LOVING THE HEAD MAN (36 page)

       “Don’t you think you’re missing the point,” Bree said.
 
“Isn’t the fact that Deidra finally came clean the real point here?”

      
Matt ran his hand through his gray hair.
 
“Of course it is.
 
But the way you went about it, young lady, was wrong.
 
Pure and simple.
 
And if you weren’t who you are, I would have fired you on the spot, or at least forced your resignation.”

      
“I had to keep the circle small,” Bree explained.
 
“I didn’t want any glitches, not until I had that witch on TV retracting her nonsense.
 
Now that that’s done, yes, Mr. Dougan, you’re right.
 
I went about it all wrong.
 
And I should be forced to resign, or fired.”
 
She looked at Robert.
 
“That’s why my resignation is already on your desk.”

       Robert stared at her.

      
“You and I working together
isn’t
going to work,” she said with a smile.
 
“I think I need to chart my own course, at least for now.”

      
“Good decision,” Wade said, but the only opinion that mattered to Bree was Robert’s.

      
But he wasn’t giving an opinion.
 
“Let’s go, I need to talk to you.”
 
He looked at Matt and Wade.
 
“We’ll talk later,” he warned.

      
Outside of Matt’s office and Robert and Bree headed around the corridor on the top floor to Robert’s suite of offices.
 
After speaking to the tower staff, they made their way into his office.
 
As soon as the door closed, he pinned Bree against it.

      
“I’m going to have to decline your resignation,” he said as he gave her small kisses on her lips.

      
“Decline it?
 
But why?”

      
“It won’t work otherwise.”

      
“What won’t work?”

      
Robert stared into her eyes.
 
“The new name.”

      
Bree was lost.
 
“Robert, what are you talking about?”

      
“I’m changing the name of Colgate and Associates.
 
The new name will be Colgate and Colgate, to accommodate my new wife and law partner.”

      
Bree’s heart began to pound.
 
“Your new wife?”

      
Robert smiled.
 
“If you’ll marry me, yes, Brianna.
 
My new wife.
 
Will you become my wife?”

      
Bree was speechless.
 
She just stood there, staring at Robert.

      
Robert’s heart now began to pound.
 
When she still didn’t accept, or say anything, he became scared.

      
“You’re giving me a heart attack here, Brianna, please say yes.”

       And she
breathe
again.
 
And smiled.
  “Yes,” she said like an exhale.  “I’ll be thrilled to be your wife.”

      
And my law partner?” he asked.

      
“That’ll be a little trickier, but yes.
And your partner.”

      
It was Robert’s time to be speechless, as he couldn’t believe how blessed he was.
 
But instead of finding his voice, he found Bree’s mouth and gave her a kiss that shook them both, and took their breath away.