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Please, Master?
he thought of her soft voice begging him.

Nick cleared his throat and adjusted his position since newfound wood was chafing against his zipper. “Can I see this piece, please?” He pointed to a diamond necklace. He leaned against the counter and glanced over to his brother. “So, what’s the name of the wifey?”

“Zoe,” Joey quickly thanked the saleslady and glanced at his phone.

“Zoe?” Nick raised an eyebrow. “Zoe, that was just out here, Zoe? Zoe, that works for Kieran, Zoe? Zoe, that’s going to have Kieran kick your ass, Zoe?”

“Why does everyone think Kieran is going to kick my ass?” Joey huffed.

“Okay, was that a rhetorical question?”

“I dig her, Nicky,” Joey confessed, “I really dig her. A lot.”

“I’m assuming all of this is happening because K has no idea,” Nick replied and Joey did a slight head-nod, “that’s why the sudden trip to California, huh?”

Joey turned to Nick. “How did you know about that?”

“Aneesa told me when I asked. Blame your assistant for sharing information with your brother,” Nick smiled. “But for real, you came back with a tan. Since Kieran was just out here, I pretty much ruled out any other reason for you to go to Cali unless there was a woman.”

“I’m determined to make this work. I don’t know how, I don’t know when. I don’t even know the logistics to work on them. All I know is that I want to make this, whatever
this
thing we have going on, to work.”

“You’re serious about her,” Nick stated. He had witnessed his brother’s rotating door of dates and never took any of them seriously since Joey clearly didn’t. But it was clear he felt quite different about Zoe. Joey only spent money on a woman if she was worth anything and that cost was as minimal as possible. “Here’s some unwarranted and probably unwanted advice – do whatever you can to keep her happy. It doesn’t matter if it something you absolutely hate. Zerrin likes to read erotica. I can’t stand the damn genre and I think it’s just a slightly-higher quality of that Penthouse shit we used to see over at Uncle Leo’s house. But she loves to read it and in return, I reap the benefits.”

“Slow your roll, bro,” Joey held up a hand, “I don’t want to hear about it.”

“My point is, if I encourage her hobbies and interests, it makes my life happier. Once you realize that pleasing your woman is the only thing that matters, that’s all you will be focused on.

Making her happy, seeing her needs are met. It’s a give and take. She’ll love you harder and better than any other woman on the planet.” Nick waxed poetic.

“That’s what I hope will happen. I know she’s working on Kieran’s fashion line and I hope a move to New York is in the cards.” Joey hoped sooner than later. He was going to see what he could do to help Zoe get her career started.

“If she does move, Joey, it has to be on her terms.” Nick warned. “She can’t move here just for you.”

“I understand that. That’s why I’m flying out to her again before I fly her out here.” Joey replied. “I want to let her know I’m serious about us being together and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it work.”

“I don’t want to rain on your parade…”

Nick was always the devil’s advocate and it was a role he played to perfection. “But you’re going to so spill it.”

“What if she doesn’t want to leave L.A.?” Nick asked. “She can easily do the fashion line from where she is and only make trips to New York when the need arises.”

“She’ll move,” Joey was certain of it.

“But what if she doesn’t? What if…she doesn’t
want
to?” Nick asked. “Then what?”

Joey didn’t consider that to be a possibility. Zoe loved New York and he loved Zoe. Why wouldn’t she move? But if she didn’t want to move, there were going to be problems. He hoped the surprised he had planned for her along with the new piece of jewelry would convince her otherwise. “I’ll have to convince her.”

****

When Zoe came back from lunch with London, it seemed every pair of eyes at Fits and

Giggles were on her. Even the children who never paid her any mind, were staring and pointing at her.

Maybe she was trippin’. She always knew she got a little delirious after a full meal and conversing with London didn’t help matters. Her little sister put a nasty thought into her head and she couldn’t erase it for the life of her.

Babies. Babies with Joey, for that matter.

Not that she didn’t think of having children with him before but seeing how excited her sister was for her, not to mention sharing little stories of her nephew, made the thoughts increase in both frequency and intensity. All within an hour.
How dreadful.

Paranoia about everyone seemingly pointing and staring at her, combined with having

babies on the brain, was a semi-terrible experience. Zoe was going to make it point to not order anything heavy at lunch anymore, or maybe start bringing in her own. Who knew what the chefs actually put in her food?

