Everything seemed to be falling into place. This bittersweet dream finally beginning to have its happy ending. Mr. Hale holds underneath my arm to help me stand on my feet again. "Don't say something you aren't going to mean later," I breathe trying to catch my breath.

If there was one thing I didn't like it had been crying. For me crying had shown that I was actually feeling a certain way about a situation. It almost gave that situation power over me to either make things better or worse. They say if you cry you're letting out all your worries, stress, and negative thoughts over you. Maybe I needed a cleanse myself.

Mr. Hale wipes away the tears from my cheeks. "Ellie, I mean everything I say. Last year I lied about not wanting you, not loving you, and not wanting to be with you. Sometimes we do the things we don't want to ensure the happiness of another is successful," he sounds like an old soul giving me the much needed wisdom I needed to hear.

"I understand.." I fidget with my fingers trying not to make eye contact for I feel foolish like a child who realizes their wrong doings.

Mr. Hale places his hand around my waist. "Let's rejoin the event," he insists leading me back out to the crowd.

While in the midst of my breakdown I had forgotten about event taking place. This was awful timing to want to get emotional. Now I feel ashamed of my behavior before, but there he was making sure that I had the reassurance I needed. Damn he was too good.

We walk into the the sea of people chatting. I enjoy an hors d'oeuvres off of the tray of which a waiter was holding as he walked around to everyone. It tasted of mashed potatoes and seafood. The juices of the salmon hitting me at once. I was starved.

"We will grab dinner once the function is over," he says low enough for me to hear.

My stomach grows at the taste of a bacon cheeseburger or cobb salad. Either way I either wanted one of those or both. Thank God I have a fast metabolism because all this greasy food would have me shaped like a sack of potatoes. Luckily Mr. Hale didn't have that problem. When I was his assistant his workout regiment had been every other day depending on the week. Even I noticed during the summer he wanted to look extremely attractive. I don't think I've ever seen Mr. Hale eat a full meal in front of me.

"I'm starved that I could eat just about anything."

I hear the clicking of a fork next to a glass which grabs the attention of everyone. It is Dr. Brennan standing on the patio above everyone holding a glass of wine. "I'd like to thank everyone for coming tonight. I know many of us would rather be working because there is nothing more entertaining than business meetings, long hours, and short coffee breaks. But let's take a step back and reward our efforts to making such a big impact on the small community in which we came from. Mr. Hale, Charlie, Bronson, and myself have grew up on these streets. So we'd like to start by giving away some of our most prized possessions as well as from some of the many organizations dedicated to making our community once great." A young woman comes to the side of Dr. Brennan removing the glass from his hand.

"First, Miss Donovan," he announces my name to which I am shocked and perplexed at the same time. I am unsure of what's going on, but Mr. Hale urges me to go forward. "Earlier, you told me that you have never been able to travel because you had obligations. On behalf of my medical practices St. Bernard's Surgical Facility I would like to reward you a week's stay in a place of your choosing." I am speechless, but with the applause all around I feel as if if I don't accept the offer that I will be rejecting his kindness.

Mr. Hale whispers in my ear. "Go ahead, I will be right here." I feel his hand gives me a nudge, but I feel frozen to the ground. I have never been one to have received or even win something by a raffle. The feeling of winning something felt good, honestly. I make my way to where Dr. Brennan stands as if I was going to receive the gift in physical form.

"It's a week stay anywhere you choose. I hope you have someone to keep you company," he whispers into my ear.

My face is flushed completely when the thoughts of having the company of a certain male lying in bed with me. I knew exactly the place where I wanted to spend my brief vacation as if it had been foreseen. "Thank you for this." I whisper. Dr. Brennan hands me a check written for five thousand dollars. My mouth couldn't fix itself to say any words.

"Don't thank me. It wasn't just my doing," Dr. Brennan states and that's when it clicks into perspective.

This time I wasn't completely mad at Mr. Hale for his doing considering this was probably part of his plan to make up the previous mistakes beforehand. I could kiss him in front of everyone, but we had been at a business function. Public display of affection had been strictly prohibited when it came to business. Later though.... I couldn't tell you what would happen after closed doors.

I rejoin Mr. Hale who's enjoying himself the third glass of whiskey. "Thank you," I nod to him.

"Let's go."

Before we exit I exchange goodbyes with Mr. Vasquez who explains that everything had been planned so that I could enjoy my vacation. These gentlemen seemed to know how to please a lady in such a big way. I was overwhelmed with so much happiness that I could honestly cry all over again.

We arrive to a skyscraper which feels as though it's the tallest building in the city. I couldn't tell through the ocean of buildings in which covered most of the city. The lights are dimmed as we enter the restaurant which is playing smooth music provided by the band to the south of the restaurant. The waiter sits us down one table over from the window which overlooks most of the city. A candle conveniently placed in the middle of the table.

