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Chapter Twenty-Two
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Barefoot Kisses Epilogue
I take a deep breath and slip into my shoes.They aren't the shoes that brides usually wear on their wedding. These shoes are just simple black flats with sand stuck in the cracks near the toes.“You ready?” My sister Louisa asks, peeking out through the door.“Ready as I'm ever going to be,” I say. Now that I have the shoes on, my nerves are settling. I know he loves me because these shoes prove it.My mother fusses one last time with my dress. It's satin and lace and possibly the most beautiful wedding dress I have ever seen. I'm sure all brides think that of their dresses, but for mine, I'm sure of it.I hear the music start inside the church.“I love you, sweetheart,” Mom says, giving me a kiss on the cheek. There are tears of pride in her eyes. She wipes the lipstick from her kiss off my cheek.“I love you too, Momma,” I whisper. She presses her lips together as tight as she can to keep from crying as she hurries out to take her seat.“She's so beautiful,” I hear her tell my dad.
Barefoot Kisses Chapter One
Coffee dripped down the walls of the kitchen and spattered across the linoleum floor.I stared at my brand new coffee pot in horror as it continued to spew boiling hot brown goo everywhere. This was not a good way to start the morning.I scampered across the small kitchen, hiding behind a dishcloth and praying the coffee rain wouldn't land on me to pull the plug. The machine gurgled and died.This was not a promising start to my morning.I quickly cleaned up the walls and floor, hoping my roommate wouldn't attempt to use the cursed machine when she woke up. I made sure to leave Mindy a note, but she had a tendency to forget I existed. Sometimes, I was sure she thought a magic house fairy just came through to clean and add new supplies. Part of me almost hoped she would try the new machine without reading my warning. Either way, I would have to talk to her later about how she threw out the coffee pot box with the receipt in it without checking with me first.I sighed and headed to the
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Two
Two shimmering dust specks twisted through the golden evening sunlight, circling and spinning, dancing with one another like long lost lovers as they slowly descended and finally came to rest on the shiny black surface of my desk. There they sat, motionless and lifeless after their golden fall. I stared at them for a moment, wondering if motes of dust could feel, and if they could, if they felt as let down as I did.I shifted in my chair, feeling the stiff fabric of my skirt tighten across my legs. I wished I had brought a change of clothes so I didn't have to wear my suit anymore. The lawyers were expected to dress in suits, but as a paralegal, I was allowed to wear business casual. I kicked at the broken pair of heels under my desk and tugged at my uncomfortable skirt. Right now, I would have killed for a pair of flats and pants.My phone buzzed, skittering along the edge of my desk. I hoped it wasn't my sister canceling on me. We had dinner reservations, and while we were no longer
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Three
The upper floor of the McDonald, Smith and Ward law firm was made for impressing clients. It had a chic modern vibe that screamed wealth and power. The Chicago office was the flagship for the six other US branches and two international offices, and every inch was made to represent that fact.Not far from the elevator was the legal library. While many firms were switching to strictly computer-based systems, McDonald, Smith and Ward had decided to use the beauty of the old books to impress clients. Big, sound-proof glass windows separated it from the hallway, but let anyone who walked past see the glorious amount of books inside. The collection was the envy of several small law schools.I glanced over at my mysterious companion, watching for his reaction. He didn't have one. That told me two things. He had a boss that could afford my firm and that he had been here enough times that the opulence no longer effected him.Darcie, the librarian, didn't look up from her computer as we entered
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Four
My chair squeaked as I leaned forward to look at the pictures coming up on my laptop screen. Technically, it was Alexa's chair but since she wasn't using it, I had claimed it and her office as my own for the evening. If I was forced to stay late to do her job, I might as well be comfortable in her office doing it. I had my laptop set up with notepad and pen as I searched for information on the individuals involved in the Preston case.The case centered around a workplace accident and the plaintiff was suing our client for millions. He had been injured by company machinery and was suing Preston Corp for enough money to buy a small island. Alexa had done the crappiest job ever looking up the backgrounds of both parties. She had copied the Preston Corp information from Wikipedia and then barely checked the plaintiff's myFace page, let alone looked through his pictures or even found his blog. As I added pages upon pages of missed information to the file, I had to wonder just how the hell
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Five
The Chicago sky was a steel gray that threatened to bring rain or snow later in the day. A cold wind whistled between the buildings and whipped at my hair with angry fingers. I pulled my coat tighter and sipped my coffee as I hurried into the lobby of the skyscraper that housed the McDonald, Smith and Ward offices.The lobby hummed with conversations as people piled into elevators on their way to work or waited for coworkers under the lofty marble columns. Darcie waved as soon as she saw me, hurrying across the lobby to join me. Since she had helped me put my leftovers in the fridge, I had a sneaky suspicion she would be joining me for lunch and eating most of it.“You get that guy's number yet?” Darcie asked, bumping my shoulder with hers in friendly greeting.“I wish,” I said, taking another sip of coffee. My coffee pot was still broken, so I was enjoying a latte from the coffee shop on my way. “I'm not one hundred percent certain he wasn't just a figment of my stressed out imaginat
