Juniper Hill (The Edens)

“Close your eyes.” Memphis clasped my hand, pausing outside the hotel annex’s doors. Then she led me through, pulling me in a few steps before we stopped. “Okay, open them.”

In the past ten days, the ballroom had been transformed for an elegant winter wedding. Golden lights had been strung above the dance floor. Bouquets of red and green dotted tables dressed in white. Even the chairs had been covered. At their ties were sprigs of holly and red berries.

“Wow.” I let Memphis pull me deeper into the room, passing tables set with gold-trimmed plates and crystal goblets.

“Isn’t it a dream?” Memphis’s smile stretched across her face. “It’s been so fun to help set it all up.”

The wedding tomorrow wouldn’t be a large affair. It was for a local couple and they’d limited the guest list to one hundred. Knuckles was catering the event. The hotel was sold out, not only from the out-of-town wedding guests but for those in Quincy for the holiday.

Christmas was in three days, and every member of the staff had been working nonstop, especially Memphis. She’d kept up with the housekeeping rush, and when the bride had asked for help getting this ballroom staged, Memphis had been the first to volunteer.

“The cake is going to go there. Then the bar is getting set up tomorrow in that corner.” She pointed around the room. “And the DJ will be next to the dance floor. I’m going to pop in tomorrow morning and make sure all of the flowers have water.”

“Are you working tomorrow?” It was a Saturday and she hadn’t mentioned it. Though we’d been so busy this week that by the time I’d made it home each night, there hadn’t been a lot of conversation. I’d save just enough energy to give her an orgasm or two before we’d both crash hard.

“No, but I was going to come into town and do some last-minute shopping. Maybe get your mom something small for Christmas.”

“We already got her a present.” A gift card to the local spa.

“That was from you. I want to get her something from me. Besides, it’s not like I’m shopping for my own mother this year.”

“Sorry.”

She lifted a shoulder.

Weeks had passed with no word from her parents, not even a hint as to how they’d handled the blackmail situation. I checked the New York newspapers online each day. Memphis did too. There hadn’t been a mention of any member of the Ward family or Oliver MacKay.

The calls from Beatrice had stopped, so I assumed that Victor had paid, and in turn, they’d disowned Memphis once more. They’d left her in Montana.

But she wasn’t alone. Not any longer.

We reached the dance floor and I spun Memphis into my arms. “Dance with me.”

“I miss dancing.” She leaned her head against my chest as we swayed in the quiet room. “When I lived in New York, there was always an event or wedding or gala to attend. The dinner conversation was usually about business or who was buying a new yacht or where so-and-so was going in Europe. It was the same, every time. But I loved the dancing.”

“And who would you dance with?”

She tilted to meet my gaze. “No one important.”

“Good answer.” I let her go, twirling her once, then pulled her close. “Did Eloise ever show you pictures of what this room used to look like?”

“No. Why?”

“Ask her for them sometime. Then you’ll really appreciate the transformation.” The building had been empty and dark and musty. Its renovation had been mostly cosmetic to clean away dust and brighten the walls.

“Okay.” She smiled, taking in the room, her eyes dancing.

Memphis would get the same expression when she watched Drake play or studied me in the kitchen. But it was the first time I’d seen her light up for something here, in the hotel. “You love this, don’t you?”

“I do. I’ve always loved weddings. Helping with this has made me think . . . the bride has done all of the planning herself. She’s had to coordinate with the vendors and rental places. I asked her if she had a wedding planner but I guess there isn’t one in town.”

“There isn’t. When Winn and Griffin got married, Winn organized their wedding herself too.”

“What if . . .” She blew out a long breath. “What if I tried? I’d do it in my spare time. I don’t know if there’s a demand but I could organize any event. Corporate meetings or retirement parties or weddings.”

“Yes.” Whatever kept that look on her face.

“I see the way you love Knuckles. I want that too. If working means time away from Drake or you, I want to love it.”

“Do it. I’ll help with whatever I can.”

She blushed. “Then maybe I will.”

I spun her around again, then reluctantly let her go. “What’s on your schedule the rest of the afternoon?”

“Not much. With the rooms full, I’ve just been tidying up as people come and go. There’s a guest on the fourth floor who requested a late checkout, so hopefully that’s empty by now. The next guest who was supposed to check in called about an hour ago. Their flight got canceled so it’s actually an empty room.”

