Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“What?”
“I know this came out of left field, Angel. I would love to have you be able to roll out of bed a few minutes later because your daycare is a walk away from our house.”
“You want us to have a house? You’re really going to move here?”
“I won’t be separated from you again, Little girl. I can do almost everything here. I’ll still have to travel and tour from time to time, but staying here with you will be my home base.”
“I don’t even know what to say.” A slow tear slid down her cheek.
“Angel,” he said, closing the distance between them to wrap his arms around her. “That better be a happy tear.”
“I can’t believe this… This is really happening,” she stammered.
“I want to hold you in my arms every night and feel your heartbeat next to mine. I want to wash your back and make you dinner at night. Most of all, I don’t want to miss another second of your life.”
“I want to be with you, too.”
“Then here’s the start of our new life together.” Colt gestured across the open land.
She stood wrapped in his arms, looking out over the wide space around them. A car honked hello from the road. Harper tried to shift away from Colt, but he held her firmly in place as he waved.
“Colt, maybe this isn’t meant to be. I’m not really a good match for you. I could try to lose weight, but I always gain it back, and I’m miserable eating broccoli for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
He pushed her back to arm’s length to look directly into her eyes. “Where did that come from, Little girl? Have I ever given you the impression that I thought you needed to change in any way?”
“No. Of course not. You’re too nice to do that.”
“Did my reaction to your nude body make you think you were not attractive to me?”
“Colt!” She looked around, scandalized, to make sure no one was near.
“Being around you is a constant struggle not to bust my zipper open, Angel. I waited years to make love to you because I didn’t want anyone other than you. Your beauty inside and out draws me to you.”
“Maybe that’s just because you haven’t had sex with anyone else? You know, you don’t have anyone to compare me to,” she suggested, looking down at her sneakers.
“Look at me.”
She hesitated, waiting to see what he would say next, but Colt stayed silent. After several long seconds, she peeked up at him. Crap! He’s mad. His gaze trapped hers.
“Making love means more to me than simply getting off, Harper. I can do that on my own.”
She felt her cheeks heat when a visual image of Colt taking care of his needs with his hands flashed through her mind.
“Merging my body with the one person who I knew belonged to me was more attractive than dabbling with a million women who wanted me for my sports prowess back in high school or for my current fame and money,” he told her bluntly. “They weren’t you.”
“I didn’t want anyone else, either,” she whispered. “I’m sorry to bring it up again. It’s a struggle to believe that this is happening.” Harper waved a hand between herself and Colt.
Stepping close to her, Colt cupped her face with his hands. “I will reassure you until I die that you are the one for me. I don’t want to change or alter you. I want your sweet mind, your luscious body, and the Little girl inside you.”
“Okay. I may need you to do that,” she admitted. Her mind struggled to adjust to the idea that Colt wanted her—really.
She looked around the beautiful space that he had purchased to be close to her. No one spent that kind of money to move to Avondale unless there was an actual reason to be there. Another worry popped into her mind.
“Would you help me figure out what I can afford to build here? I’d like to expand—have at least one more person working with me,” she asked hesitantly.
“We’ll work together to build something that is perfect for what you want today and in the future. You might wish to grow further,” he replied.
“I don’t want to get too big,” she assured him.
“I think you want to still be able to interact with each child.”
“Definitely, yes!”
“I’ll take you with me to the architect for my next visit. We’ll sketch out something before we go to show him what you need.”
“You already have an architect?”
“I do. Now, let’s go celebrate with dinner out. What’s your favorite restaurant? Murphy’s?” he asked.
“I go there all the time. This feels like a big celebration. Could we go to the Italian restaurant on the square, Salvador’s?”
“That’s still there?”
“It is. His grandma isn’t there making the homemade Italian breadsticks anymore, but his daughter works there. Hers are almost as good,” Harper assured him.