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Six
The office was the usual buzz of morning business, but it sounded happier to me today than it had in a long time. Even my little work station looked better today and I didn't even frown at the stack of papers already waiting for my attention. In two weeks, I'd be in Texas helping Smith with the legal case of a lifetime. If that on my resume didn't get me a spot at Harvard, I'd eat my shoe. Plus, the icing on the cake was that I would be away from Alexa and Calvin.“I heard about your little stunt last night,” Alexa informed me, gliding up to my desk. I wondered how someone so pretty could be so evil. She was tall with dark, glossy hair that was always perfectly coiffed. Her eyes were a unique shade of gray with lashes so long they made a breeze when she blinked. Add in perfect porcelain skin, legs that stretched into infinity and a waist that was built for the designer skirts she always seemed to wear, and she was gorgeous. Gorgeous and incredibly evil.“I'm not sure what you mean, Al
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Seven
I couldn't keep the grin off my face as I hurried upstairs. Darcie gave me a big thumbs up as I passed the library on my way to Smith's office. I could hardly wait to get in there, but I made sure to walk calmly and professionally, even though I really just wanted to do cartwheels in the hallway.Mr. Smith's secretary sat at a large desk guarding the entrance to his office. It looked as though a paper avalanche had hit her desk overnight as she sorted and organized the files that must be about the new case. I cleared my throat and she looked up from her work, her face betraying nothing.“Go on in,” she told me. “They’re expecting you.”I grinned at her her, but she just returned to her piles of paper. I was excited and nervous and fairly sure that I might vibrate off the floor with all the emotions running through me. I opened his office door, stepped inside, and immediately stopped smiling. The happy vibrations were gone. I wasn't floating. I was sinking.Sitting perched on the edge
Latest chapter
Barefoot Kisses Epilogue
I take a deep breath and slip into my shoes.They aren't the shoes that brides usually wear on their wedding. These shoes are just simple black flats with sand stuck in the cracks near the toes.“You ready?” My sister Louisa asks, peeking out through the door.“Ready as I'm ever going to be,” I say. Now that I have the shoes on, my nerves are settling. I know he loves me because these shoes prove it.My mother fusses one last time with my dress. It's satin and lace and possibly the most beautiful wedding dress I have ever seen. I'm sure all brides think that of their dresses, but for mine, I'm sure of it.I hear the music start inside the church.“I love you, sweetheart,” Mom says, giving me a kiss on the cheek. There are tears of pride in her eyes. She wipes the lipstick from her kiss off my cheek.“I love you too, Momma,” I whisper. She presses her lips together as tight as she can to keep from crying as she hurries out to take her seat.“She's so beautiful,” I hear her tell my dad.
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Twenty-Two
“Did you get ahold of the reporter for the Houston Daily?” Kathryn asked.“Yes, ma'am. I scheduled the official interview with Derek's secretary and had the reporter send his questions to her ahead of time,” I answered checking off another item on my list. If I didn't have a calendar in front of me I wouldn't have known what day it was we were so busy. I hadn't been home since the flight back, yet I remembered falling asleep on one of the couches in Kathryn's office at least twice.“Good. What about the files for tomorrow-”“I got those done too. They've been faxed and I checked with the courthouse that they were received,” I answered quickly. “Now, you need to get going. You have a meeting with the Mayor and if you are late or reschedule your secretary will skin me alive. She said I would have to handle all the phone calls from him and you don't pay me enough for that.”I got up from my desk and handed her the suit jacket hanging on the wall behind me. I could tell she was still in e
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Twenty-One
I buckled my seat on the private jet and stared numbly out the window. I knew he wouldn't come, but I kept hoping Aiden would show up out on the runway to show me he cared. I kept staring down the long runway, searching for his face as he came to tell me he loved me too.Kathryn finished her phone call and went straight into the next, only pausing to transition to the jet's phone instead of her cell. I knew I would have a few more minutes to myself before she would be ready to give me a list of things to do.My laptop was already charging in a little docking station next to my seat. I opened it, found the jet's wifi. I had stayed on top of my work emails using the resort's internet connection, but I had specifically avoided using my computer for anything but work.I pulled up a search page and paused, my fingers hovering over the keys.All I had to do was type in Aiden's name and I would know everything about him. I would have pictures and newspaper articles and everything the cyber-s
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Twenty