I pick up the menu on the fable looking over the burgers, salads, and even steaks. "All of this sounds so good," I whine with excitement.

"They do have the best steaks in New York City," he states watching me intently.

"Somehow I feel like that's an overstatement."

"You dare to challenge me, Miss Donovan?" He raises his eye brow with a grin on his face.

I cannot stifle my giggle as he's such a charming man. "I aim to challenge you, sir." I attempt to sound sensual.

Mr. Hale licks over his bottom lip that makes me quiver. I quickly cross my leg over the other underneath the table. "I hope you keep that same conviction later," he smirks as the waiter comes over.

"We will have two steaks medium rare, as well as two of your salads, and a bottle of your finest champagne," the authority in his voice just makes me want him even more.

"Special occasion?"

"Indeed. The beginning of a new."

We share a smile together in which I cannot help, but sigh with happiness. I wonder what could have happened in the year of my absence that would make him want to have a relationship. The question suddenly arises in my mind, but I do not want to ruin the mood with my inquisition.

The food was as delectable as he said. I still doubted that this had been the best steak in New York, but surely in my top three. I don't even steak that much. The closest to eating steak I've gotten is T.G.I Friday's.

"That was delicious, but what do you say we leave to have dessert," I was sounding vivacious, but another would say it was the champagne and wine talking.

"With pleasure..."

Mr. Hale slowly unzips my dress his fingertips just gracing the small of my back. It's a tender touch which sends chills throughout my body. I'm fairly sexually aroused by just his presence and the slightest touch of his hand. I lean onto his chest to place a kiss on his lips. He rewards me with his tongue graciously massaging that of mine. I feel his hand resting on my chin to keep my face in his proximity.

The feverish kisses start to quick the pace of my heart. My hands move down to his belt where his bulge pokes through his pants. I kneel down to where I'm on my knees looking up at him. My need to want to please him just as much as he wants to please me makes my mouth water. It takes only a few seconds before he's freed just as stiff as my nipples had become.

I take him into the palm of my hands caressing over his shaft. My lips placing tantalizing kisses down to the base where his pubic hair began to grow slowly. My tongue silvers around the base massaging the veins which stuck out over his erection. He disappears within my mouth and I'm rewarded with his moans filling the air. It's been a while since I have orally pleased him in general, but he seemed to be enjoying the tight, warm, and moist feeling over my throat.

His hand holds the back of my head as I bob up down making sure I coat his whole shaft with my saliva. He's hard enough like a jawbreaker, but hearing him moan gives me so much welcomed pleasure that my panties start to feel soaked.

The bed welcomes our warmth with his shirt on still. "No let me," I'm breathless once he rolls onto his back I'm sitting atop of him.

Every button I undo along his shirt just makes him restless. My fingers sway across his abdomen along his pecks. Then he shuffles the shirt off throwing it aside which makes me chortle slightly. His unrelenting gaze upon my brown eyes don't give up. They are like soft stabs into my heart spilling a heart-filled pain as if he could just break my heart with one look. I know this is love because I welcome to pain as if it was pleasure. Tonight I would have surrendered myself to him in the ways unimaginable. It was a vow I made right then.

"I surrender myself to you," I breathe.

He's puzzled by my words. "I don't want you to feel like you must surrender yourself to me. I want your willingness to let me love you as I have surrendered myself to wanting your love in return." I don't want to hear anything else.

I slightly straddle his shaft within me almost giving into the pleasure. My hair has fallen over my face only strands allowing mug lips to peak through. My mouth open wide I moan lost in my own world. I have been anxiously awaiting this feeling being that it had only been a few days. I move my hips back and forth to match the rhythm of his thrusts hard and senseless.

Tantalizingly they simultaneously hit my sweet spot over and over again. My moans become louder once he realizes the power he has over me. I feel his hands grip onto my waist almost as a reaction I place my hands against his toned chest to keep support. It's a slow and anxious feeling to want him to speed up the pace. But his hands do not stay in the same spot for long reaching up to my breasts and fondling over my brazen nipples.

I lift myself slowly upwards pulling his shaft out until I feel just the head. Then I slide myself down onto him feeling walls once more. He's fully engulfed in my juices. I gasp biting down onto my lip. He let's me control the motion for only a few seconds before he flips me over onto my back. It's one quick motion and he's relentless filling me over and over.

My eyes are closed while he continues his assault. I can't help my fingers from clawing down his back. My pants matching his grunts ever now and then. I'm giving into everything he wanted of me. "Look at me," I pant bringing his face to mine. When his eyes meet mine I pull him down to seize his lips. I've surrendered myself to him as he takes his time to passionately kiss me back. My hands are intertwined in his hair making sure he doesn't move from my face.

