Hold Me Forever: A Hartley Brothers Romance Suspense Novel by Alessa Kelly

Author:Alessa Kelly [Kelly, Alessa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-10-23T18:30:00+00:00

16

AMBER

Now I’ve learned that a day spent with that man is always a day that demands everything of me. My stupid fear had sent me home prematurely, but last night was a start. His kisses reminded me that I’ve found that elusive connection—beyond the passion, beyond the pleasure. If every man kissed like Rob, no women would ever wonder whether life had a meaning.

But with every start, there comes a next step. What will it be for me? I want to be the right one for Rob, not just someone who goes along for the ride with a see-what-happens mentality. That means my next step will include telling him who I really am, and maybe after that, it will be to confront my fear of boats.

I guess that’s for another day.

For now, I’m back in my comfort zone at Amber The Mender as I welcome my cute-as-a-button customer, four-year-old Belle.

“There we go, sweetie.” I hand over a shaggy sloth bear toy to her.

Belle beams, checking out her teddy’s newly reinstated nose. “Thanks, Ambear.”

That call always tickles me in the heart.

“You’re welcome.” I kneel in front of her. “Thanks for waiting so patiently.”

Her mother tugs the girl slowly toward the door—

The door which Rob, looking every bit a billionaire in his gray formal suit and tie (an ensemble he should’ve worn last night), opens gently, as if he was a humble concierge.

After Belle and her mother leave, he greets me, “Hey there.” It’s not the greeting of a concierge, but that of a boyfriend who’s delighted to see his girl.

Not expecting him to be here in the flesh, I freeze. He said he’d call, not come. What am I going to say about last night?

“Hey,” I reply, almost inaudibly.

Rob pulls me into his embrace, putting an end to my ambivalence. I never thought cuddling a guy in his business suit would feel so casual.

“Ambear?”

So he’d heard. “That’s reserved for kids.”

“Alright, I’ll stick with Amber-Rose, then.”

I tilt my head. Up close, I admire his face as if we’d just met. In contrast to his powerful frame, he has baby skin that’s almost smoother than my complexion. Even his brows and facial hair are soft, and his lips, too. He has a rather wide cupid’s bow. It’s both cute and functional. I swear it was poking into my upper lip last night when we kissed, publicly jogging my arousal to an inappropriate level.

His fingers fan behind my back, and without resistance I accept his gift—a Hartley kiss, the sequel.

Move that cupid’s bow… that’s it… God, Rob!

“If you do this every day, I’ll go out of business in no time,” I say.

“I’d sympathize with your customers, then.” He loosens his embrace.

“How was the dinner?” I ask, still feeling slightly embarrassed at leaving him high and dry.

“Fine,” he responds with a quick shrug. “Now I know why the Island of Dolls is the last place on earth you’d want to be.”

“Why?”

“Because you’d have to take a boat to get there.”

Being a smartass, are we?

“I’m sorry about last night,” I say.

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