Page 114 of More than Paper

“No! I grew up my entire life dealing with the ramifications of my mother’s choices. I won’t do that to an innocent child.”

His eyes go to slits. “When are you going to realize I’m not anything like your father? You are not your mother. We are not them.”

I avoid replying. “What are you saying, Jamison? That you want to bring kids into this?” I wave my hand between us.

He tilts his head. “I told you I want everything with you. Yes, that includes kids if we decide to have them or if something happens by accident.”

Is he living on a different planet?

“How exactly does that work?”

“What do you mean?”

“Should I give you a scenario?” I say sarcastically.

“Yeah, give me a scenario, Quinn,” he angrily replies.

“Mistress gets knocked up—”

“Stop calling yourself my mistress.”

“Stop denying I am.”

He scrubs his face.

“So, mistress gets knocked up. Whose last name do the kids have?”

“If we have kids, they would have my name. I’m their father.”

“So, my kids don’t have my last name.”

“You want them to have your last name?”

“No. I want my kids to have the same name we both have. But that is never going to happen, is it?”

His eyes close, and pain floods his face. When he opens his eyes, he reaches for my hand and drops something smooth but sharp in it, then shuts my hand into a fist and pulls it to his heart. “This is my surprise.”

“What is it?”

“It’s my promise to you to give you everything. It’s a symbol of my love for you. It’s to tell the world that you’re mine and I’m yours. It’s me telling you I want you forever, and whatever I have is yours.” His heart is racing fast, beating against his chest cavity.

“What is it?” I whisper.

He releases my fist. “Look.”

Time seems to stop. My pulse is beating against my neck. I slowly open my hand to discover a perfect square-cut pink diamond ring. I don’t even know how many carats it is. Even in the dark of the night, I see it’s magnificence. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I imagine it’s rare.

My mouth goes dry. I look up into Jamison’s eyes, not sure what to say.

His voice is quiet, tender, but stern. “You’re hung up on the wrong details, doll.”

I remain quiet.

“The piece of paper means nothing. We are more than paper. Most people who have it don’t have a fraction of what we have. Tell me what you want. You want a wedding? I’ll give you one. No one has to know it isn’t legal. I’ll make a vow to you that actually means something to me. You want kids? We’ll be parents and raise them together. You want to be together, just you and me, no one else, forever? That’s what it will be. Want something else? Tell me.”

I swallow hard, with tears running down my cheeks, my insides quivering.

“Move to New York. I’ll put you on everything I own. All my bank accounts. All my real estate and businesses. Anything I have will be ours. Tell me what it’s going to take to show you how much I love you and that I’m fully committed to you and only you.”

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