Brothers of Paradise Series

“What?”

“We can’t work like this.”

“Why not?” I reach for my laptop and prop it on her lap, my arms reaching around her waist to tap away at the keyboard. “It works. I don’t know what you’re complaining about.”

“Mhm. And how will I get anything done?” She leans back, her head nestled below the crook of my neck.

“You’ll help instruct me. We’re almost done with this.” The opera house is complete, and with her changes, it now has a balance and symmetry it lacked before.

Faye’s fingers trail down my arm. “What will happen tomorrow?”

Tomorrow, Monday. Another day at the office. It feels like an age has passed since the last time we were at work. “We’ll figure it out,” I say. “You know we will.”

She relaxes against me, but the hand playing with my arm is restless.

“How about this-you set some ground rules. You like those.”

There’s a smile in her voice. “No kissing in the office.”

“Sounds good. I’ll agree to anything you want.”

“I don’t want anyone to find out about us, obviously. That would be… catastrophic.”

I breathe in the scent of her freshly washed hair, her warm skin, and nod. She’s right. Both our reputations would be tarnished if it got out, but it wouldn’t be equally, as unfair as that is.

“We’ll keep it a secret. Don’t worry.”

“And…. I can’t work with you anymore. Long-term, I mean.” She twists to face me, her hand cupping my cheek. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I actually think we work great together.”

“Me too.”

“But I just… it would complicate things too much. And I couldn’t spend my days afraid that someone would find out, and in a blink, I’d lose everything. That’s just not a long-term solution.”

“I agree,” I say, because I do-whole-heartedly. It’s a problem I’ve already begun trying to solve. “We’ll find you another position.”

“We? I think I need to do this on my own.”

“I’ll help you, of course. I’m the reason you can’t stay at Marchand & Rykers, am I not?”

She cocks her head. “Well, technically, yes.”

“Then, technically, I should help. You have excellent credentials, a solid background, and tons of raw talent. You’ll find a place that you want, don’t worry about that.”

Faye smiles, but the expression dies as she glances down at my watch. “Oh, we really need to get going. It’s a long drive back.”

I tip her head back to meet mine. “We will. Just promise me you won’t worry. We’ll solve this.”

She kisses me, sweet and soft. “I won’t.”

I reluctantly release my hold and watch as she heads to the bedroom. This morning had been unreal. The sex, both yesterday and today, was some of the best of my life. We’d packed up our things and eaten breakfast together. It feels easy. It feels right.

And I’ll be damned if something as stupid as work comes between us.

We stop by my parents’ house for a final goodbye before we hit the road. My mother, still in her bathrobe, is practically glowing with happiness. “Yesterday was marvelous, don’t you think?”

Faye nods. “A stunning wedding, Mrs. Marchand.”

“Oh Faye, thank you for coming this weekend. It’s lovely to finally see Henry with someone, and I couldn’t imagine anyone better.”Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

I cringe inwardly at the way that makes me sound, but Faye’s the picture of grace. “Thank you for having me, Mrs. Marchand. And please give my thanks to Lily, when you see her after her honeymoon.”

“I will, dear.” Turning to me, Mom makes me bend so she can press a kiss to my check. “Prends soin d’elle, Henri,” she whispers.

Take care of her.

“I will.”

Faye waves one last time as we leave the giant house behind, the ocean receding in the rearview mirror, Paradise Shores becoming a memory once more.

The drive is silent, the quiet between us getting heavier with each mile of road that carries us closer to New York.

I glance over at Faye. She’s been worrying her bottom lip, practically nonstop. “Thank you for coming this weekend,” I say. “It was great to have you there.”

“I enjoyed myself. More than I thought I would. Your family, Henry… they’re so great.”

“They really liked you. All of them, which is an accomplishment.” I shake my head. “You managed to win over both my father and Rhys, too.”

She scoffs. “Well, I didn’t exactly speak to your dad again after the little outburst. He might still hate me.”

“He doesn’t,” I say. “He told me that before the wedding.”

“He did?”

I nod, weighing my words. “He said you were brave.” He’d also told me to put a ring on her finger as soon as possible.

“Wow,” she says. “Maybe I should start arguments with more people. Seems like a winning strategy for me.”

I reach over and put a hand on her knee. “It certainly worked on me. Your application letter was one hell of an introduction.”

She puts a hand on mine. “What your mom said… is that the reason I was here, beyond moral support and work? Because your family really wants to see you with someone?”

Damn. I should’ve seen that one coming.

“I’m not going to lie,” I say. “When I first asked you, that was my thinking. Combined with the fact that we would be able to get work done, it seemed like a perfectly legitimate reason.” I shake my head at myself. “But it was all justifications, really. I wanted you here with me. Spending time with you is the most fun I’ve had in a very long time. My mother’s opinion, the wedding, work… it was all justifications for my own, selfish desires. I’m sorry for that, though.”

She threads her fingers through mine. “You’re forgiven,” she says. “I’ll admit that I’m not exactly innocent either… Even before we had the negotiation, I’d decided to join.”

“Really?”