Epilogue

R uth hurried up to me in the parking garage, wearing a stunning white dress with her braids twisted up into a knot she had pinned up with a crystal-studded hair ornament, the kind of showstopping look that made it clear she'd finally moved on from Damien and was hoping to turn the head of a less stupid man tonight.

"Lord, I'm so late," she huffed. "I've never seen traffic on the bridge like that."

"Clearly something must be done about it, seeing how the bridge is the worst time you've ever seen it every time you see it."

"It is not every time. Don't be a little jerk just because your high-rolling girlfriend is the one hosting the party." She gave me a hug, her cheek against mine, squeezing me quickly before she stepped back. "Your high-rolling girlfriend who seems to have picked out another new dress for you, because hot damn, woman."

"Ah… she models a lot of things on me," I said, looking away, feeling my face prickle. "I've been in a lot of nice dresses lately."

She scowled. "Was that supposed to be subtle? Veiled? She's a lingerie designer, dammit, I know what you mean when you say she models things on you. And I'm not squeamish. You can tell me that she puts you in lingerie."

"Hm." She also took me out of a lot of lingerie. But Ruth didn't need to hear everything, squeamish or not. "Anyway, since you've finally decided to show… shall we go upstairs?"

She laughed, swatting my arm, but she fell in line with me towards the elevator. "She's rubbing off on you with all the lofty snark. I swear you talk like her these days."

Like that was a bad thing? I was probably biased, being head-over-heels in love with the woman and waking up in her bed more often than not these days, but I was pretty sure Cameron Mercier was a compliment to be compared to.

The divorce proceedings hadn't been pretty, but they'd been less eventful than either Cameron or I had anticipated—Kevin, tail between his legs, not really putting up much of a fight after all. Didn't even try to grab Cameron's money—she brought me in every time he tried to get handsy with the asset breakdown and distribution, and I'd long since gotten a handle on how to break the guy down, and he settled in the end without much more than the house.

Almost enough to make me feel bad for the guy, until I stopped and remembered he tried to wipe out all those assets in the first place just because he thought she didn't deserve them, so… gave me a second wind for the negotiations, so to speak.

And now I was here, spending stupidly blissful days riding the fancy penthouse elevator up to Cameron's suite, taking Ruth with me to the rooftop party at her suite to celebrate the upcoming launch of the line I wasn't telling Ruth was modeled on me like Cameron had promised long ago, and dreaming of whether one day I'd get to marry her in French lavender fields for myself.

Or maybe she'd want something different the second time around. Didn't really matter that much. The important part was that she'd be there.

The suite had quickly started to feel like home, although that never made it less impressive—still found myself staggered a little when we stepped through the doors and out to the massive wall of windows overlooking the ocean, the beach small below us, and Julio, the valet and attendant for the party, a man with deep olive-toned skin and long dark hair pulled back into a tight knot, smiled warmly at me.

"Thank goodness you're here, London. Cameron's getting impatient waiting for you to come back and is going to take her frustration out on the guest. This is Miss Ruth, then?"

"The one and only. Ruth—this is Julio, contractor with the firm Cameron and I hire for events, usually here for parties. He's a sweetheart."

But Ruth wasn't listening, batting her eyelashes instead. "Hi… I'm so sorry, where are my manners? It's so nice to meet you."

Ruth wasn't going to so much as look at me all night. Whatever. She'd never stop thanking me if… whatever this was worked out.

Julio led us up to the rooftop, taking the wide, winding steps into the glass-domed roof entrance, where I could see the sunset lighting up Miami in brilliant gold even before we'd gotten outside. The event was in full swing now—I'd ducked out to grab Ruth personally when she showed up, and the last few stragglers were arriving when I stepped out into the cool evening air, music filling the air but not too loud.

Not yet, anyway. That would be later in the night once the important parts had finished and everyone was a couple drinks in, and people would dance until they passed out, and Cameron would call in a specialist on standby to take them away.

Julio led us to the observation platform, raised from the rest of the rooftop and lit up with LEDs around the perimeter of the sleek black platform, and—as if I didn't see her every day, my heart felt a little lighter, a little fuzzier, when I saw Cameron standing there leaning against the railing talking to an older man I recognized as one of the executives in our production supply line. Important figure, but she lit up and waved him away as soon as she saw me, her eyes scanning back across the roof and finding mine the way they always did.

She stepped away from the railing and took my hand as I stepped up onto the platform, pulling me forward and into her for a kiss, her lips on mine, short and sweet and leaving me reeling. Not that it was anything new, but just—every time she had a crowd like this and still kissed me fearlessly in the middle of it, at least part of me turned into a blushing schoolgirl.

