lead.

  I needed her more than anything else. She was all that mattered to me, and as she ignited my lips with desire, I realized something more powerful drove me. I truly loved her.

  31

  Kerry

  Warren pressed against me, and I ached for him. The moment he told me he loved me replayed in my mind. I stepped away to close the blinds, as we didn’t need neighbors walking to their cars to see anything.

  I’d never lived in a place hardly bigger than my freshman year dorm room since my freshman year, but with Warren, it was enough because we were fucking happy. He was amazing. I wouldn’t have changed any of it.

  My toes curled when he led me to our bed. My stomach trembled and some voice in the back of my head whispered that I should leave, but I pushed the thought away. We would navigate the changes somehow. Sex didn’t have to ruin everything. I reached for his pants as my muscles tensed in anticipation of having him inside me.

  It wasn’t a dream. My skin felt electrified where it brushed against his cock. I continued and unzipped his pants, stripped them off him, and went to my hands and knees.

  We’d agreed to adding sex to our friendship, and I wanted him. He helped and tugged his boxer briefs with them so both hit the ground.

  I traced his legs and stared at his penis with intensity. He was hard and ready for me. Until Warren, I’d thought stories of a man’s organs growing bigger were fiction. Warren showed me the truth every time we were together. Excitement spread through me, and I gently kissed it.

  He reached down and cupped my elbows to help me stand. I caressed his body as I followed him, but I left small butterfly kisses on his muscular body as I did.

  Then he held me close, and our lips and tongues met, sending me into overdrive as we lay on the bed. I clung to him, though a thrill rushed through me as he helped me remove my jeans and tossed them on the floor. I wiggled my panties off so we were both naked.

  A flutter rushed in my heart as our hands explored each other. For the first time in my life, I yearned, and it wasn’t just for his delicious body to join mine. Every one of my dreams included him, as if he was the missing part of my soul that had finally shown up.

  I wanted to speed up. A craze rushed me, and I climbed on top of him and slipped his cock into my center.

  And in that second when he thrust deep inside me, my body exploded. I lost the ability to think, my body was tingling everywhere, and the world was an unrecognizable swirl beside him. Even the air smelled sweeter than cake.

  My climax came fast, and so did his.

  Then I collapsed onto him, and he held me tightly until I went to sleep.

  An hour or so later, I woke up and sighed. It was dark, but my body still hummed from earlier. I blinked and smiled up at him. Warren was the best person I’d ever met in my life. It wasn’t his job to fix me, though. I opened my lips to tell him, but his phone rang. I giggled, as it was my mother who had called the previous night. “Guess it’s your night.”

  He picked up his phone and glanced at the ceiling. “My father already called me today. Hold on.”

  Good. I rushed to the bathroom to clean up and spray on a little perfume. I didn’t close the door, though, and I heard Warren talking. “No. Tell them to stay out.”

  Stay out? Is his family nearby? I covered myself for a second but then jumped back into bed and slid under the blanket. “What’s going on?”

  Warren let out a small sigh but seemed tight-lipped. For a second, my heart was the only thing I heard, but then he said, “He wants me to come home.”

  Maybe I was missing something. “Visiting isn’t a bad thing.”

  He shook his head. “It’s not. He’s worried about me, but he doesn’t need to be.”

  Maybe I misunderstood earlier, but “stay out” burned in my mind. I decided to ignore it. “Did you tell him about me?”

  He laughed, curled his arms around me, and squeezed me. “Yeah. I said if I do go, I’m not going without you.”

  I hoped I could figure myself out quickly. I glanced at him and wondered whether he saw me as a rescue project or if he truly loved me. I didn’t see a confident or smart woman when I saw myself in the mirror. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask, but I kissed his cheek instead. “That’s sweet.”

  He winked. “I thought so.”

  My lips tingled for a kiss, but I heard his stomach growl. I tapped on his side and sat up. “I heard that. We’d better eat.”

  I grabbed a shirt off the floor and tugged it on.

  He grabbed his boxer briefs and said, “I worked fast to get back to you.”

