Page 81 of To Hold and Protect

He was going to have to mingle, but not yet. He led her down a hallway to Lawrence’s office. As soon as he shut the door behind them, he took the champagne from her hand, set their flutes on Lawrence’s desk, then backed her up to the wall. “Please tell me I can kiss you.”

Without answering, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to hers. He’d given up on finding love, and then she had walked into his life. He’d finally found her, his soul mate, and it was real this time. He kissed her senseless, or maybe it was her kissing him senseless. He didn’t know, didn’t care. All that mattered was that she’d come back to him.

He pulled away and braced his hands on the wall next to her head. “Why did you come?” He needed to know.

“The painting you sent me.” She dropped her arms from his neck, then placed her palm on his cheek. “When I saw it, I knew. You couldn’t have painted me like that if you didn’t love me. That was all I needed to know. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you when you said it in the hospital, but you—”

“Shhh.” He put his finger over her lips. “I understand, and you were right to have doubts, considering my history. I think the time apart was good for both of us, but I missed you, Willow. After you left it felt like someone took a rusty knife and cut my heart out.”

“Same, but enough talking. Kiss me again.”

He grinned. “I can do that.” And he did. As much as he didn’t want to stop kissing her, he had to. He had an art show happening, and if he didn’t make an appearance soon, Lawrence was going to come looking for him.

“I guess you need to get out there,” she said when he pulled away.

“Yeah, although I’d rather spirit you off to your hotel room.”

“About that. Are you at the Four Seasons, too?”

“No, the family rented an entire brownstone across from Central Park for everyone to stay in together. You can check out of the hotel and stay with us, but I’d rather you keep your room if I’m invited to stay with you. Then we’d have some privacy without them all in our faces. They’re leaving tomorrow afternoon and taking Everly with them. We could have a few days here, just the two of us.”

“I’d like that, but I do want to see everyone.”

“And they’re waiting to see you. We’ll all go out to dinner after the show, and after that, it will be our time, okay?”

“Very okay.”

He didn’t want to leave her side, but she’d be too much of a curiosity since her paintings were on view. He should have thought of that before including them. “The family’s upstairs, and you can stay with them until the show’s over. Everly won’t let you out of her sight once she knows you’re here.”

“I can’t wait to see her.”

“Well, prepare to be tackled.” Everly had told him that she’d talked to Willow on the phone, something his future sisters-in-law had arranged, and he appreciated they’d done that for his little girl.

She chuckled. “If I don’t tackle her first.”

The upstairs was open, and he glanced up as he led Willow to the stairs. Both his brothers were standing at the railing, and both broke out in grins. He’d worried since sending Willow the invitation that she wouldn’t come, and they’d both been positive that she would. Thank God that they’d been right.

“Parker, where’ve you been?” Lawrence said, stopping them at the foot of the stairs. “You need to be on the floor. People are wanting to talk to the artist.”

He wanted to sigh. Yes, he knew he needed to be available to the people who’d come to his show. “Lawrence, I’d like to introduce you to Willow Landry. Willow, this is Lawrence Dubois.”

“Dubois Gallery, so your gallery,” Willow said. She held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet Mr. Dubois.”

“And you’re the woman in the paintings. Entirely my pleasure, Miss Landry. Please, call me Lawrence.”

Parker wanted to knock that male appreciation right off Lawrence’s face as the man’s gaze skimmed over Willow. Parker glared at his friend. He was a territorial dog, because he wrapped his arm around Willow’s back and pulled her next to him. She softly chuckled, letting him know she was onto him.

“I’m taking Willow upstairs to my family, then I’ll come down and mingle.” He led her away.

“He seems like a nice man.” She laughed when he growled. “I think you’re jealous, Parker Church.”

He didn’t know that it was jealousy, but he sure as hell didn’t like the way Lawrence looked at her. At the top of the stairs, he pulled Willow to a stop. Everly was sitting at a table drawing in a sketch pad. He kissed Willow’s cheek, then said, “Why don’t you sneak up behind her?”

“Okay.”

He stayed to watch his daughter’s reaction when she realized Willow was here.

Willow eased up behind Everly, then put her hands over Ev’s eyes. “Guess who?”

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