"London," she said, holding my gaze, dropping her voice to something that made me feel warmer inside. She looked at me like it was just the two of us here on the roof, here in our showstopping dresses—mine in scarlet and hers in that baby blue that was the color I saw in my dreams now—and I wanted to lose myself in that little world just for the two of us. "You took your sweet time coming back, didn't you? Just leaving me to fend for myself in a crowd like this one…"

"Somehow I think you can manage it okay, dearest."

"Without you? Not for a minute, darling." And with some force, some effort, she took her gaze away from mine, looking over to Ruth, smiling warmly her way. "And here's the tardy one who kept London waiting in a garage. Give me a minute to decide whether or not I still like you."

"Nice to see you, again, too, Cameron," Ruth said. "Glad to know you two are going to tag-team pick on me again even at this kind of event."

"Don't worry about Ruth," I murmured closer to Cameron's ear. "She's only looking at Julio tonight."

"Julio?" Cameron raised her eyebrows, matching my whisper. "Well, it can only be better than the last man."

Ruth put her hands on her hips. "Are you gossiping about me when I'm standing two feet away?"

"Of course," I said, turning back to her. "Go grab a drink, okay? I want some time with Cameron, I missed her."

"Missed her—you were waiting for ten minutes."

"Ten long minutes. Go, go." I ushered her away, and she sighed, going with her hands up. Cameron made a face next to me.

"You're sending Julio to the bar too?"

"Ah, what the hell. First time in a while Ruth's had a decent man catch her attention."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Ah… you're a good friend. I'm sure Julio won't mind a sugar mommy… didn't she just get a big promotion at that new job?"

"Flying up the ladder. Hey, she deserves it. She's clever, attentive to detail, good at winning people over, and damn smart, so long as there's not a man who could bench-press her in the room."

She stepped up closer to my side, snaking an arm around my waist, and she pulled me into her. "I'm feeling particularly possessive tonight," she whispered. "So if it gets me more time with you…"

I bit my lip a little, a shiver running down my spine. "Not that I'm complaining," I said, "but I'm pretty sure you're particularly possessive every night."

"You're being difficult on purpose."

"Oh, you noticed?"

She laughed, kissing my cheek. "This is your collection, darling. The collection to represent all of the things you are for me. And if I'm being honest—to represent all the things that we've done together. You know what I'm talking about."

"Ah." I felt a blush prickle over my cheeks, even when I tried to fight it back. I ducked my head. "I guess… when you put it that way, it's a little… exhibitionistic?"

She dropped her voice even lower, the quietest whisper in my ear. "It's all I've been thinking all day. And considering that I haven't gotten my hands on you in a while with all the work this launch has been…"

She hadn't gotten her hands on me in a while in that it had been three days since we'd had sex, but I'd found Cameron's libido spiked when she was in the zone with the job, putting out work in the office every minute. More than once my attempts to show up at her office with coffee and lunch just to make sure she was taking care of herself ended with me under the desk, or… well, or me on top of the desk.

Not that I was complaining. Maybe I was the same way, because I also hadn't been able to stop thinking about her all day. Of course—I wasn't sure I'd stopped thinking about her since I met her.

"Sure this place isn't going to be a bit busy a bit late?"

She laughed low in my ear, kissing my cheek again—a bit lower this time, more along my jaw. Just risqué enough to make my pulse pound without getting too much attention. "If it comes down to it, I'll carry them out of the suite personally. I have plans for you."

Well, who would I be to get in the way of plans?

I tried to engage normally with the event, go from place to place with Cameron smiling at everyone and nodding along, engaging with a hundred important people whose names I knew to varying degrees—when it came to this part of the work, I was just the pretty girl on her arm, but hell, if it was Cameron, I didn't mind that for a second. But despite my best efforts, my mind kept roaming back to her promises, even when we were standing by the railing with important business partners talking over serious matters with drinks. My eyes kept flicking back to Cameron, and I think she was the only one who noticed. And I think she liked what she noticed.

Turned out she wasn't the only one who noticed, though—I was back at the bar getting another drink when I heard a glass set down next to me, and I looked over at where María slid in next to me, looking stunning in a simple, sleek black dress with a gold statement necklace. Her complexion was so full lately—that life back in her eyes, the light that had slowly dulled ever since the accounting fraud scandal that felt like a lifetime ago now.

"You and that girl make me sick," she said, her voice too light and cheerful for the comment.

"Hm. Strikes me as slightly harsh, especially from my boss."