When a little boy raced past her and giggled at her, Zoe definitely knew it wasn’t the high-caloric steak salad and plain lemon water she had for lunch. They all knew
something
and nobody was telling her anything.

Zoe finally stopped one of her co-workers, Felicia. “Can you please tell me what’s going on? I feel like I’m on an episode of
Punk’d
and everyone’s in on the joke but me.”

Felicia smiled and pointed to Zoe’s desk. “Someone is sweet on you.”

Zoe looked behind her and rushed over to her desk. Before her was the biggest bouquet of long-stemmed roses. She knew it was more than a dozen, possibly two dozen. It didn’t matter.

The lush bouquet full of different colored roses was an amazing surprise and Zoe didn’t have to wonder who sent them.

She opened up the card attached to the bouquet and had a big smile when she read the note.

Olive juice.

Short and saccharine sweet to the point.

Zoe immediately got on her cell phone and dialed her boyfriend. “I think olive juice is bad for roses.”

“It is?” Joey chuckled. “I thought it was good for roses.”

“You are ridiculous.” Zoe couldn’t wipe the beaming smile off her face, even if she wanted to. “But ridiculous in a good way.”

“I’m ridiculous for all the right reasons,” Joey replied back, “I’m glad you liked them.”

Just as he was about to enjoy his conversation, another unexpected guest appeared in his peripheral.
The hell is today? Everyone get on my damn nerves day?
“
Regina,
I’ll call you later tonight.” He quickly hung up.

“
Regina
, huh?” Catalina strolled next to Joey and glanced down at the expensive jewelry in the cases. “That’s a new one.”

“Cat,” Joey greeted her, “how are you?” He forced the cordiality.

“I came in to pick up a piece I had ordered last week,” Catalina stood next to Joey. “What are
you
doing in here?”

“I’m helping my mother’s boyfriend pick out a ring for her.” Joey answered.

“Your mother is getting married?” Catalina’s eyes sparkled with interest. She knew how wealthy the family was and knew how over-the-top the potential nuptials would be. Images of shopping sprees at Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s danced in her head. “That’s great!”

“It is.” Joey knew how money-hungry Catalina was and he already saw the dollar signs flashing in her eyes. If there was one thing she wasn’t going to do, it was going to be his mother’s wedding. He had to make sure of it. “I need to go see how he’s doing. Excuse me…”

Catalina placed a hand on Joey’s arm and he cursed underneath his breath for not being quick enough. “You never did tell me who you were talking to.” Her voice dripped with a deadly combination of curiosity and bitterness.

“I didn’t think I had to.” Joey’s voice was low.

Catalina walked around him and appeared in front of Joey. She studied his eyes, trying to read them and find some sort of revealed truth. Whoever she was, it wasn’t someone Catalina knew and the curiosity whetted her appetite. “She’s not from here, is she?”

“You ask a lot of questions, Cat.”

“You avoid giving me the direct answer, Joseph.”

“Who I spend my time with really isn’t your concern.”

“I’m not concerned about you if that’s where you’re getting at,” she casually shrugged, almost as if she was insulted at the insinuation. “I’m just wondering what girl that’s not your mother, has you in this
very expensive
jewelry store.” She emphasized.

“Joey,” Nick called out to him, “come here for a second. We need your second opinion on a ring.”

Joey said a silent thank you to the gods above him. “That’s my cue to go.”

“This conversation isn’t over, Joseph,” Catalina suggested, in more ways than one, “we’ll be in touch soon.” Her lips brushed against his as she passed by him.

“Yay,” Joey rubbed his lips and made his way over to his brother and future father-in-law,

“what’s up, fellas?”

“This one,” Art delicately held the ring in his hand and presented it to Joey. “What do you think?”

Joey took the ring and stared at it. It was magnificent. Ten carats. Flawless. Beautiful. Just like his mother. “It’s perfect.”

****

Zoe stared blankly at Kieran, trying to think of a plausible lie. Telling him that the roses were from his brother was just simply out of the question so she found some middle ground. “A guy I’m seeing.”

“Oh?” Kieran leaned down and sniffed a rose. “I didn’t know you were dating. And what’s his name?”

