Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
“Celine, I’m in love with her. It is not what you think. This isn’t midlife crisis bullshit. It’s not a creep thing. Her age and mine isn’t even a factor in this. I love her because of who she is inside. Her mind, the way she looks at the world. Fuck, the way she makes me look at the world.”
I shake my head, holding Celine’s eyes.
“I love her for who she is, and the incredible person I know she’s going to become. And I won’t apologize for that. Not even to you.”
Behind me, Tony snorts from the couch.
“Hypocrite.”
“What did you say?” I snarl, whirling.
He snorts again.
“Mr. fucking white knight high-and-mighty over here one second, until it comes out you’re banging the girl next door—”
My fist crashes into his nose, sending him sprawling across the sofa as he screams and clutches at his bleeding face.
“Shut up,” I hiss, glaring at him before I turn back to Celine, my face mellowing out.
“I will never hurt her, or hold her back, or deny her living her life. She is going to college. I’m paying for it. She is not beholden to me because of that, and she damn well knows it.”
Celine turns away, pushing her hands through her hair for a minute before she glances back at me.
“Thank you for telling me,” she says quietly.
“Of course.”
“Well, you could have not, and just kept it from me.”
I shake my head. “No, I couldn’t have. Keeping it from you would have meant I was ashamed of what Kendall and I are. It would be proof that this is some tawdry affair I need to keep a secret. It’s not, Celine. I want it out in the open. I want to scream it to the world that I love your daughter.”
A small smile crosses her face, and her shoulders loosen.
“I’m not saying I’m okay with all of this right now immediately.”
“And I wouldn’t expect you to be.”
Celine eyes me carefully. “I love my daughter, Marshall.”
“And I will never hurt her. Ever.”
She blows air out through her lips and looks down.
“I’m going to need some time, you know. To process this.”
“Of course,” I say gently. I walk towards her, and when I take her hands in mine, she gives me a small smile.
“I love her, and I’m going to keep on loving her, and stoking that fire inside of her that makes her glow, and ask questions, and seek answers.”
Celine squeezes my hand, smiling wryly at me.
“Thank you, Marshall. For telling me.”
I nod, smiling back. “Can I give you a ride home or somewhere besides here?” I nod my chin at Tony, who’s still holding his nose and sniveling. “Away from him?”
Celine glares at her husband, her lips tight.
“Yes, actually. You can.” She turns and smiles thinly at me. “Can you drop me off in Miami?”
I chuckle. “Sure. Any particular reason?”
“Damn right,” she mutters, still glaring at Tony. “My attorney is on vacation there right now, and I think she and I need to have a nice long talk.”
I wait while she throws her things in a suitcase, only making a move once when Tony tries to get up from the couch to stop her.
“You,” I growl, pointing a finger in his face as I lean down and glare deep into his eyes.
“Don’t think for a second that I’m done with you.”
* * *
My heart starts racing the moment we start to descend towards the private airport in southern Connecticut. By the time we hit the ground, I’m buzzing—needing her. And when I step through the gate into the main terminal lounge and hear the shriek of her voice and the sound of flip-flops against the floor, I can’t even pretend to stop the laugh and the grin as I turn and scoop her into my arms as she crashes into me.
Her lips sear to mine, her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck as I spin her. I kiss her hard and deep, with everything I have, just swallowing her small little moans as I drown in her kiss.
“Miss me?” she purrs, pulling away.
“Kendall, I was only gone for twelve hours.”
She beams at me. “So that’s a ‘oh my God, I missed you so much, Kendall,’ isn’t it?”
I grin.
“That’s a ‘holy fuck did I miss you and want you right here just like this every waking moment since I left you,’ fiancée.”
Kendall bites her lip, blushing as her eyes spark into mine.
“Oh, now that’s good.”
She beams, pecking me on the lips again before pulling back.
“Talked to my mom about an hour ago.”
“Oh yeah?”
Kendall nods. “She was having a mojito in some club in Miami with her attorney and her attorney’s husband, who’s a divorce lawyer.” She grins, giggling. “Tony is so fucked.”
I laugh, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leaning down to kiss her slow and deep, dipping her low, before we turn and waltz for the doors.