She laughed, elbowing me lightly. "Mierda, I tell you a thousand times, you don't hear it once. I'm not your boss, technicalities be damned."

The new firm had grown beyond just the two of us by now, but not by far, and as far as the rest of the staff were concerned, it was me and María as the bosses, but—important part was that I liked not having to be the boss. Even if we both managed the same duties with the firm, María was infinitely more suited to the role than I was. Being her right-hand woman suited me better.

But more importantly still was just that it annoyed her to call her boss, so boss she was.

"Cameron do something to earn your ire?" I said lightly, picking up my drink as the bartender set it down next to me with a here you are, London. María took a sip of hers, leaning back further against the bar.

"Not about her. Not about you. About the two of you together. The way you look at each other, it's like you're making out with your eyes every two seconds."

"Not that I'd ever dream of pointing this out, but you sound just a little jealous, María."

She laughed, setting her drink down. "Ah… you know I gave up on love long, long ago. But seeing you two be all sickeningly cute sometimes gives me some hope again. I hope it doesn't give me too much, or I might do something stupid like fall for a man."

"I don't want to be corny, but…" I let my eyes drift across the space, catching Cameron at the edge of the pool laughing with a few old friends of hers. Ones I knew, too. Ever since our worlds merged, and she was the single most important fixture in mine… she said I was the most in hers too, and despite how incredible it was, I think I actually kind of believed it. "Love can be worth it," I said, finally, and she snorted.

"Ah, you're thoroughly ruined," she said. "You do better work than ever, though, so I guess I can't complain. How's the Wright account?"

"Coming along well. He's not exactly jumping into our arms, but we're taking our time."

"A whole suite of complexes like that, and we'll be rolling in it. Of course—what does that matter to you? Already have your girlfriend to spoil you."

I laughed, pushing away from the bar. "It's not about spoiling me, it's about spoiling the cat. He's very annoyed I take him on so many car trips these days, but I've got to do something when I'm spending a week at Cameron's place…"

"Ah, you and the damn cat. Well, get on, then, your girlfriend's making eyes at you. Oh—before I forget—just to dampen your spirits a little, Miguel heard you and Ruth and I were attending this place, and he sends his regards."

I laughed. "I hear all about the guy from Adam Garcia… best buddies, apparently. You miss having Miguel on board?"

"What, telling me to hire him again?"

"Ha. Think I'll pass."

"Not like I didn't like working with Miguel, Ruth, all the others, but I've been enjoying running a lean ship. Feels right for the job."

I elbowed her lightly before I stepped away. "You just like running a ship. Nothing sadder than a grounded captain. Hasta luego, María."

"Taking a shot and running away. Unbelievable. Hasta luego, hija."

I barely left Cameron's side the whole rest of the night, just hanging onto her, looking at her with that stupid lovesick expression I was carrying everywhere I went these days—no matter how hard I tried to focus on work, I never went long without having to stop into an office or a café if I was on the road just to talk to her. Honeymoon phase, or were we just that obnoxious couple? Didn't mind either way—I was just enjoying the ride.

And I especially liked the look in her eyes when she was moving forward, that confident look where she knew the world was laid out for her to walk it. Of course turning the dispute with the parent company into a promotional campaign had worked—everything worked when Cameron went into it with that look in her eyes. Got anything she wanted.

Including me, when, at the end of the night, after the music had gotten thumping and everyone who wasn't staying in the pool was dancing like it was the last night of their lives, we finally managed to corral the last of them away—Ruth played it coy as I walked her back to her car, but that dreamy smile she had on said she had Julio's number and would cherish it until her dying day—and when I got back up to the suite, it was just me and Cameron, and nothing spoke to the juxtaposition of it all quite like the way I found her in that jaw-dropping dress leaning against a shelf trying to convince Earl to get down from the top.

"Drop it," I said, sidling up next to her side, slipping a hand to the small of her back. "Royalty does what it wants."

She pouted, which, I think was always going to be so unbearably cute it made me want to kiss the life out of her. "How can something so small be so difficult?"

"Ah, good question," I said, putting up my chin to emphasize the inch and a half I had over her. She laughed, giving me a scandalized look.

"London."

"Yes, darling?"

She put her hands on her hips. "I hope you remember what I told you," she said. "Up to the bedroom. I have the pieces from the new collection there. Change into whatever one you like."

I swallowed, everything else melting out of my head as soon as she used that commanding tone. Was I that simple? I didn't need to ask… I blushed, but I wasn't giving it to her that easily. Not when I knew she liked me being difficult. "Sure you don't need to guide me? Can we really trust me to pick the best one?"

