Page 173 of Perfect Satisfaction

“I’m a cooking reject, as we both know.”

He wisely took the knife out of my hands before nuzzling the side of my neck. “I’ll teach you.”

Before I could reply, we both heard a massive sniff and the backdoor slam. “Is Edward okay?” I asked, concerned.

“He’s emotional.” Arek turns me in his arms. I lose myself in his eyes when he plucks a kiss from my lips. “So am I. I didn’t believe it was possible to have this much love, Sula.”

“Me neither,” I told him before I pulled him closer. One touch of our lips turned into two, three. It isn’t until we hear the thumping of Edward’s steps up the back deck do our hearts begin to slow back to their normal pace.

Now, lying in his arms, I give my thoughts voice. “I do miss him.”

Arek slides down so our eyes are level. “JB?”

“Yes.”

His face is thoughtful. “Let me try to reach out to him.”

I yelp. “He’ll hang up the moment he knows it’s you.”

“Not if I show up in person.”

“You’re going to pull a Vegas bachelor party on him.”

Arek’s lips curve into a smile so evil I’m quickly reminded of the fact my husband is the owner of one of the world’s most successful celebrity news magazines. “Damn straight, I am. Don’t you realize I’d do anything for you?”

My breath catches at the combination of determination and love in his eyes. “Oh my. I think we have a problem.”

He regards me with a look of such arrogance, I know I’m screwed. Shit. That’s before he asks, “And that is?”

“I really want you right now.”

He knots his fingers behind his head as if to say,What’s stopping you?

I glance at the open rails that lead to the downstairs. “I’m not certain I can be quiet enough to keep your grandfather from knowing what we’re doing up here.”

Arek moves swiftly and hauls me up his body. “We’ll figure it out.”

The second my hands collide with his naked chest, I agree. “Yes, we will.”

A long time later, I snuggle into him with a smile on my lips. We figure things out awfully well together.

Lesson learned.

CHAPTEREIGHTY-SEVEN

“Little Sister” by Brendan Blake was officially certified eight times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)—accumulating 8 million in equivalent song units.

More than “Bloodlines” (duet with Beckett Miller) or “Broken Boots”—it’s my favorite song ever recorded by the artist.

@brendanblake @wildcardmusic

—StellaNova

The only part of the tripI allow Sula to be involved with is giving me Helen’s direct line. Other than that, I want her as far away from this confrontation with her brother as possible.

Helen, who I’ve now spoken with several times on the phone, understands I’m well aware of who Sula and JB are to each other. She burst into tears the moment she found out who I was to her “little girl. I met her when she was barely fifteen, Mr. Arek.”

“Let’s just keep it at Arek, Helen.” I soothed her from thousands of miles away.