Love After Dark by Marie Force Read Free Book Online

just about us. Toby is part of us. Remember what I said when I proposed about how I wanted to honor him and his memory and what he meant to you?”
    “I could never forget that.”
    “We need to find a way to do that on our wedding day.”
    “We don’t have to—”
    “I know we don’t have to, but I want to. We should.”
    She blinked rapidly, trying to contain more tears. “What do you have in mind?”
    “You know how we’re doing the unity candle thing during the ceremony?”
    She nodded.
    “How about we light a third candle in his memory? No one needs to know why we’re doing that, but we’ll know. What do you think?”
    “That would be very special, and you’re very sweet for thinking of it.”
    “I understand and respect what he meant to you, Jenny, and I know that the only reason I get to have forever with you is because he didn’t. I’ll never forget that.”
    “I hate that you thought, for even one second, that I didn’t want to marry you.”
    “I didn’t know what to think when you got really quiet and withdrawn.”
    “I’m sorry. I should’ve talked to you about it, but it seemed so silly.”
    “It’s not silly, and I get it. But this time… This time you’re going to have that magical day and every day after, because I’m not going anywhere.”
    She smiled at him, but the sadness lingered in her big brown eyes. What they both knew but didn’t say was that Toby hadn’t planned to be anywhere but with her either. This time she was going to get her happily ever after, no matter what.
    He stood and gave her hand a gentle tug. “Come inside with me.”
    “We have to get back to work.”
    “I own the company, and as your boss, I’m telling you to come inside with me.”
    “Paul’s my boss,” she said with a playfully defiant look in her eyes that he much preferred to the tears.
    “Get your sexy ass in the house before I spank it.”
    “Do you want me to start throwing tomatoes at you again?”
    “You can throw anything you want at me.”
    They were halfway up the stairs when Jenny turned to him, meeting him at eye level from the stair above his. “Thanks for making me talk about it.”
    “I always want to know what you’re thinking. If you’re unhappy, so am I.”
    She put her arms on his shoulders, encircling his neck. “I’m not unhappy. I’m happier than I’ve been in a very long time, all because of you.”
    Reaching around her, he cupped her bottom and lifted her off her feet as he continued up the stairs, carrying her into the master bedroom where he’d surprised her with an air mattress a couple of weeks ago to hold them over until their new furniture arrived.
    “We can’t be doing this in the middle of a workday. It sets a terrible example for the employees.”
    “I love when you’re stern with me. It’s so hot.”
    Jenny rolled her eyes the way she always did when he said something outrageous, which he did frequently because he loved pushing her buttons. “Everything makes you hot.”
    “ You make me hot,” he said, molding his lips to hers as he lowered them to the mattress without missing a beat in the kiss. “Tomatoes make me hot.”
    Jenny started laughing and couldn’t seem to stop. “Am I ever going to hear the end of the tomatoes?”
    “Never.” Hearing her laugh hard made him realize how long it had been since she’d done that. Her belly laugh was another thing that made him hot. He helped her out of her clothes and then pulled off his own, ignoring the fact that he probably needed a shower after the morning spent working. But that would take time he didn’t want to waste with her naked and eager beneath him.
    He kissed her all over, starting at her neck and working his way down to her breasts, her belly and between her legs. She came twice, one right after the other, and was still in the throes of the second one when he drove into her, triggering another wave. There was nothing in this entire world that felt better than being with her this