"They all look good on you, London, I designed them around you. Now go… upstairs," she said, punctuating every word, "get changed, get in bed, and let me fuck all this pent-up energy out of you. Be a good girl."

Well, when she asked like that.

I found my heart beating faster, my chest fluttering, as I headed upstairs, into where the bedroom was dressed up—rose petals and a champagne bucket by the bed, the whole works. The city out the massive window was breathtaking at night, but I wasn't looking that way, a little more captured by the rack of lingerie next to the bed.

A whole collection, and every one, Cameron had designed on me. Her eyes scoping out every inch of me, every one of them designed to flatter me, designed to adore me. Thousands and thousands of women out there were going to wear these sets, but they wouldn't fit a single one of them like they fit me—they'd always and forever be my pieces.

Cameron made me feel sexy in ways I never realized I could. I slipped the dress off, hanging it up in the ensuite closet, and I felt my chest pound as I racked through the lingerie sets, lingering for a while before I picked out one—the first one she'd made in the collection, the first one she'd designed based on me. Maybe I was just sappy, but watching myself in the full-length mirror by the bed as I slipped into it, I had to admit it was a good choice either way. The laced garters simple and elegant, and everything leading into the subtle heart shape worked into negative space where everything guided the eye to and accentuated my waist… my waist that Cameron had always loved so much.

I stopped into the bathroom just long enough to spritz myself with a little bit of perfume, freshen myself up, and I slid onto the bed with my heart pounding, trying to sound calm and casual as I called out, "Darling, I, uh… I'm ready."

I was lying. I wasn't ready at all, not for the sight of her stepping in wearing her own set, black lace wrapping her up like the best gift I could ever receive, eyes sultry and dark in the low lights as she shut the door behind her, stepping towards the bed, eyes ravishing me as she took me in.

"An excellent choice," she said, her voice low as she walked along the side of the bed, running her fingertips over my body as she went—she left electricity in her wake, my body arching into her, even the littlest touch lighting me up right now. "You look perfect. Gorgeous, sexy, and oh-so-delicious." She slid the champagne from the bucket, wrapping a towel around the cork, and she held that intense eye contact with me that made it hard to breathe as, slowly, she popped it open. "And perfectly ready for me to fuck you to my heart's content."

"Mm…" I bit my lip, nodding a little too quickly. "However you like, Cameron."

She licked her lips, a smile flashing over her expression. "Such a good girl for me. Sit up. You're going to have a little drink first. I know how a little champagne helps you get in the mood, and I want you very, very ready for all the things I'm about to do."

I sat up, my body doing what she asked without my input, and I took the flute as she handed it to me, sitting down next to me and sliding a hand over my thigh.

"Drink, London," she whispered, tipping the glass up towards my lips, sliding her fingers higher up my thigh, towards my aching center. I closed my eyes with a low, contented noise, touching the glass to my lips, sipping at the crisp, delicate flavor of the wine—gasped and almost spilled it when she danced her fingers higher, brushing ever so lightly over my center before gliding up my waist. "You're so pretty like this… such a perfect little doll for me to fuck."

I nodded in a breathless haze, drinking more of the wine. "All yours, Cameron… do anything you want."

"Mm. That's what I like to hear." She slipped her hand up over my breast, cupping, feeling the shape of it, flicking her thumb over my nipple as she bent in and pressed a kiss to my neck, and I moaned, leaning my body into her, surrendering myself to her. I took a longer sip, desperate for what it would make her do—what would come next—and it felt a little fuzzy at the edges of my awareness, not drunk but just hazy enough to make it all feel even more like a hot, wet dream.

"Cameron…"

"Tell me what you want, London," she whispered, brushing her lips over my ear and back down my neck.

"I want you to fuck me." It slipped out without me even thinking anything, and she murmured a low laugh against my skin before she licked up my neck, back to my collar.

"That's a good girl. I will. I'm going to fuck you so hard you'll come while screaming my name, and I'm going to bury you between my thighs to lick my pussy until I've taken every last little thing I want from you. Do you understand, London?"

"God, Cameron…" I tipped back more of the drink, desperate to get rid of it at this point—the only thing between me and Cameron's fingers that were slipping down to the top of my panties now, teasing just short of where I needed her, but every sip just made the tingling in my core ache more. "Yes. I understand. Please."

"That's what I want to hear. You're such a good little doll for me, a pretty little fuck toy…"

"Mm." I let her take me by the chin and tilt my head to meet her, kissing me long and slow and deep, her tongue slipping into my mouth. It sent fire through me, and I ached for her, ached for her all over me, inside me, everything. Her hand slipped down between my legs, cupping my center through the coarse lace fabric, and I moaned into her mouth, letting her take me, have me how she liked…

She pulled away with me shaking, hips rocking against her hand without me trying to, and she put her thumb on my lips. "Tongue out, London. Like you're ready to service me. Be a good girl."

