"I'll remember that Bell," he counters. "We need someone brilliant to head up the operations for Loire. They're lingerie boutiques. It's ideal for you."
He may think that all of his pleading is falling on deaf ears, but it's not. I've been resistant to the idea of working with Caleb because I don't want to add any unnecessary strain to our relationship. I love the dynamic we have now. I spend most of my nights here with him and during the day he'll often stop by my office just to tell me how much he loves me. I ache when I'm away from him and since he's started sharing some of his ideas for the Loire division, I've noticed areas that need improvement.
More than any of that, I've run the idea past Clive. He reiterated what he told me about wishing Lilly worked for him. He told me he doesn't want to lose me, but he recognizes the value I can bring to the Foster organization. He also sees how much I love Caleb.
"Is that as high as you're willing to go?" I push the paper back at him.
In short order, he's turned it around and written a new number. It's more than five times what I make now. It's more generous than he needs to be and there's no way I'd accept it as is. "We're getting closer."
"Closer?" He spins it back around and studies the paper. "If I keep adding to this, you're going to make more money than me."
"How is that a problem?" I counter with a smile. "I'm worth it. You know that I am."
He crosses his legs. "If you're teasing me, Bell, you need to stop now. If you're not, I want to know point blank what it's going to take to get you to take over Loire for us."
I run my index finger over my nose. I motion for him to hand me the pen. "Give that to me."
He smiles at the tone of my voice. "Write down your bottom line, Rowan and I'll tell you if we can do it."
I stare at the paper knowing that what I'm about to ask for will change the dynamic between not only Caleb and I, but me and Gabriel and even Asher too.
I hold the pen above the paper and just before I start to write I look across the desk and into his eyes. "I love you, Caleb. I really love you."
"You'll never love me as much as I love you. Never."
It's the same thing he says every single time I say those words to me. It's what I want to hear each day until I die. I want to hold his hand, and kiss his lips and make love to him for the rest of my life. I write quickly, knowing that his eyes are focused on the paper.
I look at him before I slowly turn it around.
His eyes glide over the paper, then my face and then back to the paper. "You want this?"
"Yes," I say confidentially. "I want that for a salary."
"That's much less than what I just offered to you." He underlines the number with the pen.
"I know." I shuffle closer to the edge of the chair." That's not all I want though."
He leans forward so his elbows are resting on either side of the paper. "You want a percentage of Loire? You want us to give you a stake in that division?"
There's a definite shift in the air between us. "It's a reasonable amount and it will push me to make the business a success."
He looks to the right before his eyes settle back on my face. "You've been thinking about this? You didn't just pull this number from thin air."
"No." I tap the toe of my shoe against his desk. "It's what I want. If you want me to oversee operations for Loire, you're going to need to give me a twenty percent stake in that division."
"You drive a hard bargain." He cocks a brow. "You'll be working with Gabriel. Not me. You know that, right?"
"I know that. I've already talked to your brother about it."
"Why am I not surprised?" He throws his head back in laughter. "Has he already approved this?"
"Verbally." My mouth curves into a smile. "I spoke to him when you were in the shower."
"You know that you're making every one of my dreams come true." He stands quickly and rounds the desk until he's right in front of me.
I reach up with my hands and he gently grabs them pulling me to my feet. "We're going to make new dreams together. I'm where I belong. This is the place I was always supposed to be."
Epilogue
Six Months Later
"Do you think we can find some time next weekend to have dinner with Graham and his boyfriend?" I look back at where Caleb's resting on the bed behind me. "I feel like I've been neglecting him lately."
"You have been." He pulls on the bottom of my ponytail. "Lingerie has become your life."
I close my tablet before I roll over onto my back. "I want Loire to be a success. I want that for us and for our children."
"Speaking of children," he begins before he takes my left hand in his. "You know that I'm willing to get you an actual engagement ring, right? When I proposed last month, that wasn't the way I envisioned it."
"We were sitting in the garden at the house in the Hamptons. You turned to me and asked me to be your wife. How could it have been more perfect than that?"
"I could have planned it. I have planned it. I wanted to do it on my birthday in Central Park. I was going to get a diamond and drop to one of my knees and…"