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‘Not a debauched party at your place?’
‘No.’ I’m not ready to have anyone else at home yet. ‘Time limited, guest-list limited. Risk limited.’
‘Top-tier control freak right there,’ she mutters.
‘There’ll be plenty of people watching. And there might be cameras.’
‘You hate those.’ She wrinkles her nose. ‘Are you sure I need to be there?’
Yeah, I think it’s important that we get on with her introduction to life here. To my life. ‘You have to meet everyone some time. You have something to wear?’
Her gaze narrows. ‘I’ll figure something out.’
She doesn’t want to ask me for help—that damn pride of hers again. I know she has a thing about things and about not holding onto stuff. She doesn’t want to need anything from anyone. I fight to suppress the urge to challenge her on it now.
‘Party.’ She huffs a breath. ‘Theatre. You take me out sailing, make me all warm and relaxed and now you’re trying to kill my calm?’ She pouts at me.
Yeah, an experience is different. An experience is something she can take from me.
‘Oh, I apologise.’ I lean close. ‘But as it happens I know another way to make you all warm and relaxed again.’
I know our physical intimacy is only going to be temporary, but I don’t yet have the strength to resist the power of it.
To resist her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Talia
BACK AT THE house I feed and play with Lukas. From upstairs I hear a car arrive and it’s so unusual I peek out of the window to see who it is. I see Simone step out of the sleek car and I’m instantly nervous. What’s she going to think of Dain having a baby with a random barista?
‘I’ve a good mind not to speak to you at all.’ Simone’s reproachful voice carries up the stairwell as I slowly descend. ‘I only learned about Lukas and Talia when I came to Brisbane, Dain.’
She sounds hurt.
Dain’s chuckle is that charming kind. ‘You know I prefer to keep a low profile.’
‘But not from me—’
‘I know,’ he placates her calmly. ‘But I needed some time. It’s important Talia feels comfortable—I want her to be happy here.’
What I’ve heard should make me feel good, right? But there’s something off in that statement. He’s mentioned it before—that I’m to be happy. He says it to Simone so emotionlessly that I start to worry that what he’s doing for me is simply duty. It’s like he’s ticking off a checklist of things to keep me happy—putting me in a house to die for, giving me support in caring for Lukas, enabling me to regain full physical strength and energy, providing a workspace with every appliance imaginable to continue my career, taking me on trips on the sea. And, of course, sex. Fantastic, unbeatable sex to keep me satisfied.
Is it a formula he’s following? Like the amenities he ensures are present in his luxury apartment buildings. Everything is perfect down to the smallest, finest detail. And good for him, right? How can I possibly judge him for trying so hard to please me? But I’m not judging him. I’m despairing. Because I’m worried it’s not actually what he really wants or desires. I don’t want him jumping through hoops trying to make me happy. That’s too much of a burden for anyone.
And the problem with that fantastic, unbeatable sex? It doesn’t keep me satisfied. It only makes me want more.
I brace and take the last few steps down.
‘Hi, Simone.’ I make myself smile, determined to show I don’t need either of them to ‘make me happy’. But at the same time I can’t help wanting her to like me. ‘Do you want to meet Lukas?’
Surely she can’t resist our sweet son.
‘Oh!’ She holds out her arms and I place Lukas in them.
Simone beams. I glance to see Dain’s reaction but he’s looking at me. A small smile plays at the corners of his mouth, grateful pride warms his eyes and I know I’ve done the right thing in showing her Lukas. My heart swells and I flash a conspiratorial smile back at him. His widens in response and that deeply personal fire that burns between us flares inside me.
‘How gorgeous...’