I put my tongue out—didn't even think, just obeyed, looking up at her through my lashes like I knew she liked, like I knew got her wet for me. She took the champagne flute, almost empty by now, from my hand, and she took me by the back of the head, tipping my head back and pouring the rest of the champagne over my tongue. It shot heat and arousal through me like a molten liquid—some of it pouring into my mouth, some down my chin and over my breasts, all of it messy, dirty from Cameron using me. She put her finger on my chin, pushing up, and I closed my jaw.

"Swallow."

I did. She licked her lips.

"Good girl." She slipped her hand into the panties, and I moaned hot, hard, loud into her when her fingers met me—rocked my hips up against her perfect hand, against where her fingers worked over my clit, and I felt like I'd die if she ever took them away, if I ever had to go without offering my body up to her like this—

She took me slowly, taking her time, enjoying every second of it and every desperate groan I made, every plea for her to fuck me, to use me, to take me, until her fingers slipped inside me, and I spread out and cried out her name, desperate for her to fuck me into the mattress. She picked up, going harder, ravaging me, ravaging my pussy, taking me as hard as she wanted as long as she liked, and it felt like she was deconstructing me from the inside—taking me apart in every perfect way, and I melted into it, Cameron becoming everything, gasping her name until I was screaming it, clawing into the sheets.

I came hard, savagely, on her hand, the orgasm tearing itself free and throbbing through my whole body as I screamed her name over and over, everything else whiting out to a distant point, everything except Cameron's perfect face and her eyes, fixed on mine, so perfect, so… so…

I softened, eventually, melting back down into the bed, laughing breathlessly, and Cameron bit her lip through the sexiest smile, caressing my face before she crashed down onto me and met my lips with hers, kissing me, kissing, kissing.

"I love you," I sighed, once she pulled away, and she laughed, gently, perfectly, kissing my collar.

"I love you, too, darling. Do you need a minute?"

"Just, like… one."

She laughed again, settling in next to me. "Take your time. You're so beautiful… such a perfect little dream come true."

As if she wasn't? She was every dream come true, everything perfect, everything beautiful I'd ever loved.

Especially once I was recovered enough to keep going, and once she flipped over onto her back and guided me down between her legs, gripping me by the back of the head and grinding my mouth against her—using me like an object, getting herself off on me, rocking her hips against my mouth until she gripped me tighter and gasped that she was going to come, and I let her wash over me, let her come on my face, took her heat and her pleasure and served her for everything I had, and we collapsed together again in bed before long, my heart overflowing with a million things I hadn't even known it could feel before I met her.

"Feeling better?" I whispered, as we lay in bed, caressed under the gentle sound of the wind outside, the city lights of the Miami skyline glowing beyond.

"Mm." She nuzzled her face against the crook of my neck. "Aren't I always after you do that?"

"You are, but I still like to hear it."

"Much better. Thank you." She kissed me, quick and sweet, eyes sparkling. "You are exceptionally good."

"You too. I mean, if you didn't notice."

"I did, but I still like to hear it."

I laughed, and I kissed her again, kissing on and on and on, until we parted, lying on our sides facing each other, and my hand fell on her cheek, caressing her.

"You know," she said, softly, and I raised my eyebrows.

"Mm?"

"I do."

I paused. "Isn't that getting a bit ahead of ourselves?"

She laughed drily. "Not like that. It's actually quite a delayed answer, but I gave it some thought." Her gaze flicked away from mine, a little shy all of a sudden. "When you asked if I like the person I am—as if that was all that mattered, was how I felt about myself, at the end of the day, when it was just me. It's taken some thinking… some doing. But I have the answer." She smiled, softly, the low light glinting off her eyes dazzling like this. "I think we're always formed by the people around us. That's what it means to be human. And… I like the version of me I am with you. A lot. And I think I'd like to keep being that version of me forever."

Ah, god, she was pretty. I laughed, softly, shaking my head, and she narrowed her eyes through a smile.

"What? Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not. Just… I really lucked out with you." I kissed her again, again, again—never enough for all of time, I was pretty sure, but I'd keep trying. "I feel the same way, you know. I like this… all of this. A lot. And I want to keep doing it."

"Then let's." She slipped her hand into mine, interlacing our fingers, and I relaxed into it, the whole world narrowing down until it was just the two of us here.

Let's, indeed, I thought.