Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 45361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
“Thank you.” Another smile, less tense this time. “That means the world to me, but you’re right. You’re far more mature for your age than most women… far more mature than I was at your age. And you…”
She turns to Miles.
“I’ve known Noah for three years, and in all that time, you’ve never dated. You’ve never had a girlfriend, or if you have, you didn’t tell Noah.”
“I haven’t,” Miles says, his voice fierce and firm. “I came to terms with the fact that I would probably be alone forever. I won’t say I was okay with it, exactly, because I always thought about having a family, but I’d never choose a woman just for the sake of it.”
“So you were ready to be alone and let your dreams of being a father die?”
“Wow, Mom,” I say, attempting a joking tone. “That’s quite a macabre way to put it.”
But she isn’t biting. She keeps her eyes locked on Miles.
“Yes,” he says. “I’ve got my work to keep me busy.”
“And your charity,” Noah puts in.
I glance at Miles. “Your charity.”
He shrugs.
Noah laughs softly. “My modest big brother. Miles does a lot of work for underprivileged communities, cutting his rates to arrange youth centers, community cafes, and places like that.”
“I could’ve done with those as kids,” Miles says.
I study my man, the subtle curve of his lips, and the darkness behind his eyes. He wants to fix all the things he’s experienced, all the pain, not dwell on or disappear into it.
“But that changed when you saw my daughter… your step-niece.”
“It did, and I know I should’ve been ashamed. I should’ve done what most other men would—bury that thought deep down and never think about it or her again. I tried. I really did, but with each passing day, I felt like I was losing my mind.”
“Because you couldn’t stop thinking about having sex with her?”
“Mom.”
She looks at me sternly. “I won’t apologize for that. I have to know. It’s only fair that I get the complete picture.”
Miles sighs darkly. “I’d rather not discuss that, but if you really want to know.”
“I do.”
“Then yeah, that was part of it. She’s incredibly attractive. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
I try not to beam too much at the compliment. It would be inappropriate to sit here, glowing with his words, when it could all be gone at the snap of Mom’s fingers.
“But it was more than that,” Miles goes on. “I couldn’t stop thinking about having a family together, providing for, protecting, and supporting her. As a first step, I couldn’t stop thinking about getting to know her, but I knew it wouldn’t end there. I knew I’d be lost once we had a proper conversation, and I’d want to be lost.”
His hand slides across the table toward me, and then he stops as though with effort. He curls it into a fist and glances at me. I read the message. He’s fighting the urge to touch me every moment like I’m fighting the desire to touch him. What we did last night blazes through me.
Mom stands suddenly, running a hand through her hair. “I should hate you. You understand that, don’t you?”
Noah looks up at her. “Elena…”
“I should,” she says. “I’ve finally found my dream man. I’m finally happy, and now we have to deal with this. What if this feeling you speak about—destiny or whatever it is—stops? What then?”
“It won’t.” My voice is far too loud, but I can’t contain the passion. “It’s not just a feeling, anyway.”
“No?” Mom asks, resting her hands on the table like an interrogator.
“It’s more like a plan,” I tell her. “Sure, it’s driven by a feeling, but I know I want to have children with Miles. I know we’ll always be together, through the good times and the bad.”
“What if you can’t have a family?” Mom asks, looking at Miles and me. “Your dreams come from wanting children together, right?”
“That’s a big part of it,” Miles replies.
“So, what if you can’t? Are you going to leave her and find somebody else to become obsessed with?”
“I’m not leaving Layla,” Miles snarls.
Before the meeting, I asked him to contain some of his fire, but it breaks free now, his voice trembling.
“If there’s an issue with one of us or both, and we can’t conceive a child, we’ll explore other options.”
Mom glances at Noah tightly. “We’re doing just that right now.”
Noah takes her hand. The love between them is so apparent that a shard of guilt stabs me at the prospect of ending it.
“If that doesn’t work,” Miles continues, “I’ll still have the best woman any man could wish for. I’ll still be more blessed than everybody. She’ll still be mine.”
It’s a mistake. I know it is, but I reach over and take his hand. Mom tracks the movement, wincing, and then turns and faces the garden.