Empty rooms were a rarity this time of year. “What if we booked it? Just you and me. We could see if Mom wanted to watch Drake tonight. I bet she’d stay at our place. Then tomorrow I can get up, head to the kitchen. You can check on the wedding before you head home.”

She worried her lip between her teeth. “I’ve never left him alone at night.”

“Gotta be a first. If we don’t like it, we’ll go home.”

“Um . . .” She drew in a deep breath, then smiled. “Okay.”

With her hand clasped in mine, I dragged her to the front desk.

Eloise didn’t bat an eyelash when I told her I wanted the room. It was too late in the day to fill the reservation, and it had been ages since I’d stayed as an actual guest, something we all did from time to time.

“I guess I’ll go clean our room.” Memphis laughed when Eloise handed her the key cards.

“Come see me when you’re done,” I said.

“Sure.” She stood on her toes, fisting a handful of my shirt to drag me to her lips. Then we went our separate ways, her toward the elevators while I headed for Knuckles.

The dining room was empty for the lull between lunch and dinner. It would start to fill in the next hour as people began wandering in for a meal. But the kitchen was busy, all hands on deck, preparing for the wedding tomorrow.

Music blared from the radio in the corner. The scent of onions and garlic permeated the space. Skip and Roxanne argued over which drink was better—eggnog or Tom and Jerry’s.

“Knox, which—”

“Eggnog,” I answered before Roxanne could finish her question, then disappeared to my office to check a few emails.

The bride for tomorrow’s wedding had been emailing me daily since we’d started planning the menu. As expected, the moment I opened my inbox, there was a note from her confirming we had enough champagne for the event. Something, if Memphis had been her wedding planner, she could have confirmed weeks ago.

It was a brilliant idea. Quincy, and The Eloise, could use a planner. Maybe we could hire Memphis to be the hotel’s official event coordinator. It would mean a pay raise and if she wanted to expand into her own business, we could give her that flexibility too.

My computer dinged with another email and I tensed at Gianna’s name. I clicked it open to find a simple message—Merry Christmas—and one photo.

It was the picture she’d taken of Memphis, Drake and me in the kitchen.

Memphis was the spotlight, her face so beautiful I struggled to tear my eyes away. She looked up at me while I smiled down at her. The only one actually looking at the camera was Drake.

I shoved away from my desk and weaved through the kitchen. “Be back.”

Memphis was on the fourth floor when I found her in the empty room. She’d stripped the bed and was dusting when I walked inside.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” She smiled. “What’s up?”

“Got this today.” I dug my phone from my pocket and pulled up the email. Then I handed it over so she could see the photo.

Her eyes softened. “I love this.”

“I love you.”

Memphis gasped and the phone fell from her hand, landing with a thud on the carpet. “W-what?”

“Not exactly how I’d planned to say that,” I muttered. But it was out there now, and well . . . it was the truth. “I love you.”

Her eyes searched mine. “I love you too.”

I slammed my mouth on hers, my tongue delving inside for a taste of her sweet.

She clung to me, her fingertips digging into my arms, her heels rising off the floor as she lifted to her toes.

We kissed until we were breathless, then I tore my lips away and worked free the button on her jeans.

“Knox.” Her eyes darted past me to the open door.

I held up a finger, then stalked over to kick free the stop and let it slam closed. When I came back, she arched her eyebrows. “I’ve wanted to fuck you in one of these rooms for months.”

Her cheeks flushed. “I’m on the clock.”

“Then tomorrow we’ll clean it off the clock and call it square.” I dropped to a knee, holding her gaze as I pulled her tennis shoes off her feet. Next came her jeans. I slid down the zipper and as I tugged them down, taking her panties along for the ride, she shimmied her hips and kicked them free from her legs.

“Climb up on the bed. Get that shirt off. Then hands and knees.”

She nodded, obeying my every word. Off came her top, followed by her bra. Then she shot me a wicked grin as she planted a knee in the mattress and aimed that beautiful ass my way. Her pussy, pretty and pink, was wet and ready.

I freed my shaft from my jeans and hurried to pull on the condom I’d been keeping in my pocket. Then when I was sheathed, I dragged my cock through her folds as I stood behind her, earning a moan. “This is going to be hard and rough.”

“Yes,” she hissed, pressing back.

