Page 50 of The Marriage Deal
“Is that so?”
She gives me a firm dip of her chin. “It is.”
“In that case.” I let my hand slide to hook her around the side again, tugging her closer into me. She gasps. I love the sound. Endeavour to pull that very sound from the deep of her through the sham of our marriage. “Better?”
Her eyes flick around the park. She breathes, “People are watching.”
I can’t be bothered to take my eyes off her to look. Still, I cock a grin as I drawl, “Is that so?”
She nods again. “Yes.”
“Then I better give them something to watch.” Before she can speak, I’m dipping my head. I cover her lips with mine, sliding inside when she parts them on a gasp. The taste of her is fire in my veins. It spreads to an inferno that threatens to swallow me whole.
I want more. Need more.
Her hand falls to my thigh and that inferno roars. My fingers curl into her side, aching to draw her closer.
A cough sounds close. Lilah tears away from the kiss, dropping me back into reality as she dips her chininto her chest to hide the blush that now stains her cheeks.
My gaze shifts slowly from her to land on the two shocked faces across the table. Nash’s shock slowly morphs into something else. Something dangerous. A slow smile curls his lips. I shoot him a silent warning to save it for later.
Madelyn just looks dumbstruck.
My gaze shifts to the people in the park, and something else fills me. A desire to show them all again that this woman they all love is mine.
I drop my hand to hers that still rests on my thigh, lifting it to my lips to kiss the diamond I placed there for everyone to see. It’s a wordless declaration of possession no one can miss. Definitely not the little woman with the buttery brown eyes and parted lips who watches me now, finally, for the first time in her life, speechless.
20
THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF MY LIFE
LILAH
“That’s the last of it.” Dad wipes his hands of imaginary dust as he strolls up the walk of my childhood home. I have all of six boxes tucked into my small nineties car. It still smells like the old lady I bought it from a few years back, despite the myriad of air fresheners I’d hung from the mirror.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“I do find it weird the man isn’t here to help.” Dad frowns.
“I asked him not to come.” I give Dad a smile that wobbles. Mom catches it and doesn’t attempt to hide the mirroring frown that puckers her brow.
Dad’s head tips to the side. “Why would you do that, kiddo?”
I shrug, but I suddenly feel so very vulnerable. “It’s my last morning with you guys.”
“Oh.” Mom tucks me close. “Baby, it’s not our last morning.”
“Best believe we’ll have ourselves out at that big house for breakfast, kiddo.” Dad joins in the hug. He drops a kiss to my hair like only Dad can. “You might be moving forward with your life, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be there with you every step of the way you let us.”
“You don’t think it’s too soon?”
Mom barks a laugh. “We’re not the ones to ask on that. I moved in with your father after only a couple months.”
Dad gives Mom a grin paired with brows that jump suggestively. He looks like a clown. But one that’s in love. “Too soon worked just fine for us.”
Mom peers into my eyes, mostly ignoring Dad. “Do you love him, honey?”
My heart tightens. I hate that I have to lie to her about something so serious. I hate that I have to lie at all. Instead, I force myself to think of the way I feel when he kisses me.