  I winked and curled my finger toward him so he would follow me. “Then you’ll need your strength.” I opened the door then walked to grab bowls and spoon dinner out of the slow cooker.

  He then said, as he grabbed the wine and silverware, “Fair enough. My father is just worried.”

  “About?”

  “A gossip blogger. I told him it didn’t matter, but if you ever need me during the day, you can call or text.”

  “I’m not interesting enough for gossip to get any money if they talked about me.” But I nodded. “If something happens here, you’ll be the first I call.”

  “Good.” He came back for the wine glasses.

  I met his gaze. “I like handling our business. I don’t call much because if I bother you less, you get more work done and we both make money.”

  He gently patted my lower back. “I like when you bother me.”

  My heart warmed. He was sweet. I carried our bowls to the table and said, “Thank you. But it’s strange how in this small place of ours, I feel more comfortable than I ever did sitting in the great room of the house I lived in with my husband. And in this small place, I’m getting to know myself. I just need time.”

  He moved his chair so he was next to me instead of across then folded his hands on the table. “This won’t always be our life. Once we prove our business, I’ll access my money, and we can live in my nice New York apartment or my home in LA.”

  I’d gone to Manhattan to shop a few times, but I didn’t say as much. “I’ve never been to California.”

  “Really?” he asked. His eyes widened as if he was shocked, and he hadn’t started eating. His stomach growled again.

  “Well, the tickets to Europe were about the same price, and I chose Spain after college with my friends, before going home and agreeing to get married.”

  He picked up his spoon. “Did you have fun?”

  I stilled, hoping he would enjoy the dish. “Yes. I’ve been thinking about reconnecting with my college friends.”

  He took a bite, and his eyes widened in surprise. Then he licked his lips and took more bites.

  My heart swelled. He liked it. I took my time and ate.

  As we finished, he asked, “You’re not on social media?”

  I sat back and shrugged. I was probably the only person my age who wasn’t. “I avoided anyone who might remind me of my happier days. Now, I’m happy, so I’m thinking of checking in.”

  He nodded. “I’m sure they’d love to hear from you.”

  “Maybe.” I giggled as I picked up my wine. “I’ll reconnect to the world soon.”

  “Good,” he said.

  Then we sipped our wine to wash away the dinner. Next to Warren, even the air smelled crisper and safer, as if I was in the forest but with a man who would protect me. He finished his glass. His mouth had my attention. “Do you want seconds?”

  He curled his hand around my thigh, and fireworks grew all over me as he said, “Not of food.”

  If I had known he was out there in the world, there was no way I would have stayed locked away in my house. Goose bumps grew all over me at the idea of us making love again, but I deflected. “How about the cake?”

  He came closer and kissed my cheek. As I glanced up, my heart thumped in double time, and he caressed my neck with his lips and tongue. Heat washed through me. “Maybe later,” he said.

  Damn, I wanted him, and it was more than just physical. My heart whispered, but I wasn’t sure how to describe the feeling. I swallowed hard and stopped him.

  He blinked and asked, “What’s on your mind, then?”

  I curled my hands around him and said, “Nothing I can talk about. Can I ask one question?”

  He stilled. “Of course.”

  The air around me was charged as if something I needed to know was floating in space just beyond me. My gut twisted. “Tell me something about your life before we met that I might not like?”

  He stiffened in his seat, and his gaze narrowed. “Why?”

  Maybe I’d struck on something. I needed to know if there was a reason to be unsure or if I was grasping at straws. “Please tell me.”

  He carried the dishes to the sink. My heart pounded.

  He turned on the water and washed the bowls. “I was always questioning my skills and felt empty until I met you.”

  “Oh, is that what’s been happening?” I giggled and followed with the wine glasses then playfully bumped into him. What he’d said was truthful, and I honestly hadn’t meant to upset him or make him think about anyone else. I winked. “You’re into me?”

  “I thought that was obvious.” He finished washing all the dishes and then kissed my forehead. “I’m exactly where I intend to be.”

  I closed my eyes, and a tremble of need rushed through me. “Well, I was told I was boring and didn’t dress the part of a proper doctor’s wife.”