I sat outside on the resort's restaurant patio, staring at the melting ice at the bottom of my cup. Lunch had been hours ago, but I hadn't moved yet and had no intention of doing so. My plate was only half eaten, but as long as I pretended to keep munching, the busboy left me alone. It was quiet here with the other diners all off exploring the resort. I needed to think.Kathryn's big meeting had gone well, and despite my brain being elsewhere I had managed to take decent notes for her. I couldn't say exactly what the meeting had even been about, but I had three typed pages of information. I'd figure it out when I typed up the minutes later.Instead of paying attention to if the current measures to prevent litigation were working, I had been thinking of Aiden and the fact that he was a billionaire and what that meant for us as a couple.All the signs that he was more than just an assistant had been there, but I had just been too enamored to see them. His clothes and shoes were nicer th
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Nineteen
Aiden snored gently and I found myself loving the sound. The rain had stopped some time in the night, but Aiden's soft noises were even better than the gentle patter of water. His hair was splayed across the pillow, and his mouth was slightly open. He looked so peaceful and utterly content. I slept better with him than I ever did alone, and waking up next to him made mornings bearable. A girl could certainly get used to a naked man in her bed like Aiden.I leaned over and kissed his cheek. He mumbled something about “just five more minutes” before twisting under the blankets and hiding away from the sun. I couldn't help but smile as I went to the door to find my shoes.I had to get ready for Kathryn’s meeting, and as the only clothing I had was my still damp outfit from the night before, I had to leave early in order to change and prep. I didn't want to go, but my job was important to me. Besides, once the meeting was over, I would have the rest of the day to do nothing but be with hi
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Eighteen
He grinned and started the water up. I reached around him and began to undo those white cotton pants while he checked the water temperature. As his pants started to come down, I grabbed his underwear and pulled those down as well. His ass was taut and muscular, and as he bent over to check the water temperature, I spanked him. It was a light spanking, but it was kind of out of character for me.He looked back at me, one eyebrow cocked. I smiled and looked sheepish. He turned around, still trapped by his pants and underwear around his feet. He leaned in for a kiss, but at the last moment, his lips went to my ear instead. “Was it fate that caused you to spank me, or was it free will?”I practically hummed with pleasure in his ear. “I wanted to spank you.” It was definitely the truth.He moved his lips down from my ear to my neck, and I could feel his fingers pulling at the bottom of my shirt. He pulled upward and I raised my arms to get it off quicker, revealing the lacy bra I was weari
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Seventeen
“Vacation agrees with you,” Kathryn commented, startling me out of me out of my day dreams.“What?” I could feel a blush blaze across my cheeks and I wondered if she could read my thoughts. They were certainly blush-worthy.“You've been staring off at the water with a happy smile plastered on your face for the entire meeting,” she informed me.“Sorry. Did I miss something important?” I couldn't even remember what the meeting was about. “I wasn't sure if I got the projector set up properly--”“Everything was fine,” she assured me, with a smile. “I'm just stating that you look very happy. That assistant must be very good for you.”I relaxed and grinned. “He is.” She had no idea just how good. He was beyond good.“I'm guessing you have dinner plans tonight, then,” Kathryn said with a knowing smile.I starting packing up the laptop and notes from the meeting. “Not if you need me. You brought me here, so you have dibs on me.”Kathryn laughed and shook her head. “I don't need you tonight. I
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Sixteen
Laying out on a blanket with Aiden on the beach, my throat was sore from laughing so hard. I stared up at the night sky and wished on every star up there that we would always be this happy. Aiden made me laugh without even trying, and when he did try, I was completely unable to stop. He had quickly discovered that I would snort if I laughed hard enough, which he thought was hilarious. He then, or course made it his mission in life to make me snort.I hated snorting, but I loved how hard it made Aiden laugh when I did. Once he started laughing at my snort, I would laugh even harder, causing me to snort again, and the two of us would be lost to an unending laughing loop until we couldn't breathe. My ribs ached and my face was sore, but I had never been so happy in my entire life.The remnants of our dinner sat back on my porch, and we were now enjoying an evening of whispering under the stars. Aiden had selected a fabulous bottle of white wine for the two of us, and I had lost track of
Barefoot Kisses Chapter Fifteen
I sat on the edge of the boat, my feet dangling in the water and my head resting on Aiden's shoulder in complete bliss. I didn't care if we caught a single fish for the rest of the day-- I was having a fantastic time.I could see a boat in the distance, but I didn't pay them much attention until it was clear they were headed straight for us. For a moment, I wondered if they had somehow heard my screams of pleasure and thought I needed rescuing.The boat was slightly larger than ours, but with more storage and less speed. A man with aviator glasses and jet black hair was steering while a woman in a wetsuit gave him directions from the on-board computer. They silenced their engines to a throttle as they came alongside ours.“I'm going to need to see your fishing licenses,” the man asked. I didn't see any official emblems on their boat, but I supposed they could be with the coast guard. I hoped Aiden had the appropriate documentation needed.“And I'm going to need to talk to your supervi
