Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 18256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 91(@200wpm)___ 73(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 91(@200wpm)___ 73(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
The evening goes a thousand times better than I could have hoped, including a long sensual night of collecting on her debt.
Chapter Ten
Graham
We arrive in Chicago after a stop in Miami to gather her things. She’s only packed what she needed, and we took a private flight with everything. I’m impatient to have her home in our bed. The second she steps in the condo, I get a feeling she doesn’t like it. “What’s wrong?” I ask, taking her hand and leading her away from the door so the movers can bring in her things. They met us at the airport and unloaded the boxes, following us back to the condo in downtown.
“Nothing,” she mutters, her face straightens and turns into a smile.
“Don’t lie to me.” I can handle a lot of shit, but I’m not good with her keeping things from me.
“It’s just…empty.”
“Well, I don’t need a lot of stuff. I have my gym room, my office, and a giant tv for watching my favorite Chicago teams. You know you can change it. I’m not going to be upset about it. Well, my office needs to stay the way it is since it’s where I do a lot of my work.”
“No, this is your place.”
“No. You need to get that out of your head right away. You’re going to be my wife. This home is yours as well. IF you want to change it, please feel free. Remember you’re forced to spend most of your time here with me since I don’t want to be away from you and it’s where I spend most days.”
“Okay.”
“Good. Now, I’m going to order some food and call my mother. She’s been worried about me for days, and I’ve been doing my best to keep you to myself, but we’re getting married as soon as possible, and she’s going to kill me if I don’t include her.”
“We’re getting married? I don’t recall you asking me a specific question.”
I step up to her, grabbing her hand and sliding the ring I got in Isla Nubia onto her finger. “I’m not going to ask. You’re mine. I’m sure I’ve made it clear and you agreed.”
“Yes, but…where did you get this?”
“Julian lent me a hand when we went shopping. He pointed me in the right direction. I picked it up before we left the island.”
“You sneaky man.” She looks down at the four-carat solitaire set in a platinum band.
“Hey, I can’t risk you going on another cruise, finding anyone else and letting them fall madly in love with you.”
“Ridiculous. I’m going to marry you, so there’s no reason for me to do one of those cruises unless you leave me.”
“Never happening. You’re stuck with me for the rest of our lives.” I tip her chin, kissing her lips. “Marry me?”
“Yes.” Kiss.
“By next week?” Kiss.
“Yes.” Kiss.
“I love you.” Kiss.
“Forever.” I kiss her until a cough comes from behind us.
“We’re done, sir. Please sign.” I sign and tip them, sending them away with a wave of my hand. I have more pressing matters to attend to. The second the movers are gone, I carry Gia into our bedroom and make love to her, forgetting all about dinner and calling my mother. It can wait.
Chapter Eleven
Gia
“Hello, you must be the lovely woman I’m just learning about.” Graham’s mother throws her arms around me, hugging me tight and taking me by complete surprise. She pulls back to get a better look at me. “And so beautiful too.”
“Mom, what brings you here?” Graham grumbles out, dragging me to his side and slipping his arm around my waist.
“I figured that you were ignoring me, and I was right, but for all the wrong reasons. Do I get an introduction?”
“Mom, this is Gia Tyler. Gia, my mother, Ellen.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, feeling completely out of place. His mother’s gaze tells me that she doesn’t trust me. I don’t blame her because she knows nothing about me and truthfully he’s way above me.
“Mom, I was about to call you last night, but we were tired after we landed and unpacked.”
“I understand. I just worry about you. You work too hard and forget to look after yourself. I don’t want you to die young like your father.”
“I’m nothing like him.” Every mention of his father drives Graham insane with disgust. I can’t fault him for wanting nothing to do with him.
“I know. I know. Speaking of which, I have some dreadful news to bring to you.”
“What?”
“The girls’ mother died in a drug overdose.”
“What?”
“Yes. Now they’re in foster care.” I flinch at those words. I ended up in social services for two weeks until my aunt got custody of me after my parents’ death.
“How do you know that?”
“I might hate your father for what he’s done, but they’re your sisters, and I thought you would like to one day get to know them.”