I groan. I should have known she wouldn’t let it go that easily. “Was wondering why my father hasn’t followed up on the whole Greek money saga.” I wince as I say the words. I know she’s sensitive about this topic. I shouldn’t have said anything.
She sits up. I was right. Damn it.
“What did you expect him to say?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Liam.” Her voice holds a warning.
“I told him this was all my idea, remember? Like I had a plan to have you invest and then we’d trace the money, right?”
She nods. I can barely see the motion in the darkness of our room.
“I assumed he’d want to talk about tracing the money. What I’d found out.” I shrug. “He’s said nothing. It’s as if he doesn’t think I have anything at all worth sharing. He isn’t interested in what I might know. Probably because he doesn’t think I know anything. He’s decided that with no confirmation.”
She’s quiet for a moment. Then, “Do you want him to be interested?”
“I want him to consider that there may be other ways of doing things,” I grumble. “Of course, he’d never do that so it’s a moot point.”
“How do you know?”
“What?”
“How do you know he wouldn’t listen? Have you tried talking to him? Coming to him with your ideas?”
She’s so earnest. I sit up and wrap an arm around her to pull her back to snuggle against me. “He’s my father. I know him.”
“Maybe,” she concedes. “But, I thought I knewmyfather before he promised me off in a marriage.”
I wince. I thought we were past this.
“I also thought I was marrying a mobster who wouldn’t let me work after college.”
I laugh aloud at this. First, her use of the word “mobster” is adorable. Second, so is her use of the word “let.”
“Beauty, I’d like to meet the man who can stop you from doing anything.”
I hear, rather than see, her answering smile. “My point is that you won’t know for sure until you have the conversation. You can’t always trust your assumptions. Wouldn’t it be better to have him disappoint you and be absolutely certain that there’s no changing him? I’d hate for you not to take your chance, Liam, because you assume the worst. If you have an idea, you should probably say something. Worst case, you were right all along.”
Huh. “Yeah, I suppose.”
She laughs against my chest and then slides down to lie next to me. She cuddles close, turning to rub her ass up against me. My little spoon yawns. “Thank you for telling me what’s bothering you.”
I lie beside her, understanding that she’s done with this conversation. I hug her closer to me and bury my nose into her sweet hair. “Thank you for listening.” I breathe against her before closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.
I’m having the best possible dream about my wife when a fluttering against my neck has my eyes flying open. Daylight peeks through the edges of my window shade, letting me know I slept longer and harder than I thought possible. I’m usually up with the sun regardless of how late I stay up.
“There he is.” Taryn’s voice is rough with sleep before she goes back to placing kisses on my neck. Her fingertips dance over my morning erection. Light. Teasing. “I was hoping you would wake up. We have to leave in about an hour.”
I inhale sharply. Clear my throat. “Yeah?”
“Mmmm hmmm.” She moves to kiss my collarbone. “I wanted to get consent for what I’m about to do.”
I swallow. “Consent?”
“Yes,” she breathes against my chest. “Haven’t you heard? Consent is sexy.” She kisses between my pecs. “I want yours before I continue this trip.” She moves her head a little lower. Fuck. I focus on sucking in air.
“Liam?”
