Just the Sexiest Man Alive

Thirty-five

“SO YOU REALLY quit your job?”

Jason handed Taylor another doughnut, the double chocolate with sprinkles per her request. Earlier, she had discovered the one drawback of sleeping with the Sexiest Man Alive: in the morning, she had to be the one to go out and hunter-gather breakfast. Unless, as Jason put it, she wanted a side of paparazzi with her orange juice and muffins.

“Yep, I really quit,” she told him, biting into the chocolately goodness she had wrangled from the bakery down the street.

“But you’re so calm about it.”

Taylor shrugged nonchalantly. “Something else will come along.”

When she said nothing further, Jason gave her a look.

“Look—it was a simple decision: you or them. I chose you,” she said.

“Aww, honey . . . that’s so sweet of you.” He leaned in and gave her a kiss. Then he pulled back with a knowing gaze. “You already have another job offer, don’t you?”

Taylor smiled proudly. “Three, actually.”

“Hmm . . . when did all this happen?”

She shrugged. “I made a few calls on the way to get the doughnuts.” She caught his look. “Well, I can’t just sit around and be unemployed forever.”

“It’s been twelve hours,” Jason said with a grin. Then he broke off a piece of his marbled frosted doughnut and handed it over, having noticed the slight glare she’d thrown him after he’d picked that one out of the box.

“So come on, tell me about these three offers,” he said.

“Well, they’re large firms, like my old one. And since Gray and Dallas made me a partnership offer before I quit, they all said they’d be willing to match it.”

“Not bad,” Jason said, impressed. “You can pick up right where you left off.”

Taylor nodded. “Mmm-hmmm.”

He caught her tone. “What? Now what are you up to?”

Taylor grinned. “Well, I’ve been giving these things a lot of thought—”

“—You really have been busy these past twelve hours—”

“—and I feel as though I’ve peaked in the large firm environment. After all, there’s only so much you can learn in one place—”

“—I’m pretty sure that’s a line from a song—”

“—and so I was thinking that maybe I should start my own law firm.”

With this having been declared, they both fell silent. After a long moment, Jason spoke first.

“I think that’s a great idea.”

Taylor jumped off the couch excitedly. “I know! I can see it now—Taylor Donovan and Associates. That has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

Jason gave her the strangest look. “Don’t you mean Taylor Andrews and Associates?”

Taylor laughed as if this was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.

She stopped abruptly when she saw Jason’s serious expression. “Ohh . . . I see our first fight as a married couple is going to be a big one.”

Jason got up off the couch and walked over. He gave her an affectionate kiss.

“I’ll start preparing now.”

Right then, they were interrupted by a knock at the front door.

Taylor looked over. “Shit—I forgot to call and cancel the movers. Oh, they are gonna be pissed.” She smiled sweetly at him. “Maybe you could answer it, honey? Go . . . sign some autographs for them or something.”

JASON GRUMBLED HIS whole way to the front door.

This was what assistants were for. And managers and agents and various sorts of househelp. Taylor quickly needed to get used to her new way of life, before she started sending him to the store for milk or tampons or something.

And Jason Andrews did not do milk or tampons.

However . . . he mused to himself with a smile, somebody was going to have to trek out to the store for some more condoms, the way they were going . . .

With this thought in mind, Jason opened the door in great spirits. “Gentlemen—I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans.”

He quickly explained the situation, paid the movers for their time, tipped them an extra grand for agreeing to keep Taylor’s address private information, and yes, he did also sign an autograph or two. As the movers got back into their truck, one of them congratulated Jason on his engagement.

Jason grinned. Of all the things he’d accomplished in his life, that may have been the congratulations he most enjoyed receiving.

He shut the door and headed back inside, into the kitchen where he could hear Taylor cleaning up. She was rinsing out a glass at the sink and glanced over when she heard him come in.

“How’d it go with the movers? Is everything okay?”

Watching her, Jason smiled.

“Everything is great.”

He walked over and scooped Taylor up. “Stop pretending like you know what you’re doing at that sink,” he teased. Then he carried her off into the bedroom.

They didn’t leave the apartment the entire day.

FINALLY, LATE THAT night as they lay in bed, Taylor rested her head on Jason’s shoulder, looking up at him.

“I love you,” she said softly.

Jason’s arms tightened around her. He grinned sleepily. “I know.”

Taylor drifted off contentedly. Until, through the darkness, she heard a low, sneaky whisper.

“Mrs. Taylor Andrews . . .”

She didn’t bother to open her eyes.

“Still not gonna happen.”

But then she lay there, awake. She opened her eyes and, for a long time that night, watched Jason as he slept peacefully by her side.

Only because she wanted to be sure she had gotten in the last word.

Of course.