Taming Blake (A New Adult Romance): The Complete Trilogy (42 page)

“Okay!” she laughed. “I believe you!”

“I know you think I should play the field,” I continued, “but really, I tried that, and it’s not for me.”

“Well, I suppose you’re right,” she replied. “It isn’t for everybody. But I still think you’re missing out on a whole
world
of casual sex.”

And at this I smiled to myself.

Oh, if only you knew ….

“Hey, you know we’re doing another New York date, right?” she said out of nowhere. “Next Saturday. Wanna come? I’ll put you on the guestlist, of course.”

“Sure,” I smiled back. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world! And actually, can I bring my
boyfriend
?”

§

I couldn’t help but giggle. After all, it was so delicious to turn the tables; to be the one in control.

“Are we almost there yet?” he asked, stumbling up the stairs ahead of me, the blindfold wrapped tightly over his eyes.

And as I guided him up the dusty, stripped-back set of stairs in my new Brooklyn apartment, one of the many areas of this beautiful two-story place that I’d still to even
begin
tackling properly. After all, I was committed to Elizabeth, and I wasn’t about to let her down after everything she’d done for me.

I wondered what Blake might think of the one room I
had
finished — the very room I was leading him towards.

I’d drawn this out as much as I could, giving him the full works, arranging for Nathaniel to come and pick him up as a surprise and drive him here, all the while blindfolded — and now he was finally going to see the result of my efforts, the job I’d been secretly working so hard on, the last week or so in any spare moments I could grab.

“Forwards,” I directed when he reached the top of the stairs, leading him through the open door and into the sunny, spacious room. “Okay,” I said, once he was standing right in the middle of the floor. “You can take it off now.”

With a smile of relief, he whipped off the blindfold, and I held my breath as I watched his face, flashing with surprise as he took in the full effect.

“It’s all for you,” I explained, as he looked around him in amazement. “This is your Brooklyn office,” I added. “I want you to feel you can come and work here whenever you want.”

And as Blake’s eyes travelled slowly around the walls, I felt myself looking at it afresh, from his perspective: the elegant green William Morris wallpaper, the large mahogany desk, the plush leather office chair, the polished floorboards and sumptuous Persian rug, all echoing his traditional tastes.

“So?” I asked, once the suspense became unbearable. “What do you think?”

“Honestly?” he said, turning to face me. “I love it.”

I breathed out in relief.

“It’s perfect, Jessica,” he said. “Especially … this.”

With that he gestured at the large painting that hung directly behind the desk, the centerpiece of the whole room: a bold explosion of color and light, a stunning abstract work by a gifted young artist that I’d picked up from a gallery just nearby.

I’d hoped, with the picture, that the room would become a perfect mix of the traditional and the contemporary: just like Blake and I.

“It’s an original,” I explained. “This is my gift to you, Blake. Whenever you look at it, I want you to remember that it’s not too late to
live
— to still be the kind of guy who can spend his time experiencing art and life.”

“I need to tell you something,” he said, his features becoming serious as he took me gently by the shoulders.

“What?” I said, nervously wondering just what he might want to say that was so intense, so urgent.

“It’s something that, well … it’s something I haven’t said in a number of years.”

Another pause. I waited, holding my breath.

“Jessica,” he said. “I love you.”

“Oh, Blake,” I replied, “I love you, too!”

And as we kissed, I felt a flash of excitement: both at how far we’d come, and how much we’d changed each other and grown, but also about how much
more
there was still to experience — our whole lives stretching out before us, lives which now seemed forever intertwined.

Blake Matthews Officially Off the Market!

Well, I guess congratulations are in order for Blake Matthews and Jessica Clark, who tied the knot yesterday, according to reports.

The billionaire hotelier wed the rising star interior designer in an intimate ceremony at the Southampton summer home of hedge fund mogul, Elizabeth O’Connor.

Our source, a friend close to the pair, reports that the bride looked stunning in a simple ivory Vera Wang dress, flanked by her bridesmaids, Fallon Lucas, drummer in up-and-coming indie band Circles, and Gina George, former dancer and now-owner of
Gigi’s
, Southampton’s newest boutique.

Now the only problem for the newlyweds is which of Matthew’s five-star resorts to honeymoon in!

A NOTE FROM CHARLOTTE

Dear Reader,

Thank you
so much
for reading my trilogy – I do hope you enjoyed Jessica and Blake’s story just as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it! I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially if you were kind enough to take the time out to write a quick review. Not only would mean so much to me, but those things really do make all the difference for a first-time author!

And finally, if you’d like to be among the first to find out when I publish my next book, just drop me a line at:
[email protected]

and I’ll be sure to add you to my mailing list!

Thank you so much for all your support,

Charlotte

xx

A NOTE FROM CHARLOTTE

Dear Reader,

Thank you
so much
for reading my trilogy. I do hope you enjoyed it and I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially if you were kind enough to take the time out to write a quick review. Not only would mean so much to me, but those things really do make all the difference for a first-time author!

And finally, if you’d like to be among the first to find out when I publish my next book, just drop me a line at:
[email protected]

and I’ll be sure to add you to my mailing list!

Thank you so much for all your support,

Charlotte

xx