Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
“I don’t care about the heat, Little girl. What I care about is being with you. We’ve let our careers keep us apart for too long. I won’t wait anymore.”
“What does that mean, Beau? You want to date openly when you’re in town?”
“I want us to be together. Either I move into your immense apartment, Maisie, or we find a place together. I’m not wasting another day.”
“Move in? Like openly?” She stared at him, dumbfounded.
“Yes.”
“But what will everyone say? My family won’t respond well to reporters coming to meet them,” she warned.
“Then the reporters will learn to stay away.”
“That’s not an answer, Beau.”
“Daddy. I need you to call me Daddy now, Maisie bug.”
“Daddy?”
“Thank you, Little girl. We’re home. Let’s go in and talk. Dragon Tacos is three minutes out.”
As if perfectly timed, Albert pulled up at the large, covered entrance. He circled the car to open Maisie’s door and helped her out. Beau joined her and placed a reassuring hand on her lower back. Watching her expression, Beau knew she was struggling to make the leap in their relationship to be openly a couple. He guided her into the mansion.
The moment they entered his study, Maisie blurted, “I don’t think you realize what’s going to happen if we move in together. Your parents will freak out. My father will be happy for me but won’t react well to anyone prying into his life.”
“I will handle my parents,” he assured her as he shrugged out of his coat. Throwing it over the back of the sofa, he added, “Your dad will teach any nosy reporters a lesson in manners. There will be an explosion of interest and coverage before the next big new scoop. Then everything will disappear.”
“You’ll handle your parents? Did you know your father sent a lawyer to see me my first year in college?”
Beau felt his blood chill inside his veins. “I did not. What did he want?”
“He wanted me to sign a paper swearing I would not have any further contact with you. I choose not to complete the contract and tore it up in front of him.”
“Good for you. What kind of contract?” Beau probed, wishing to know all the details.
“A lot of legal talk that boiled down to me promising not to communicate with you again in exchange for a million dollars,” Maisie said bluntly.
“And you never told me about this?” Beau asked. It didn’t surprise him that his father would try to manipulate her. A million dollars was huge for anyone. For a young woman who relied only on her scholarships, it was an enormous temptation.
“Why would I? It would just make you angry at your father.”
Beau walked over to pour himself a generous portion of scotch. Giving himself time to get in control of his emotions, he took a healthy drink from the cut-crystal glass before lifting the decanter to offer Maisie one as well.
“None for me, please. I just get silly and babble all my inner secrets,” she admitted.
“Really?” Beau’s pissed-off emotions dissipated as he considered the possibilities of that admission.
“Your father, Beau,” Maisie reminded him.
“My father has his own life to lead. That’s the only one that Senator William Granville controls. He does not govern mine. I am sorry, Maisie, that he put you in such an unpleasant situation.”
He set down the glass with a click and walked forward to wrap his arms around her. Meeting her gaze directly, Beau requested, “Tell me now, Maisie, if your feelings about me or this thing that’s between us has changed. I know you are my Little and I’m not waiting any longer.”
“Beau…” She paused and swallowed hard before admitting in a whisper, “Nothing’s changed.”
“Call me Daddy.”
She tightened her grip on the fine wool of his suit. “Daddy.”
CHAPTER 6
Beau lowered his mouth to hers in triumph. His lips wooed hers softly until she lifted her hand from his shoulder to slide through his hair. The slight tug on his scalp signaled her willingness and Beau deepened the kiss. Her sweet taste tantalized him as it always had as their tongues tangled together—his always the instigator but hers responding eagerly.
Ripping his mouth from hers, he demanded, “No more hiding our relationship.”
She froze for a brief moment and then nodded. “No more, Daddy.”
“Thank you, Little girl.” He swept her up in his arms and carried her to the stairway leading to the upper floor and his bedroom.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted his housekeeper quickly backing out of view with their delivery. He’d carefully selected his staff to be efficient and discreet and paid them well to maintain their loyalty. Beau took care not to react to Marianne’s appearance.
“Daddy, put me down. You’re not twenty anymore,” Maisie warned, drawing his attention completely back to his precious armful as she wiggled.
“Not happening, Little girl. I don’t want you to run away.”