“Can you please stop talking in riddles and just let me see the purchase orders.”

Her smile grows, and I look behind me when I feel Nate press against my back.

“What’s going on?”

I turn slightly to look up at him while I sink into his hold, loving the way his hard muscles feel against my body.

“I’m trying to get Annabelle to tell me why, when my dad tried to buy a painting earlier, he was denied. She said that was because everything was sold, but Nate”—I take a deep breath after rushing that out quickly—“he tried to make a purchase less than thirty minutes after people started arriving.”

“I see,” he responds, his eyes alive with mirth. “Well, Annabelle?”

Pulling my attention back to her, I watch in confusion as she throws her head back and laughs.

“You,” she says and points at him. “Are trouble.”

“You might as well just show her the purchase order, so I can get my girl home to celebrate.”

“Trouble,” she huffs under her breath, shifting some things around on her desk before handing me the purchase orders.

Expecting to see a spreadsheet of orders or, at the very least, more than one single sheet of paper, my brain freezes.

“Oh my God,” I stutter, seeing the words but not really understanding them.

“I told you I wanted every piece of you, and I’ll be damned if I share this part of your stunning mind with anyone else.”

“What have you done?” Still mumbling, my eyes rake over every word. It really isn’t a question since not only can I see it with my own eyes, but also the only thing I’m capable of getting past the huge lump of emotion burning my throat.

“I have all of you now, Ember.”

“Oh, my God.”

Tears burn my eyes and I look up to an elated Annabelle. I’m sure she’s thrilled that she sold every piece. After all, her commission alone is worth being excited about, but she looks like my reaction alone is worth more to her than any money she made tonight.

His deep chuckles at my shock vibrate against my back, and with a hitch in my breath, I turn with a leap and bury my head in the crook of his neck and cry the happiest tears I’ve ever shed.

“You’re crazy,” I tell him.

“Crazy for you.”

“That … God, Nate. Do you have any idea how much money you just spent?”

He shrugs.

“Where are you even planning to put all of these?” My question is a hushed whisper against his smiling lips.

“I guess we can give one to your dad,” he answers in complete seriousness. “But our war is going home with us. That’s mine.”

“There are still over thirty paintings that you now own, Nate.”

His lips part, his teeth showing as he smiles big. “Looks like we’re about to have some full walls then.”

“I love you, you crazy man.”

“I know.”

I raise a brow, his laughter booming around us. “I love you, too.”

“Nate!” I scream when his hand smacks against my exposed ass. “Please,” I beg.

“If I would have known you were walking around bare under this dress.” His words come out so deep and full of lust that he sounds animalistic.

My fingers flex against the wall in front of me, wishing he had, at least, pushed me against the couch instead so I would have something to grip. We didn’t even make it a step inside the door before he was pushing me against the wall and making true to his promise earlier when he pulled my dress’s tight skirt over my hips.

Then he discovered just what I had on underneath. Or, rather, what I didn’t.