Taking It All by Alexa Kaye Read Free Book Online

since before his daughter was born. He's like family.”
    Ed smiles. “I've been looking after this rascal since he was a pimply-faced teenager. You've got yourself a good guy,” he says, giving me a pat on the back. “A very good guy.”
    Jordan offers her hand. “It's nice to meet you. I hope your daughter gets some good news about her treatment.”
    “Thank you. Now, I better get back to work. Don't want the boss to get angry.” He winks and scurries off as we head inside.
    Just inside the front door, Jordan hesitates for a moment. “Wow,” she says, her gaze focused on the floor-to-ceiling windows spanning the entire back wall of the open living-slash-dining-slash-kitchen space. “What a view.”
    “Breathtaking, isn't it?” I ask, referring to her, not the scenery.
    “Yes.”
    She follows my lead out the back door where dinner (and a very special surprise for my Jordan) has been set out. Silver covers hide what's on our plates underneath. The champagne bottle chills in a bucket of ice. I hold her chair and push it in for her. Then I take my own seat and fill our glasses. I'm nervous but I do my best to hide it.
    After serving both of us, I lift my glass. “To the future.”
    “The future.” She taps her glass to mine and sips, peering over the rim at me.
    My heart twists.
    I want this woman. In my life. In my bed.
    I want to taste her. To touch her. To hold her.
    I want to give her the world. Everything she wants. Everything she needs.
    Will she trust me?
    I wait for her to lift the cover off her plate with my heart in my throat. She's not expecting what's underneath.
    It's pure agony.
    She gives me a shy look then picks up the cover.
    She stares down for one, two, three agonizing seconds.
    Finally she looks at me. “What's this?”
    It's time.
    I reach across the table and grab the small box sitting on her plate before dropping onto one knee beside her. I flip up the top, displaying the ring inside. “Jordan, I know it hasn't been long....that we've just...started getting to know one another...”
    Fuck, I've forgotten the beautiful speech I had planned and rehearsed all day. It's gone. That's never happened before.
    I open my mouth and let the words flow, “I'm begging you. Make me the happiest man on earth. Marry me.”
    Her sweet little mouth forms an O.
    She blinks once. Twice. Three times.
    Is she going to answer me?
    My insides do loop-the-loops.
    Still nothing. I can't stand this painful silence.
    I say, “I know this is probably unexpected--”
    “You can say that again,” she murmurs. She looks down at the ring again.
    “But it is genuine,” I tell her. “I want you to be my wife.”
    Her pretty eyes find mine. “We barely know each other. It's been one day. One.”
    “Does time matter if you know you've found the right one?” I challenge, sliding back into my chair.
    “How can you know I'm the right one after one day? You know nothing about me.” Her hands clench in her lap.
    I scoot my chair closer to hers. I have to be near her. Have to be. “I know you pack a mean punch.”
    Her sweet lips quirk. “If anything, that should make you run the other way.”
    “But I'm not running. I respect you for standing up for yourself. I respect your independent streak. Your strength in the face of adversity. You're like me. Only better. Much, much better.”
    Her shy smile fades. “I'm nobody special, Grayson.” She traces the rim of her champagne glass with a dainty finger. “Look at you. You're rich. Insanely good looking.”
    Yes! She thinks I'm good looking! Hearing that makes my heart swell.
    She continues, “I'm sure there are lots of smart, rich, beautiful women who would die to be your wife.”
    But damn it, she doesn't get it yet.
    I don't care about other women. I want her. She needs to see that. To accept it.
    “Maybe there are other women,” I tell her, “but they're not the ones I want. I want you. Beautiful. Intelligent. Self reliant.”
    “Stubborn,” she