Page 43 of The Heiress

His gaze dropped to my lips then back up to my eyes, taking my breath away with the love I saw there. “Yeah…” Then he whispered almost to himself, “All the way, baby.”

15

We watched the sunset over the most delicious salad I’d eaten in my life, all while our bodies were pressed together from shoulder to ankle. Jace had his arm around me and occasionally rested his head against mine before dropping a kiss on my cheek and going back to eating.

It was surreal. Like a dream but without the wacky stuff happening. At least that’s what I told myself until Aiden popped back out of the doorway with a chocolate dessert set on fire. Then I remembered my real life was currently incredibly strange.

But at least there weren’t blue giraffes tap dancing on a ball like in my dream the other night.

This, while strange, was very, very real. As real as the man beside me. I wanted to ask how this would work with his life on Calusa Key and mine in Gainesville, or here. What would happen if I became Victoria and tried to use my position to influence the company? Would Todd want a piece of the action and use Jace to get it? Would it come down to Jace or Georgia?

“Hey.” He gave my shoulder a shake. “Where’d you go?”

Neither of us had answers. Maybe we wouldn’t for a long time. I could worry or I could enjoy this night with Jace. Pretend we had it all even if I knew we didn’t. I plastered on a smile. “I think all the food is making me sleepy.”

“Makes sense. Take a nap on me if you need.” He offered more of the shoulder I already inhabited. I snuggled in, feeling safe and happy and a little shocked that I was in Jace’s arms and wanted to stay there forever.

I dozed off for a while. Not a deep sleep, but a blissfully relaxed state of contentment. I felt when Jace shifted and pulled me closer. I vaguely noticed when Aiden cleared the table. It wasn’t until the engines resumed their deep rumble that I swam back up to consciousness.

“Sorry about that.” For some reason I blushed. I wasn’t embarrassed. At least I didn’t think I was.

“I liked it.” His hand found my hair. “Been dreaming about this for a while now.”

My blush deepened. This time I was embarrassed because I had zero clue how long Jace had felt this way and held it back. “You’ve been thinking.” He had the remnants of a frown and wrinkled brow still marring his face.

“What makes you say that?”

“I can tell when you’ve been brooding.”

“Brooding?” He brushed my hair over my shoulder. “I don’t brood.”

“You do. But I like it.” His intensity was always something that drew me to him, even when we were very little. “What are you thinking?”

“Mostly that I feel really fucking happy.” It lit up his whole face. Happiness poured out of him unfiltered.

“But there’s more.”

A little of the happiness evaporated and he distracted himself with my hair some more. “Been thinking about which secrets I’ll get to tell you one day. What order they’ll come in. When. What you’ll think of me when you know.”

His gaze drifted to his fingers and I wanted it back so I cocked my head and dipped down trying to catch it. “If you can’t tell me, you can’t tell me. No sense worrying.” Whatever he’d done for the club was stuff he did because he had to. Whatever obligations they held over him couldn’t be changed. I knew that.

I was still curious. But notthatcurious.

“I think all I’ve done since Dombrowski rang your doorbell is worry. Don’t plan on stopping any time soon, either.” He gathered me closer and planted another chaste kiss firmly on my lips, blinking like he was surprised he was allowed to do it. “Been thinking about the new clothes again.”

I glanced down at the sundress. “I apparently have a whole wardrobe on the way.”

“Exactly. You know what I got when I joined Devil’s Wrath?”

“What?”

“A new wardrobe.” His fingers unconsciously strayed to his tattoo. “Different but the same, don’t you think?”

I had a momentary vision of taking all my new clothes and burning them. No...that would be a waste.Donatingthem to the nearest charity. “They want me to be Victoria. If I stay, if I acknowledge I’m her, they want me to be Victoria, not Sam.” I began fidgeting just thinking about it. “Fuck that.”

Jace fought a smile. “I knew there was a little rebel in there somewhere.”

I balked. “I’m not rebelling! I’m standing up for myself.” Georgia could buy me gifts but she couldn’t change me.

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