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She blinked.
“Christ, I know this is bad timing. I have tried to wait and give you space. I needed to get things in order and—”
“Bad timing for what?” she asked, sniffing.
“To tell you I love you.” Jacob’s heart pounded in his chest. He’d never said those words to a woman before and God it was scary.
His eyes roamed Leilani’s face.
“I’ve loved you the entire time, I’m sure of it, but I was terrified.”
“You love me?”
Jacob nodded. “So fucking much.”
“If you loved me, why weren’t you here? Why didn’t you call or...anything. Where were you?” she cried, shaking her head.
“Becoming the man you deserve,” Jacob said, cupping her face. “I know you wouldn’t want who I was before. You told me.”
Her mouth parted. “Is that what you thought?”
He nodded. “Yes, and you know it's true, Lani. I need to tell you things.”
Jacob led her to the sofa and sat on the coffee table, taking her hands and announcing, “I’ve sold my shares in Sailors Club.”
“You did what? Because I said I didn’t want to go back?” Her face was full of disbelief.
“Yes.” He nodded. “But not entirely. You made me realize what I wanted in my life. Sailors and that lifestyle was a way to avoid my fears. Things I wasn’t dealing with.”
“Jacob. Don’t change for me.” Leilani shook her head.
Yet again, his fear of her turning him away flared to life, but he refused to let it beat him.
“I’m changing for me. So I’m worthy of loving a woman like you. Of being loved by a woman like you, princess. And don’t tell me to not call you that, because goddamn it, Lani, you are mine and I am not walking out this door until you tell me you are.”
Okay, so he’d planned to be a little more articulate than that, but he’d got her attention. Her cheeks were pink, and her mouth parted. And fucking hell, he needed to kiss her.
“I’m leaving. I’ve sold Mom’s house,” she whispered.
“Good. Because I bought you a new house.”
“What?” she cried.
“Our house. In the Hamptons.” Jacob stated as if it was a done thing, because in his mind it was.
“You bought the mansion?” Leilani gasped. “Are you insane?”
He grinned.
“Oh my God, Jacob.” She just stared at him.
Damn.
This wasn’t the reaction he was hoping for.
Not at all.
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