  He pinched my backside. “I can have my personal shopper tend to you so we match, but I prefer you naked.”

  I doubted I would have any problems with Warren like the ones I’d had with Romeo. “Shopping for home goods was how I amused myself, but I’m okay if someone wants to coordinate us like play dolls.”

  We crossed the threshold to the bedroom, and he twirled me in his arms. “You make anything look sexy as fuck.”

  Heat rose through me. “Well, thank you.”

  He walked me backwards as he said, “And when you move in with me permanently, you can wear whatever you want any time you want. I only want you.”

  “I’ll think about it.” My leg brushed against the bed. I wanted to believe him. The idea of greeting Warren while wearing nothing at all only made the kiss he laid on me hotter.

  Or maybe I was falling in love for the first time. The thought made me lose my breath, but I blinked it away when I brushed against his cock. I didn’t want to think about that as our bodies pressed against each other, but the thought swirled in my brain. Warren seemed genuinely to care about me. I hoped I could figure myself out quickly. Once I was on track, we could be happy.

  32

  Warren

  I finished my day working on a cabinet installation and headed home. Soon, I would be done with the project, but as I was early, I kissed Kerry’s cheek as she spoke to Jeff and we both signed our partnership papers.

  I did the same, but the second she was off the phone, I openly stared at her in her green T-shirt and bare legs. “You’re cute, working in my shirt.”

  She shook her head then opened her laptop. I signed the partnership on my phone, so I was sure she’d gotten the emailed version which made everything official.

  She didn’t say anything at first. “We need to fill your schedule and start working on the next phase of our building plan, now that you have the blueprints and overall layout schematics. So I’m submitting bids.”

  I wrapped my arms around her. I wanted to get her away from the computer. “Sounds good.”

  I brushed against her chest, but my phone rang. She blinked and handed me my phone as she said, “Answer your brother, and I’ll finish the bids and work for the day.”

  Her work ethic was commendable. I nodded and answered. “Gerard. Hey.”

  As I sat on the couch to watch Kerry’s sexy legs curl under her squishable butt, my brother said, “So… Ashley is coming to Mom’s family dinner.”

  My eyes widened. “Did you invite her?”

  “No. Mom came over and invited her.”

  That wasn’t good. If Maman came in our apartment just then, Kerry might run for the hills… or she would be enchanted, and I would gain an ally. I shook off the thought and asked my brother about his problem. “Is she your girlfriend again?”

  “No. I’ve never been this complicated in my life.”

  Kerry sucked on her bottom lip, and I ached to have her again. “There is nothing complicated about knowing what you want.”

  Gerard said, “Look, bring your new girlfriend to dinner.”

  Kerry stared at me, and I knew her frozen pose wasn’t good.

  I stood, put my hand in my pocket, and said, “We’ll see.”

  She closed the laptop but didn’t say anything until I finished the goodbyes to my brother. She stood and didn’t look at me. “Did he say ‘girlfriend’?”

  I took her hands in mine and hoped she would meet my gaze. “He doesn’t know anything about us. Don’t worry about him or anything.”

  She met my eyes. “You told your family we were more.”

  I traced her cheek. “I didn’t. He made an assumption. Just be relaxed, and let’s finish working so we can go to bed.”

  “I’m done, but I need a few minutes for a shower.” She slipped out of my arms before I could kiss her.

  I suddenly realized that she wanted to run away. It was in her eyes—I didn’t imagine it. I needed her to trust me, which meant I needed to show her what life in my world could have been if I’d decided to stay there. It was time to show her how life with me could have been, which meant that I had to become Warren Norouzi again.

  33

  Warren

  I heard the shower and decided it was time. She needed to know the truth, so I grabbed the dress I’d ordered and knocked on the bathroom door. Then I opened it and hung the dress on the back of the door without letting myself inside. “Wear the red dress.”

  She peeked out, and her eyes widened. “Really? I thought you wanted to go to bed.”

  The white towel surrounding her curves made me pause, and I grew harder. “I’d like to take you out on a date. A real one, with the real me.”