“It counts. Everything with you counts. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
“You shouldn’t be here,” I retort, jumping off his lap. “Look at you.” I gesture at him. “You’re perfect.”
“What? You mean my looks,” he scoffs. “Is that all you think I have to offer?”
“No, of course not. You are much more than the way you look. But the fact of the matter is that you’re gorgeous. You were named the Sexiest Man Alive.”
“To sell magazines, Dee. If I were Joe Blow, who would care?”
“But you’re not Joe Blow. You’re Micah Peters. You date supermodels. Why would you settle for me?”
“Settle?” He blows out a breath and rises to stand in front of me. “No other woman has ever come close to making me feel the way you do, in or out of bed. I’m notsettling.”
“If you plan a future with me, you will be. You’ll settle for not having babies,” I say with a sick despair and all the fight goes out of me.
“Dee.” He cradles my face between his palms. “You couldn’t be more wrong. Look at how I grew up. Cayo and Rita are my parents. Not by blood, but they’re my parents just the same. Look at Dwayde. Think about his case. You’re arguing that he’s better off with a family that he wasn’t born into. Biology doesn’t mean shit, remember? If we can’t make a baby together, we’ll adopt. Even if we can, we may still. There are so many kids out there without a home. I don’t care how we make a family or about any of the other things you think will matter to me.” His thumbs catch the fall of my tears. “I’m here because I love you. Because I’ve always loved you. More than anything.”
He’s offering me everything my heart has ever wanted. But do I follow its desires? Or should I choose the more prudent course and tread with caution?
Caution wins out. “Okay, Mick. But no promises or commitments,” I say. “Let’s take it one day at a time and see how it goes.”
“That’s not an option.” His tone is adamant. “I expect promises. I expect a commitment.”
“That’s crazy. You’re being stubborn when I’m trying to give you an out.”
His hands move around my waist. “Yeah, well, I don’t need an out. I needyouto trust me with your heart again. Trust that I’ll be there through the good and the bad this time. Trust that you are perfect for me. Trust that I’ll love you no matter what. I’m asking you to trust in me, Dee. To trust in us.”
The want that surges through me overrules everything else. “I don’t know how good I’ll be at a relationship, Mick. I’ve been on my own for a long time. I have a lot of baggage and insecurities. The thought of being in the media spotlight—”
He opens his mouth to argue, and I place my finger over his lips. “But you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You make it hard to breathe and hard to think. And you make it impossible to say no.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and lift my mouth to his. “So I’m saying yes.”
“You won’t regret it, baby,” he murmurs against my lips.
“It won’t be easy,” I sigh in warning.
“Not much worth having is.” He slides his hands down to pull me against his hardness. “I want you, Dee. But you’ve had two emotional days in a row. So I’m going to let you get some sleep and get used to the idea of us.”
He’s right. Last night was spectacular. But the next time I make love with Mick, I want to come to him from a place of strength and confidence—without the past or my insecurities driving a wedge between us.
Slipping his palm over mine, we walk hand-in-hand to the door. Before he opens it, he pulls me to him again. “Have dinner with me tomorrow.”
“I can’t. It’s Lexie’s birthday.”
“A girls’ thing?” He looks disappointed.
“Um…no, she’s hosting a party at the Lemon Lounge, but…” I pause.
“But what?”
“I’m not ready to make our relationship public; it’s barely gotten off the ground.”
“It’s not a press conference, Dee. It’s your friend’s party. What time should I pick you up?”
“Cocktails start at eight, but—”
“I’ll be here at seven thirty. Black tie or semiformal?”
