Page 45 of Starting Our Chance

Although he chuckled and said something, my eyes were suddenly glued on the third woman. Felicity, with barely enough room, was poking Lore in the shoulder. But it wasn’t so that the others would scooch over.

“Are you done yet?” Felicity asked. When Lore nodded, probably not trusting her voice, Felicity continued, “I had a phone call from my brothers after breakfast. I was waiting for the right time to tell you, but you two seemed ready to explode.” She gestured between the now hugging friends and said, “Your con-artist ex has been found. He’ll be in the States in less than a week. My family’s contacts are just wrapping up a few loose ends with the legal system and fetching his stolen money from the banks.”

~*~

AFTER FELICITY HADdropped that bomb shell, we returned to the beach house. Everyone was talking a mile a minute, but all I could see was the jittery energy rolling off Lore. It was a tremendous development. I needed to get her alone, to really see how she felt about all this, and my opportunity came sooner than I could have hoped for. As the adrenaline of the morning waned, the pregnant women excused themselves for naps before lunch while their husbands went into town to purchase fresh fish for the meal.

That left Lore and I on the back patio, basking in the brilliant sunlight. Or, at least, I was. I drew a leg under me, shifting my stance, yet never taking my eyes off my woman. As Lore paced on the back patio, her face remained carefully blank. As much as I was wrapped up in the fairy tale of our new relationship, what Sammy had said on the boat was all too true. Lore had always been a woman capable of putting her wants before all else. And I was the poor sap who had fallen hard for her. If she really wanted to return to the city, would I go north for her? Hell yes, in a heartbeat, but I hoped it never came to that. Lore had told me that she was staying, so I was even more determined to help her carve out a place here. It would be a difficult dance to give her that space she so desperately needed to grow, because I wanted to be the one to lay the world at her feet.

Stopping before me, Lore dropped to her knees, crouching so as to look me in the eye. “I could be free of this mess, Duke.” Her smile was infectious, and I felt my own frown twitching upward. “In just a few days, I could be free of this whole mess.”

“I know, Gorgeous.” I pushed the ache in my chest away and kept my voice even.

My finger trailed over her cheek. I could make it so you never had to work another day in your life. But because she was my Loretta Jane, she’d never do that. So, whatever she decided—whether she wanted to stay here or return to New York City, I would live with it. I would move for her.

Lore slid her hands along my jean clad thighs. “Want to go upstairs?”

I quirked a brow at her. “And just what are we doing up there?”

“I’m not sleepy, but if you’re in the mood to celebrate with me . . . ?” Her voice trailed off as she leaned down to place a kiss on my knee, never taking those fierce gray eyes off me. “It’s a win for both of us, you know.”

“How so?” I froze, daring to hope but preparing myself for disappointment.

“This means there is no sword hanging over my head. I can make the life I always dreamed about here, never looking over my shoulder and expecting to see the other shoe drop.”

I nodded, careful to keep my turmoil to myself.

“No matter what happens, what I said last night is true. I want to be with you, Duke. I love you,” Lore said, rising up to brush her lips against mine. And then she confided, “I thought of you, while I was up north. I caught glimpses of you while I was visiting. It feels like this thing between us has been a long time in the making.”

Those eyes were searing hot and fixated on my every move. Whatever she needed—I would give it to her.

“Well then, I’m blessed.” I swooped down and captured her mouth with mine. Then in one swift movement, I threw her lithe body over my shoulder, gave her tight ass a little slap, and proceeded to march upstairs despite all her squeals of delight and protest.

While I feasted on the juncture between her thighs, I prayed that my actions would show her just how much I was blessed to be hers, and I would make a point every day for the rest of my life to give her whatever it was she needed.

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