Page 76 of Beautiful Desire
Swallowing thickly, my tongue feels like sandpaper as Fletcher stops in front of me, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. His eyes are soft, the corners of them wrinkled with his smile.
“We’ve wanted to expand business to more states around the country, but it was too much for one office to manage. The building we’re currently in is a great size, but with the number of people we’d need to hire to expand, we’d run out of space. And sure, we could’ve put in another office in Charleston, but doing itthisway would keep me right where I want to be.”
My head is spinning, and my skin tingles, goosebumps covering my arms as I try to make sense of what Fletcher’s saying. “Here?” I ask, voice rough. “Right where you want to be is here?”
Breathing out a chuckle, Fletcher nods. “Yeah, Peach. Right here is where I want to be. It’s where I want to stay.”
“Fletcher presented the idea to me the day after graduation, and I have to admit, it was impressive,” Alden chimes in, pulling my attention to him. “Blossom Beach wouldn’t be my first choice, nor would it have even been on my radar, but the numbers were good, he had a strong argument for putting it here, and we already own the building, so we wouldn’t have to search for one.”
“So, you guys are moving here?”
Alden chuckles and shakes his head. “No, I’m staying in Charleston.”
“ButIwill be moving here, and once the renovation is complete, this location will take on its own properties.” Fletcher tips his head toward his dad. “My father will oversee operations for the East Coast, while I’ll oversee operations on the West. It will involve some traveling, of course, but my home will be here.” Taking my trembling hand, he adds, “With you.”
Reese and Alden quietly exit the room, leaving me and Fletcher alone, my mind unable to wrap around everything he just said.
He’s moving…here.
To be with me.
Fletcher cups my cheek, his touch warm. “I love you, Georgia.” It’s not the first time he’s said it, but there’s so much emotion packed behind those four words, and it sends a buzzing feeling scattering through my body. My eyes sting, and I’m frozen, unable to move or think or speak. Thankfully, he continues so I don’t have to. “I’ve had a crush on you since my mom first married your dad. A crush I never saw going anywhere. When my father sent me here, I thought my life was over.”
I snort and roll my eyes, which makes him chuckle.
“I realize that’s dramatic, but it’s true,” he goes on. “The life I had always known was ripped away from me, and I had no say in the matter. But what I found here is worth so much more than anything I could’ve had there. I am so goddamn in love with you, Georgia, and I couldn’t stomach the idea of being anywhere but here. Getting this office up and running won’t be easy, but it’ll be more than worth it because I’ll have you to come home to every night.”
My throat is tight, emotion making it hard to breathe. “I can’t believe you did all of this.”
Fletcher flashes me a cocky smirk. “I told you I’d figure it out.”
“So, you’re here now…to stay?”
He nods, his hand coming around the back of my neck. “I’m here to stay, Peach.”
Bringing his mouth to mine, Fletcher parts my lips with his tongue, kissing me deeply. I feel this kisseverywhere; from my head, the way it’s foggy and like I’m floating, down through my body, and the way it heats and awakens, all the way down to toes, and how they curl inside my shoes. This kiss isn’t hurried, it’s intentional. Like Fletcher is repeating everything he just professed to me using his mouth.
I’m dizzy and my lips tingle by the time he pulls back, and as his green eyes gaze into mine, I feel not only his truth deep in my chest, but mine as well. So, before I allow myself a chance to bite my tongue and chicken out, I say, “I love you too, Fletcher.” My voice cracks, and my eyes well up with moisture. I never thought there would come a day when I’d utter those words to another person, at least not in this sense. And I sure as hellneverexpected it would be to Fletcher. But maybe I had to go through all that I did in order to find a safe, true love in him.
“I was hoping you’d say that,” he murmurs, wiping the tear from my face. Then his lip twitches before he adds, “You know, we could christen this new office.”
“Oh, my gosh.” I huff a laugh, rolling my eyes. The most Fletcher sentence there ever was.
He cocks his head to the side, eyes glinting with humor. “Come on, I could bend you over this desk.”
“Not a chance.” I swat his chest playfully. “There is a whole crew of guys out there. I don’t think so.”
Groaning, he mutters, “Fine, but it’s gonna happen soon.”
“I would expect nothing less from you.”
“Damn right.” His chest rumbles with a chuckle. “Now, say it again.”
Lifting a brow, I ask, “Say what again?”
“That you love me, obviously.” He’s wearing a boyish grin that makes my stomach flip.
“I love you, Fletcher.” The words come out natural and easy the second time around, knowing that not only I mean them, but that he does too. I feel it in my chest that he’s not going to hurt me. That my heart is safe with him.
