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“You know I am!”
“This means you can pay off all your debts and do whatever you want. Retire. Sell the flower shop. Travel the world. Do whatever makes your heart content.” As I say the words, she studies me, her brows furrowing.
I lift my shoulders.
I may not be my father's son, but I am Lila's husband. And that's all I need.
“Did he know about our arrangement?” she asks. “I mean, did he have any idea you’d do this before he passed away?”
I shake my head. “I doubt it. Or maybe he thought I would out of spite and had this planned to test my love or loyalty, or to put me on a leash like he felt he was on.”
“Or maybe he wanted to make sure your marriage was ruined like his was. What a miserable old man.
“I have a proposal for you,” she says, and my heart sinks as she presses her palms together and brings them from her face to her thighs. “How about we put all of this out of our heads for the night? Don’t think about it at all and just enjoy our time together.”
I worry the weight might kill me, but I also want to respect her wishes.
It’s a big decision, and I don’t want her to rush her decision. She’d be totally within her rights to divorce me and take everything after everything I’ve put her through. Walking away without a word, strong-arming her into marriage, leveraging the success of her business, getting the certificate without her there... if she was smart, she’d take everything and leave my dumb ass behind.
“I’m willing to try,” I say with a slight smile.
“I was hoping you’d say that,” she says. “This is a lot of pressure.”
But it’s not for me.
I know that no matter what the future holds, I want her by my side.
We may not have all the answers right now, but she’s a better woman than I deserve, and I can only hope that whatever decision she makes, we can both find happiness and peace.
I exhale, trying to let the tension flow out of my shoulders and neck when a thought occurs to me.
“By the way, how did you get here?” I ask, glancing at her.
“Vivian dropped me off,” she says, her gaze questioning. “Is everything okay?”
I shake my head, not wanting to get into that after everything else we’re dealing with today.
Lila settles in, cuddling up with me, but I can tell she's still worried about my question. I reach out to stroke her hair, feeling the soft smoothness of the dark strands under my fingertips.
“I want you again,” I say, pulling her into my lap. She straddles me, a smile on her face. Our lips meet, and I can feel the urgency building between us.
If she leaves me - which I know I wholly deserve - I don’t know what I’ll do without her.
Coming back home to her reminded me how much better she’s always made my life. She just has this way of bringing out the joy in every moment, even the bad ones.
“You’re amazing,” I whisper against her lips.
“Not bad yourself,” she says, kissing me again as I wind my arms around her, loving the feeling of her body on mine. Heart to heart, just like this... that’s how we belong.
She’s even made me go all sappy. What’s even more strange, I don’t mind one bit.
I feel safe being gentler around her. I trust her not to hurt me. I know she’s a good person deep down inside and on the surface, too.
She deserves the world, and I’m going to do my best to give it to her.
If she wants me.
Chapter Twenty-Four