With one hand, I guided myself into her slick channel. With the other, I grabbed her ponytail, wrapping it around my fist. And then I thrust home.

“Oh, Knox.” She arched into me, her bottom lip sawed between her teeth.

“Fuck, you feel good. So fucking good.” Every time, it got better and better.

Maybe that was because I loved her, more every day.

Her inner walls fluttered around my cock as I pulled out and slammed inside. She moaned, a heady, sultry sound from her throat. It was the same moan she’d given me just last night when she’d dropped to her knees and let me fuck her mouth.

“Say it, Memphis. Say it again.” I thrust forward once more, her breasts bouncing and swaying as my hips smacked her ass.

Memphis purred, “I love you.”

I fucked her hard, thrust after thrust. I filled the room with the sound of skin slapping skin. Of her hitched breaths and whimpered moans. I worked her into a frenzy, her hands gripping the mattress, her toes curling over the side. I gripped her ass, squeezing hard, until she flew over the edge.

Memphis pulsed around me, squeezing and clenching through her orgasm. Being inside her was an addiction. I was at her mercy. There was only one box of condoms left at home, and when they were gone, I’d start going bare.

I’d claim her in every way. I’d send her to sleep every night dripping with my come.

Her climax retreated and she collapsed onto the mattress, leaning into her forearms. But I kept on pounding, working my hips faster and faster as I palmed her ass. The build intensified, the pressure at the base of my spine blinding, until finally I let go. When the white spots faded from my eyes, I fell onto her, holding her tight as the world came back into focus.

Memphis giggled as I pulled free. “I can’t believe we just did that.”

“Round two, tonight.” I chuckled, heading to the trash can to dispose of the condom and tuck myself away.

She pulled on her shirt and bra, then stepped into her panties. Her eyelids were heavy and she yawned as she sat on the mattress to tug on her jeans. “Now I want a nap.”

My woman slept hard after sex. “I’ll pop over to Lyla’s and get you a latte.”

“Double peppermint mocha, please.”

“You got it.” I kissed her forehead. “How much longer you got here?”

“Thirty minutes. I cleaned the bathroom already. I just need to dust, make the bed and vacuum.”

“I’ll call Mom and make sure she’s good to babysit. If she can’t, I’m sure Talia will. I’ll meet you in the lobby in thirty with your coffee. Then we can go home and pack a bag.” I headed for the door but before I could touch the handle, she called my name.

“Knox?”

“Yeah.”

“I love you.”

I pressed a hand to my heart. “I love you.”

With a wink, I left her to finish working while I headed for the kitchen to check in and grab a coat. Snow covered Quincy, but the sidewalks were clear and the roads plowed. The sun was dipping toward the horizon, inching toward the mountain peaks. Streetlamps illuminated the faint light as I made my way to Lyla’s.

A couple came out of the jewelry shop next door, both of them laughing. I froze as they passed by.

Memphis was mine. Drake was mine.

A Christmas proposal was cliché as hell, and I didn’t give two fucks.

When I walked through the door, the man behind the counter did a double take. His bald head was shiny beneath the store’s florescent lights, every one designed to catch the jewels and make them sparkle. “Oh . . . hi, Knox.”

“Hi.” I lifted a hand and went straight for the center case.

“Can I help you find something?”

My heart thumped but my voice was steady. “An engagement ring. Please.”

He blinked, then flew into action, laying out a navy velvet cloth. Then he placed ring after ring on the counter for me to inspect, rambling on about cut and clarity, while I lifted each and tried to imagine them on Memphis’s finger.

It was the eleventh ring that was the winner. A square diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller stones.

“This one.” I set it aside and dug my wallet from a pocket. Ten minutes later, I walked out of the jewelry store with the ring in my pocket and went to Lyla’s for coffee.

I had two paper cups in hand when I pushed through the hotel’s lobby doors.

Memphis was standing close to the couch beside the fireplace, her arms wrapped around her waist. The way she was biting her bottom lip and the worry line between her eyebrows made me walk faster.

“What’s wrong?”

She nodded toward the office door just as it burst open and Eloise came storming out, attempting to shrug on her coat as she marched. The moment my sister spotted me, she snarled.

“Oh, fuck.”

“Eloise.” Mom rushed out of the office, followed by Dad. “Wait.”

“They told her,” I guessed. “About the hotel.”

“Yep.” Memphis nodded. “And she just quit.”