“J.D.” Zoe quickly countered. So, that wasn’t quite a lie…

“J.D., huh?” Kieran smiled. “I hope this J.D. character is good for you.”

Oh, Joey was good for Zoe all right. He was
real
good for her in many ways. The warmth he produced in her heart matched the hotness he permanently created between her thighs whenever she thought about him.

But if Zoe wanted to make her relationship to work, her boss would have to be in the dark, even if he was family. “I say he is. He’s not bad.”

Nineteen

Zoe was shell-shocked. Maybe, shell-shocked wasn’t an accurate description. Floored was more like it.

Joey described his condo as simple and just the bare basics. She knew he was being

humble based on the type of clothing he wore and the vehicles he drove. She also knew his condo wasn’t just simple based on the fact it was located in the very expensive and famed TriBeCa neighborhood. But Zoe didn’t think she would be stepping into a museum exhibit.

Floor-to-ceiling windows were in every room, offering a view of the Hudson River and New York skyline. Polished hardwood floors led to plush carpeting in the bedrooms, which offered different views. His kitchen boasted the best and latest appliances and his living room had the softest and most plush caramel-colored sofas. Joey’s master bathroom was bigger than her entire condo and she couldn’t even describe how Four Seasons-like his bedroom was with its mahogany wood furniture, flat-panel TV that hung before the bed, and a shiny cream lacquer that covered the walls.

“The color is dulce de leche,” Joey commented from the doorway as he watched Zoe

admire the wall paint.

Zoe tickled the walls with her fingertips and smiled at Joey. “Provocative.”

“It can be.” Joey shrugged and entered the bedroom. “So what do you think?”

“It’s incredible, J.” Zoe glanced around. “I can tell you worked really hard to get to where you are and it shows.”

“Too many people want the lifestyle but don’t want to work for it,” he looked around his bedroom, “I don’t mind doing both.”

Zoe sat down on Joey’s back and leaned back with her palms behind her. “Your work ethic is mind-blowing at times. You work hard, you play hard. How do you find the time to do both?”

Joey sat beside Zoe. “I just do,” his baritone voice rumbled, “Am I going to remember all those hours I spent in board meetings? Or am I going to remember the time I took my lady out on a weekend trip to the mountains? It’s about finding that balance. Plus having a great assistant who keeps a track of my calendars doesn’t hurt.”

“You should give her a raise,” Zoe suggested, “a big one.”

“In due time, in due time,” Joey wrapped his arms around Zoe’s waist and they fell back on the bed, “but I like to give you a big one right now.”

Zoe ran her fingers through Joey’s hair. “I thought we were going over to your family’s for dinner? We should probably get going.” Her voice was seductive yet teasing.

“We should,” Joey began to unbutton Zoe’s sweater top with a free hand, fully exposing her breasts before him, “just in a few minutes, though.”

“A few minutes?” Zoe scoffed. “Your age catching up with you, old man?”

Joey sat up and began to undress. “Mmm…I think that deserves a spanking later.”

“Hurt me, Daddy…” Zoe quickly shed her clothing.

Joey grabbed a condom from his dresser drawer and sheathed it on his hard cock. He then nestled himself between Zoe’s legs as she opened wider to accommodate him. Just like in Los Angeles, their bodies fit together as if they were each other’s missing piece. Her toned frame complemented his muscular physique. Her breasts, a perfect cup size that fit into the palms of his hands, jiggled and responded with each touch. Her ass was heart-shaped and her pussy, virginal tight after years of celibacy, repeatedly welcomed him with each thrust.

As much as Joey loved Zoe’s physical features, it was her heart that got him sprung. He met his match and found his equal. A woman who could keep him on his toes and check him when it was needed.

Joey took a brief moment to just look into her eyes, the amber in them sparkling and trusting. “You’re so beautiful,” he said in a tone just above a whisper.

Zoe saw the hunger in Joey’s eyes and knew it wasn’t just lust. He wanted her love. He wanted her trust. He simply wanted
her
and
only
her. “You make me beautiful,” Zoe replied in a hushed tone.

Their lips repeatedly met each other’s, explosive with fire. Joey traced the outline of Zoe’s mouth with his tongue before she opened her mouth to welcome him. Gentle yet demanding.