Page 40 of Suddenly Desired (APEX Billionaires’ Club #2)

One year later

“Careful, Blake!” laughed Ellie, as he carried her through the door of their farmhouse, almost banging her head on the lintel.

“Sorry,” he said, not looking sorry at all. His grin was wolfish, his sapphire-blue eyes burning with something that had nothing to do with the champagne they’d been drinking all afternoon.

He looked devastatingly good. His hair was longer now, sun-streaked and perpetually tousled. His shirt was undone just enough to show off his taut muscles and tan, and his jeans hugged his body in all the right places.

The last year had changed them both. They spent most days outdoors, working the land, riding horses, and having ridiculous amounts of sex under the stars that made their past city lives seem unthinkable.

“You’re impossible,” Ellie murmured, her arms wrapping around his neck as he dipped his head and kissed her, deep and slow. His breath was full of strawberries and mint from the cocktails they’d made that morning, and for a moment, the world outside the cool, stone farmhouse ceased to exist.

He pulled away just enough to let their foreheads touch. “You are everything, Ellie Mae,” he murmured, voice rough with emotion. “And I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”

Ellie’s heart swelled, but she smirked mischievously. “Then I forgive you for nearly concussing me on our wedding day.”

Blake laughed, carrying her deeper into their home before finally setting her down in their kitchen — though he didn’t let go of her completely. His hands lingered on her waist, his thumbs brushing over the soft fabric of her wedding dress.

“You do realise you just got married in a sunflower dress, right?” he teased, trailing a finger along the thin strap over her shoulder.

Ellie grinned. “And you just got married in jeans.”

He shrugged. “I mean, we do look pretty damn good.”

She rolled her eyes and turned towards the window of the large country kitchen, looking out to where their closest friends were gathered outside, clinking glasses and laughing in the golden evening light.

The wedding had been chaotic, hilarious, and perfect. Nobody had worn suits. Nobody had worn designer gowns. Even the vicar had rolled up his sleeves and drunk whisky after the ceremony.

They had written their own vows and promised them to each other, barefoot in the farmhouse yard, with only the people who truly mattered watching.

Blake wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her against his chest.

“You make me so damn happy,” she whispered.

His voice was a warm growl against her ear. “That’s my job now. My sole purpose in life — especially since you’re the breadwinner.”

Ellie laughed, leaning back into him. He wasn’t wrong. LifeWrite had exploded. Within weeks of launch, it had ten million users. Now? That number was staggering. The last time she’d checked her bank balance, she’d nearly fainted.

Her success was hers alone. And that meant everything to both of them.

After the infamous takedown of David, Michelle and Josh, everything had changed overnight.

Fired without golden parachutes, forced into 300 hours of community service, and slapped with seven-figure fines.

And, in a way, that had been a better punishment than jail as Michelle had to get her hands dirty.

Social media, the means of their scheme to destroy Blake, had become their ultimate downfall as the ceaseless posts ensured their crimes could not be forgotten.

Heartbook had recovered, but Blake had refused to return.

He remained the founder and major shareholder but was no longer the CEO, letting the new board deal with the day-to-day stress.

A loud crash echoed from outside, followed by yelling.

“Oh, crap,” Ellie muttered, looking out the window.

Devlin Storm stood laughing while Lissa and Blake’s parents sprinted across the yard, trying to wrangle a goat that was currently devouring a wedding bouquet.

“Is it Bob?” Blake laughed. “It’s always Bob.”

The back door slammed open and Christian strolled in. His black Henley was unbuttoned, showing off abs that had half their wedding guests swooning.

Behind him, Darcy appeared, barefoot and grinning, her dark hair a mess from unscheduled goat herding.

Christian leaned against the doorframe, effortlessly cool as always, arms folded across his chest. “You two done sneaking off?”

“Hardly,” Blake said, voice low.

Christian raised a brow. “Not my business, Blake, but your honeymoon is going to be short-lived if your parents get eaten by your goats.”

“Oi, newlyweds!” Devlin grinned, appearing behind Christian and Darcy, throwing an arm around Christian’s shoulder. “We have a situation.”

Ellie sighed. “Definitely Bob.”

“I swear to God, Ellie,” Blake groaned, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “You promised me no more goats and we adopted your mum’s whole herd. How did that happen?”

She smiled up at him. “Because you love me. And Mum values her veggies enough to get sheep instead. She saw us coming.”

Devlin burst out laughing. “See, this is why I love you guys. Your naivety is so cute.”

Blake shot him a glare. “You know, Storm, there’s a spare stall in the barn. I can absolutely put you in it.”

Devlin clapped a hand over his heart. “Kinky, Fielding. But I’m taken.” He winked at Darcy.

Darcy rolled her eyes, but her cheeks pinked.

“All right, farmhands,” Christian said, pushing off the doorframe. “Let’s go wrangle this menace before Bob eats the cake.”

Blake groaned. “If that goat gets the cake, I swear—”

Ellie laughed. “Come on, Mr Fielding.”

“Mr Fielding-Woodward,” Blake corrected, grinning like a man who had everything he ever wanted.

Ellie’s heart expanded to bursting.

This was it. Their life. Messy. Perfect. Full of chaos and love and goats.

And she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

She glanced towards the kitchen table, where her trusty old laptop sat, still open.

“You coming?” Blake called.

“Yeah,” she said, grinning. “Just a second.”

She tapped open her profile page on LifeWrite.

A single line stared back at her:

Ellie Mae is now married!

She clicked ‘update’ and snapped the laptop shut, turning to run after the man who had changed her life for ever.

For the first time in her life, Ellie knew without a doubt that she was exactly where she was meant to be.

She’d spent years believing she was cursed, that happiness would always be just out of reach. But she’d been wrong.

She hadn’t been cursed. She’d just been waiting for the right person to share it all with.

And now she had him.

THE END