“Alice,” I begin, my face blanche.
“Open it,” she encourages me.
Holding my breath I open the envelope and pull out a pair of silver keys with a small stack of papers stapled behind it.
I feel the keys between my fingers and my mind is momentarily stupefied.
“Come on, read the top of the paper,” Alice insists in a gentle tone.
Releasing a shaky breath I hold they keys in my palm with a tenacious grip and read the top of the paper.
The paper drops from my hands as I stare wide eyes at Alice who has tears in her eyes but a huge smile on her face.
“I know you don’t want to stay in Hollows Point. I know you don’t see a future here for you and Connor. But until you gain custody of him I know you have to stay here. Which is why Reed and I bought a two bedroom house in the better part of Hollows Point. I knew you wouldn’t accept a house as a gift, which is what I really wanted to do but we paid off the first six months for you. All you have to do is sign and be an amazing tenant and the house is yours.”
“This is too much.” I start to give her the keys back but she closes them in my hand.
“It’s not nearly enough,” she argues and I shake my head. “This is the least I can do. So let me. Please, let me.”
“Connor, where’s my tissue box?” I jokingly ask him while helplessly wiping my nose on my shirt. Disgusting, I know but whatever. I honestly could care less at this point.
“I might not have a tissue box,” his deep rasp of a voice hits me and my heart starts beating frantically. I blink through my tears and manage to see him coming closer to me, his arms outstretched, begging me to fill the space. The air chargesaround us and as he pulls me in his arms it sparks. He wraps his one arm around my back like a band of steel while his large roughened hand cradles the back of my head. I smell the familial scent that’s distinct to him. A fine clean scent mixed with his natural musk and motor oil. “But I’ll always be there to wipe your tears.” Then he tips my head back and with his thumb collects the tears that fall.
I stare up at him like the eighth wonder of the world.
“You’re here,” I breathe, stating the obvious because I can’t think of anything else to say.
He smiles down at me, a small one that shows a glimpse of his teeth and pierces my heart. Oak smiling is a rare beauty that I will always treasure. It’s a downright crime that he doesn’t allow himself to smile more often.
“Where else would I be?” He asks me so softly that my heart aches in the sweetest way.
“I didn’t know if you would be able to make it.”
Removing his hand from the back of my head he takes his sunglasses off. There I see the intensity in those icy blue eyes of his. Always cold to everyone else yet they melt just for me. With his arm wrapped around my back he presses me closer to him. No space left between us. I can’t even suppress the shudder that shoots down my spine.
“I told you once and I’ll say it again,” his eyes flash as he speaks straight to my heart, “nothing will ever be in my way to get to you. You hear me?”
God, when he says that my heart does crazy things inside my chest.
“Do you hear me?” His voice matches the intensity in his eyes. I nod. “That’s not enough,” lowering his head he speaks in a low tone just for me to hear, “use that pretty mouth of yours and tell me.”
Why is it that I want to obey every one of his demands? Since when have I become a submissive woman?
I breathe, “I hear you.”
With his knuckle he gently grazes my cheek before allowing his thumb to swipe across my opened bottom lip. “I love your mouth, baby. Always use it.”
Damn me to hell because that’s exactly where I’m going with all these sinful thoughts.
With his smoldering eyes I know he’s thinking the same.
It’s even proven when I feel him hardening against me.
“Now be a good girl and stand directly in front of me so know one can see what you do to me,” he orders huskily. Spellbound by him I do just that. He then places his hands on either side of my hips and pulls me flush against him.
It feels so damn right to be in his arms.
I hope that he’ll never let me go.
