Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
I shook my head. “If you don’t like it, we’ll live somewhere else.”
“You’re saying you’d buy a new apartment for me?”
“Or a townhome or a house. Whatever makes you happy.”
Laurie stared at me like I’d lost mind. “Do you know how crazy that is?”
“Maybe, but it’s true.”
“I love this apartment.”
I smiled, joy filing me all the way up. “Good, then it’s your new home.”
“I can’t just stay here and be your princess. I know you’re nothing like Tommy, but—”
“God no, Laurie. I would never—” He held up his hand.
“I know. You’re a good man. You care.”
“I love you with every bit of my heart, my soul, my body.”
“I love you too, but I have to have something that’s mine. I threw myself into my relationship with Tommy and gave myself away completely. I can’t do that again. I can’t be the princess that you set up on a pedestal.”
“I’m not asking for that. I don’t want that. I want you to be my partner. I want us to build a new life together. You will have as much say in that as you want, and if you need to go out and get your own job, that’s fine too. I don’t ever want you to feel trapped here.”
“You’re serious about that?”
I took both his hands in mine and held his gaze. “Yes. A princess doesn’t have to be someone who is cared for and does nothing but look beautiful. Princesses can be strong. They can take a big role in running a nation. A princess can be their own person with their own goals and wishes. I want you to have everything you want, and that includes your freedom. So, if you really….”
I paused, not sure I could force my next words out through the lump in my throat. “If you want to find your own path somewhere else without me, I will loan you whatever you need to get started. That’s not what I want, but this has to be your choice.”
Laurie was already shaking his head. “I don’t want that. I don’t want to walk away from you. I’m just scared of losing myself.”
“That’s not going to happen because I want you as you. I don’t want you to be a toy or a possession. I could have that if I wanted it, but it’s never made me happy. You make me happy.”
“Worth, I love you so much.” He opened his arms. “Come here.”
I let him pull me to him and kiss me. I felt his love and his lust as the kiss grew rough and sloppy. We wrapped our arms around each other so tightly I worried I was crushing him, but we needed that kind of security.
When I finally pulled back for air, I smiled at him. “You’re my princess, and this is my castle, but I’m deadly serious. If you want to be somewhere else, if you want to do something else, then we’ll do it. We’ll do whatever you want, just please stay with me.”
Laurie’s smile widened. “I don’t want to be anywhere else. You’re home to me.”
“And I’m going to be the best home you could ever dream of.”
“I know you are.”
“Then let’s go downstairs and talk to my brother.”
34
LAURIE
Itook Worth’s hand. I was trembling all over, but it was with excitement now, not fear. When he’d knelt before me and I’d seen fear in his eyes at the idea of losing me, I’d known I was crazy for ever thinking I might run. I was going to go for this. I was going to ride this out for as long as it lasted and pray that was forever. I loved this man. I had been given a gift after my time in hell, and I wasn’t going to throw it away.
“What did you say when you came up here after me?”
Worth glanced my way. “I told Beck everything was going to be fine.”
“Between us? Did he guess?”
“I may have freaked out a little bit when I realized you weren’t with me anymore. I think I made it pretty obvious.”
I squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. I’ll tell him I trust you.”
“I think ultimately we’re going to have to prove it to him by making this work.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”
All I could do was take it day by day and continue to do that, continue to prove to myself that this could be real, because I’d never imagined loving anybody the way the way I loved Worth.
“Are you okay? Had you ever shot anyone before?”
Worth shook his head. “I’m okay. I hadn’t ever shot anyone before, but I did it to save my friend. The man would have killed Matteo or any of the rest of us, including Beck. I didn’t have a choice.”
“Promise you’ll talk to me about it if you need to.”