Page 169 of Perfect Satisfaction

With that, I slip my hand around the back of her neck. Pulling her face close, I lower my head until our lips are barely brushing. “Perfectly.”

Her smile bursts forward like the brightest sunbeam, forget a plain star. “We just have to deal with one thing first.”

I groan. “We could be here for hours.”

“It will take just a few minutes.”

“Promise?”

“I swear.”

“What do you need to do?”

“Fix my brother’s life.”

I quirk a brow, wondering if something happened with Brendan I don’t know about. “You expect to do that how?”

“By reassuring Liza he really was just an idiot at that bachelor party.” Her smile is fond.

Adoring.

Reminiscent of the way she is with Brendan.

Precious blood drains from my face, and I sway unsteadily on my feet as I put the pieces together, including the fact I mocked Viego Martinez when the man is a sleuth of unparalleled equal.

Holy. Crap. Her other brother is Joshua Basset.

When she finally breaks away from Liza, her cheeks are flushed, eyes triumphant.

I pull her close and nuzzle her ear before murmuring, “Is this what you look like when you close a big deal?”

Sula bursts into laughter. Her eyes shine in a way I’ve never seen them light before. Now I understand why.

She’s been holding up the world on those delicate shoulders—carrying family secrets, keeping companies afloat. But no matter what she’s done for others, I only ask her to be one thing for me.

My Moore.

I kiss her until her knees give out. When I let her up for air, she sways against me.

With all the love in my heart and not a little selfishness, I insist, “Sula, you’ve been on your feet since we got here. Let’s go home.”

The knowing grin that come along with my urging don’t bother me in the slightest. “You mean the whole ninety minutes we’ve made an appearance?”

“It’s been too long.” I know she gets my meaning by the flare of excitement in her beautiful eyes.

I wrap my arm around her waist to guide her away from the well-wishers as we say our farewells but I’m not so selfish that when Angie stops her I hustle her along. Ward and I stand aside as the two women wrap their arms around each other. They break apart and I understand what my grandfather has been trying to tell me.

Love is patient. Love is kind.

True love forgives a whole multitude of sins.

Especially stupidity.

Once we reach the waiting car, I pull Sula into my arms. Without hesitation, hers wrap around me, not letting me go. I don’t ask any of the million questions running through my head. There’s a time for that later.

It can be long after I make love to my wife.

CHAPTEREIGHTY-FOUR