Promises After Dark (After Dark #3) Read Online Free

he would have told them to go fuck themselves. No longer did he work into the dark hours of the evening without a thought to the time. When work delayed him now, he was itching to leave, glancing at his watch every few minutes and practically barking at anyone who kept him in the office.
    He’d asked her to marry him in a half-assed sort of way, but he wanted, and needed, it to be official. It was iffy because Angel was already balking at moving in together, so he could only assume she’d be even more adamantly opposed to an engagement this soon. The first thing on his agenda would be to meet her father and introduce her to his parents. They’d seen her the night of that charity thing, but didn’t actually get to meet her. For the first time in his life, he was aching to put a woman in front of them and for them to love her as much as he did. Earlier that afternoon, he’d asked Mrs. Dane to find the best jeweler in the city. He’d sent her on jewelry acquisitions before when he’d been trying to calm the ruffled feathers of Whitney or one of her predecessors, but never for something like this.
    “What am I buying?” she’s asked matter-of-factly.
    “Nothing. I’m buying.”
    “Oh. Is it your mother’s birthday?”
    “No. I’m buying an engagement ring.”
    Mrs. Dane’s face showed surprise and she quickly tried to mask it. Certainly, that was the last thing she would have presumed her young boss to purchase. Alex couldn’t help but notice the raised eyebrow as the woman busied herself by picking up the financial documents Alex had approved for her and she began fiddling with the edges. He felt uncomfortable, and the silence compelled him to explain when usually he wouldn’t have given a thought to what his assistant was thinking. “Um, nothing too gaudy. Elegant.”
    Her mouth opened then shut without a word, and she’d stared at Alex as if he were an alien from outer space. One thing was certain; it was out of character for him to spend time researching diamonds and educating himself on why one was better than the other. He’d spent a few hours on it and he’d found gems online, however, he’d want to choose this himself. It had to be perfect.
    When she still didn’t answer, he’d looked up from the contract he’d been going over to find her stunned into silence. “Tell them I want perfect and one-of-a-kind, and I’d like to come in before the end of the week.” She stood there for several seconds before she finally nodded and went to do his bidding, her surprise now mixed with something akin to pride.
    “Forgive me, Alex. This may not be my place, but it’s not for that Whitney woman, is it?”
    He let his breath out with a smile and until that moment, he’d been unaware that he wasn’t breathing. Mrs. Dane was his subordinate, but he valued her opinion on many levels and they had a mutual respect and fondness for each other that went beyond professional. She was more like a favorite aunt or young-ish grandmother, and he wondered if she’d heard Angel’s show and would know who she was.
    “No. We stopped seeing each other months ago.”
    “Thank the lord for that,” Mrs. Dane shot out with a snort and then paused. “And so soon, you are ready to propose to someone else? I know it’s not my place, but—”
    Alex held up his hand. “No, it’s fine, Mrs. Dane. I realize that in the past my romantic choices have left something to be desired, but it’s different this time. You’ll just have to trust me.” He winked at her slyly.
    “She’s in it for the right reasons?”
    Alex’s heart warmed at the older woman’s concern. “She is. I sound like an idiot, but you’ll approve.”
    “See that I do,” she said in mock sternness and got back down to business. “Now, a diamond or other precious gemstone? More traditional? Vintage or contemporary in style? A solitaire?”
    Alex considered his options carefully, knowing a big flashy engagement ring would mean nothing to Angel, but