Page 84 of The Secret
Micah laughed. He also picked up the pace, his hips thrusting harder, his hand jerking me faster, until both of us came with an endless, agonized cry, wrapped around each other.
We lay there for a long time afterward, my head on Micah’s chest as he drew shapes on my back. I listened to the thud of his heart with one ear and the sound of the rain with the other.
It should have been soothing.
Itwas,in a way.
But it also sounded a lot like time ticking down on an invisible clock.
All this secrecy was like a landmine we danced around every day. Micah was careful not to push me. I was careful tonever bring it up—because not talking about my problems had always gonesowell for me in the past—and there were times I could almost convince myself it wasn’t a big deal.
But every time I felt myself falling further, every time I lost another piece of myself to him, every time I realized just how fucking much he was coming to mean to me and how important this relationship was, it scared the shit out of me.
I knew Micah cared about me, and God knew, nobody understood sacrificing for business goals like Micah did. But that didn’t mean he wanted to sign up to bemysacrifice. He was a forty-year-old, successful businessman, who deserved so much better than waiting for me, hiding our relationship, just so I could realize my dreams for Ross Landscaping, when I knew he had dreams of his own.
Julianhad come clean about his romance—had stood up for his man in front of my mother and the whole goddamn town—and hereIwas, still pretending.
But what the hell was I supposed to do? Give Micah up? My arms tightened around him involuntarily at the very idea.
I was supposed to be good at this part, you know? The sex. The easy,uncomplicatedsex. I was supposed to be better at not turningfor nowintoforever.But then I went and fell for Micah, the guy I wasn’t supposed to have, and now suddenly I was starting to question things I’d never questioned before, like how much of my future I was willing to give up to pay for my past.
But long before I’d come up with an answer, Micah’s steady heartbeat lulled me to sleep.
Chapter Eleven
Micah
“I still can’t believeyou made me wear this,” I grumbled as we pulled into the long, unpaved driveway outside the house that would forever be my grandmother’s, even though she’d died years ago and I’d technically bought the place from her even before then. My brother’s and sisters’ cars were already parked there, along with a couple of other cars I didn’t recognize. “I look ridiculous.”
“True or false: This is a unicorn party.”
I sighed and looked out at the backyard, which had once been a gigantic organic garden, but was now a patchy green lawn covered with a castle-shaped bounce house, a long pink table, and a battalion of screaming kindergarteners, all wearing headbands with horns.
“True.” I unbuckled my seatbelt. “For a six-year-old.”
“And, true or false: You are Olivia’s favorite uncle.”
I looked across the console at the man who made my whole bodythrumevery time I caught a glimpse of him.
“Really depends on what Mason got her for a present. Six-year-olds are very straightforward like that, and their memories are short.”
Constantine laughed. “Well, I’m telling you, you get bonus Uncle Points for the shirt.”
“Selling my dignity to buy a little girl’s affection might be a new low for me.”
“Nonsense. You’re selling your dignity to beat your brother. Take it from me, that’s always worthwhile.” He grinned and leaned toward me across the console. “Plus, have I mentioned I think you’re hot as hell?”
“In this shirt?” I raised my eyebrows and looked down at the dark blue fabric.
“In any shirt.” Con pressed a quick kiss to the corner of my mouth. “Or no shirt. Especially no shirt.”
I grabbed his chin firmly between my thumb and forefinger. “If you get me hard before we see my sisters…”
Constantine’s eyes flashed. “You’ll what?” He yanked away, still grinning. “Once again, I am not responsible foryourlack of control, Mr. Bloom. Now set a good example and try to have fun. Tiny people are about to overtake us.”
Sure enough, a unicorn horde led by my niece Olivia was swarming the car. I pushed my door open and Constantine did the same.
“Happy birthday,” I said, bending down to give Olivia a hug.
