Page 164 of Manhattan State of Mind

“I’m the luckiest man alive.” He grins lazily up at me before capturing my mouth in another passionate kiss.

In that kiss, nothing else matters—not the office rumors, the media circus, my missing memories. With the fervor of his lips against mine, the urgent pressure of his body, I know we can make this work.

We are the only two people in the world right now. Okay, maybe just the mountain. And I never want this feeling to end.

EPILOGUE

Nine months later

JP

The view from the terrace of the Bear Mountain Wellness Retreat is stunning—the lake mirrors the vibrant sunset, a palette of orange and pink. The first under the Quinn & Wolfe brand. It’s a universe apart from the frenzied, glittering streets of Vegas I once called home. Out here, I feel calm and at peace.

This weekend is a big milestone for the retreat as our first guests arrive—VIPs and popular bloggers eager to experience what we offer. The staff—yogis, wellness coaches, spa therapists, waiters, chefs—they’ve been busting their asses to get this place polished up and running smoothly. You can see the excitement on their faces, but you can also tell they’re nervous as hell.

Lucy and I are staying nearby at my place in the mountains. I’ll be living here until this operation’s making money like clockwork. She has to head back to the city on weekdays for her job at the firm, which isn’t ideal for me, selfish bastard that I am. I miss her like crazy when she’s not with me.

She’s still renting her apartment and living with her friend Priya. I’ve asked her to move in with me, but I’m not pushing it too hard. I understand she’s not quite ready to take that leap. A half-week with Lucy is better than a Lucy-less existence.

Thankfully, the gossip rags have moved on to new scandals, which means there’s less heat and eyes on Lucy at work. That’s all I ever cared about—keeping her safe and away from the spotlight.

Connor joins me on the terrace, handing me a beer. “You sold this place well, Wolfe. It’s trending and we haven’t even opened the doors. The press is eating up your whole spiritual reinvention thing. They’re calling it ‘Wolfe’s Redemption.’”

I roll my eyes and take a long swig of my beer, the cold liquid hitting the spot. Beer’s my only vice these days. “Billionaire bad boy goes Zen, builds wellness retreat to find enlightenment,” I say drily. “Not my favorite PR angle.”

But it was my only way to salvage the situation, and my plans.

“Exactly how hands-on are you planning to be?” Connor grins. “Will you be teaching yoga yourself?”

I shoot him a dry look. “Clearly you want this place to fail.”

The terrace door slides open, and there she is—my personal sunbeam. My calm in the chaos. Vegas looks like a sad, soggy fry in comparison.

It’s been a few days since I’ve seen Lucy and those striking blue eyes of hers. Her hair, all glossy chestnut waves, falls over her shoulders as she walks toward us, that radiant smile lighting up the whole damn terrace.

“Hey,” is how she greets us, her smile infectious.

Connor greets her then makes himself scarce, no doubt reading my thoughts, which are currently R-rated and laser-focused on getting Lucy out of that T-shirt dress.

I pull her in close, a reminder of how much I’ve missed her. “Hey, baby,” I murmur, unable to contain the affection in my voice. “I’ve missed you so much.”

She wraps her arms around me, hugging me tight. “Is everything ready for the weekend?”

I nod, trying not to lose myself in those eyes. “How was your week at work, IT goddess?”

She grins. “Oh, just the usual, shifting buttons around on the screen like you corporate suits assume we do.”

“I never thought that.” Well, maybe once or twice… Truth is, I never used to get why we had so many people on the IT team. “And I’m in a T-shirt, if you haven’t noticed.”

She tugs at my shirt. “I noticed. You look hot.”

I pull her in for a heated kiss.

“Wait,” she groans playfully, pulling back just enough to catch her breath. “I have one more hour of coursework to do before I can spend time with you.”

I let out a dramatic groan, my eyes still locked on hers. “Seriously, Lucy? On a Friday night? Can’t you do it tomorrow?”

Lucy chuckles, her fingers tracing my jawline. “As much as I’d love to, JP, you know I have to finish this. It’s the last assignment, and then I’m all yours.”