Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
“It won’t feel that way with you,” he says, both of us smiling, his eyes glistening like he might cry, but he’s withholding them…way better than me since my cheeks are wet with tears.
“I’m glad I never found anybody before you. But I know I couldn’t have, ever. It had to be you. When you walked into my office…that was it. You were mine. I know you wanted me sooner, and that’s fine as long as you’re sure. As long as this isn’t just some crush.”
“It’s not just anything,” I say passionately. “It started with a crush, but I’ve thought about it…a lot, in detail, realistically. I want a family with you. I want a life. I want it on a level….”
“Which doesn’t make sense,” he goes on, holding me tenderly, with somehow more affection in the softness of his embrace. “It’s deep for me too. The second I saw you before I realized you were Julian’s daughter.”
We both cringe at Dad’s name, knowing we’re crossing countless lines by not ending this or stopping when we have the chance.
But is there a chance, really?
Could we ever stop now?
“I knew I’d done the right thing by waiting. All my life, wondering if I’d find my woman and you just walk in, artistic, beautiful, more than I ever could’ve dreamed.”
“But you never dreamed the awkward part.”
He sighs, kissing my cheek with surprising kindness as though he’s able to hold back the hunger.
“No, now I’ve got no clue what to do.”
We sit up together as we speak, extricating ourselves from the parachute.
“Before,” he goes on. “My plan was to try and fight this. I realize how impossible that would’ve been. But we’ve got no choice now. We have to tell him. If we both want what we want….”
“We do,” I whisper, as his hand slides up my thigh, taunting toward my sex, but then he stills it.
“We’ve got no other choice. We have to explain. The impossible has happened. We didn’t ask for it. But we can’t deny it. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life without you, not now that I know you want it too.”
“More than anything,” I say fiercely.
“I’ll always support you.” He moves closer, wrapping his arms around me. “Whatever direction you want to take your career, I’ll be there. And I know you’re going to be the best mother.”
“And you’ll be the best dad,” I say passionately.
The word dad stabs into me.
“I know you’re right,” I go on. “But it’s all happening so fast. We can’t just spring it on him.”
“I need you. But we can’t start our journey before he knows.”
I understand what my man is saying. He wants to join our bodies, to slip inside of me as he tried to the first time we became intimate…but he doesn’t want to betray Dad more than we already have.
It’s not like he’s going to wear a condom. I don’t want him to.
“But we can eat our meal like planned,” I say, aware I’m stalling. “We can enjoy this…knowing we want it all. Silas, our future. We don’t have to blow it up right away.”
He sighs, nodding. “I’ll have to be strong. Being around you, knowing your virgin body’s waiting for my seed… isn’t easy. But Julian deserves better.”
“We’ve gone too far already, I know,” I murmur.
He helps me stand, and then we start folding the parachute together.
“There’s no such thing,” he says after a pause.
“Huh?”
“As too far.” He meets my eye, smiling warmly. “There’s no such thing, not with us.”
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
Silas
We’re sitting on the rooftop garden of a small restaurant, and the place is unusually quiet this afternoon. A tree shades us from the sun, the air cool despite the ever-present glow, my woman tugging at the sleeves of her hoodie.
“Are you cold?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “I’m okay.”
It’s terrifying, the power of the desire inside of me, trying to send me to my feet and around the table, wrapping my arms around her.
But though the café is quiet, it’s not deserted. Of course, nobody’s recognized me since I’m not that famous, but there’s a chance they might.
It happens fairly regularly.
I hate all this, the paranoia, the wondering when and how it’s all going to go wrong.
“We could go inside,” I tell her, though there’s more I want to say.
I know it won’t help with us being good or pretending until Julian knows.
“When you’re my wife,” I go on, keeping my voice low, “you’ll never have to be cold. I’ll always hold you whenever you need it.”
She smiles in that alluring way. It’s changed since the skydive since the rushing air and exhilaration made not saying the words seem like an impossible thing.
“What if I’m being super annoying?”
“Like when you’re pregnant?” I can’t help but say.
She laughs, the most beautiful sound, even sweeter knowing her laughter’s only ever going to belong to me. No other man will hear that sweet noise and think, That’s my woman, my wife, the mother to my children.