Finally, I reach the high-rise luxury building that I splurged on. It’s about a twenty-minute walk from campus and has every amenity I could ever need.
I fling open the door to the lobby of the building and sprint for the elevator, ignoring the warm greeting from Ralph, the doorman.
Once the elevators doors slide close, I dissolve into a pile of tears near the back of the confined space. Sobs are shaking my shoulders by the time I reach the tenth floor. My floor.
Stepping off the elevator, I wipe my tears and try to focus on calming breaths as I search for my key. Eyes cast down, I collide with a solid figure just near the end of the hall.
Looking up, an apology is right at the tip of my tongue until I realize who it is.
“Sebastian?”
“Olivia,” he breathes before crushing me in a hug.
His arms engulf my small frame in a warm embrace, causing me to melt against him because I’ve been craving his touch for weeks and the moment has finally come.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, my words muffled against his solid chest.
“I missed you,” Sebastian says into my hair.
His familiar scent greets my nostrils and I breathe him in deeply.
Sebastian.
He’s really here.
Ravenously, his mouth devours mine in the most sensual way. I’ve never been kissed quite so thoroughly. He pulls away roughly, his fingers firmly grasping my chin to hold me in place.
“Forgive me,” he says and I know it isn’t a request. His intense eyes are trained on me.
All I can do is nod.
“I had no idea about your shithead ex. That explained a lot. I got why you were so disappointed in me.”
Amazed, I stare at him wide-eyed. “How did you find out about that?”
A secret smile touches his perfect lips.
“Your friend Winnie has been very helpful in the last few weeks. I hacked her phone carrier and got her number,” he says nonchalantly.
“Sebastian!” I whisper, scandalized, and look around to make sure no one heard him.
“What? I was desperate. I had to put the resources I had to use.”
I only narrow my eyes at him playfully, still so happy that he’s standing in front of me.
“Shit, I missed you,” he declares before pulling me closer to him. So close that I can feel the erection straining against his fly.
Instantly, my center starts pulsing in sync with his erection.
“I love you,” he says, never breaking eye contact. “I think I knew it the second you got off that damn plane.”
Stunned, my gaze is glued to him. I love him, too. So much. Warmth spreads through me knowing that the feelings I have for him are reciprocated.
“I love you, too.”
Sebastian drops his forehead to mine and makes a command I vow to never disobey.
“Never leave me again.”
EPILOGUE
SEBASTIAN DOWNS
Six months later…
“Bash!” Olivia calls out as soon as she enters the door.
The excitement in her voice will never get old. She makes me feel like the luckiest fucker alive when she greets me and I bet she doesn’t even know it.
Abandoning my present task, I leave her bedroom and meet her in the hallway.
“Hi,” she says, smiling brightly at me.
“How was your day, sweetheart?”
“Better now,” she says, further stroking my ego. “How was your flight?”
“Uneventful. You were all I could think about.”
I’d taken one of my now frequent flights in from California this morning to spend the weekend with her.
Because of our hectic schedules, we’d settled on a compromise. I do most of the traveling because her school schedule isn’t very flexible. Most of the time, I work remotely from Tennessee unless it is absolutely essential that I show up in the flesh.
When Olivia has an extended break from school, we go to California. We’re still working out the kinks but it’s served us well so far.
I’m even in the process of buying land to open an east-coast division for the site and app. Steady growth has increased our demand for employees and office space and my home state is as good a place as any to put down some roots.
Olivia made the decision that much easier.
I want to be wherever she is.
“How was the old guy today?” I ask, referring to her outing after class.
Green eyes light up like the sun and her smile is just as bright.
“Today was a good day for Arnold. He was sitting up in his chair when I got there. And he smiled when he saw me, even though he still thinks I’m his wife Claire.”
This makes me chuckle. Arnold had been put in a nursing home only a month after Olivia was fired. His condition had deteriorated so quickly in those four weeks that his son had no choice but to put him in a nursing home.