I feel myself becoming overly familiar with his lips. I didn't ever want it day that I was without his lips on me. The way his hips hit over, and over kept me from moaning for I was out of breath. The way my pants sounded much like whimpers I shivered underneath his body. Even though I was unsure if I had been pregnant or not I wanted him to fill me with all of him. We had been going at it for almost an hour and he hasn't come undone yet. "Cum inside me," I whisper on his lips trying to catch my breath, but it's hard when I'm so close to melting underneath him.

"Not there," he grunts pulling himself out. "Here." He doesn't waste time before I feel him nudging at my other hole. We have switched positions to where he's laying beside me, my back to his front. I clutch hold of the pillow once he slides himself inch by inch stretching me to fit on him. My lips suffering from my teeth puncturing them I cry out when he releases inside of me.

The feeling is unusual but I welcome it so that he can enjoy the the feeling. It's a tight fit. I gasp burying my head into the pillow. "Oh m-my.." I grab hold of his wrist which is grabbing my waist. Then he pulls out slowly realizing the intense sensation it had been causing me. His lips trail slowly down my spine tendering caressing my tense muscles.

A few minutes later we are stretched out on the bed relaxing. "Are you sure you want to be with me?" I queried tracing my fingers along his chest. A few seconds go by with silence and I figured that I may have upset him.

"Paragon is the name of the club where I met Mr. Codwell and Mr. Hurst," he explains adjusting the way he had been laying. "I revisited the place just to give myself some sort of... closure."

I felt the shift in his mood as if he was upset with himself. "A female named Alexandria I met when I was twenty-two years old had been working there since as long as I could remember. It wasn't a typical club where you could have a female escort, or just enjoy the company of friends. It was an association. Men of power, control, and wealth all associated themselves with drugs, alcohol, women, and other things. I exercised what guilt I had in that place many times over. Alexandria was the only woman I felt close enough to talk to. The only problem was she had been a pimp's whore. Just like..."

"...your mother." I finish his sentence.

"After my business reached a new level of attention I stopped coming back to Paragon. I found out through the newspaper that Alexandria had committed suicide." He looks down at his hands as if he felt the beating over again. "I didn't attend her funeral. I disavowed ever knowing she existed. I promised myself never to get close to anyone or woman. The fear of having her stripped and wiped out of my life would break whatever was left of me."

He continues to explain not hindering any detail. "When you were hired I made it apparent that I would only keep a business relationship with you, but it was challenging. Every time you would let your hair down from your ponytail, every frustration, and every time your mind took a trip I found myself attracted to your simple idiosyncrasy. I wanted to know you in a different way, but my own negligence is the reason for my pain. If I was going to love you I was going to have to set aside my pride, my fears, and my selfishness. I just didn't want to lose you how I lost Alexandria..."

I feel the pain in his voice. Everything he had came across had been taken. I knew he loved this Alexandria woman by the way his guilt spilled from his lips. A genuine love. I could never match this woman he spoke of, but I didn't want to match her. I just wanted to be able to love him for the both of us.

"I'm sure she's proud of the man you have become. The man that I've come to love."

The broken heart of a man who's experience death, pain, separation, and betrayal was a heavy one to bare. I understood why he had been antisocial in most gatherings. How is one suppose to have a conversation about life when he never really had one to live? Never had I seen Mr. Hale spend his wealth on cars, expensive vacations, houses, parties.

"I want you to come with me on my vacation. Just the two of us. You can live your life as a normal person who has to cook for himself, dress in normal attire other than a business suit, and actually have fun beyond board meetings."

"Ellie, I run a company with hundreds of people on my payroll."

The sound of his rejection is disappointing. "Bring work with you." I suggest.

Mr. Hale chuckles slightly pulling me closure in his embrace. "If I say yes will you stop asking me," he proposes.

"If you say yes I will make it the best vacation you have ever imagined."

I place slow chaste kisses along his chest before I reach up to his chin. "Please..."

Mr. Hale pulls me up on top of him. I'm looking down on the world's most magnificent human being with a heart capable of loving even after all the negative aspects of his life. It makes me remember two years ago when I first started chatting. A flashback of memories come flooding through my mind as I apply pressure onto his lower abdomen.

"Alright."

"Really?"

"Indeed."

I'm filled with excitement for planning this vacation would take sometime. I am to choose any place I choose to want to visit, but first I would need my passport. This had to be a place where he could just be able to take in the beautiful scenery around him and find the love in all things. I had my work cut out for me.

"I don't see how I could ever stop loving you," I croak feeling like I've become needy.

"If this is what it means as you being my girlfriend. I guess I'm forced to indulge in your emotional being.."

Girlfriend.

He said girlfriend.