“What?”She tilts her head to the side.
“I gave my trust fund to Nan.Well, not all of it.I used my trust fund for Project Miranda.”
“What?”
“I think you said that before.What don’t you understand?”
“What about St.Barts?The hotel?Why would you do that?Give up your dream?”
“I’d do anything for you.When Reagan walked, there really wasn’t any other solution and I realized I wanted Project Miranda as much as you did.Paige, you chose my mother’s name for this significant endeavor.Do you have any clue what that means to me?”
She smiles sheepishly, wiping a tear away with the back of her hand, and I swipe my thumb along the same path.
“I suggested her name because of the way everyone spoke about her.This project sounds like something she would have wanted.The decision was ultimately the board’s.”
Ignoring her modest attempt to downplay her generosity and importance, I push on.“I took your advice and sat Nan down and had her listen to my idea.She agreed to present my business plan to the board.She’s warming to the idea of diversifying our business model.”
“What?”
This time I out and out laugh, enjoying her confusion and how stuck she is on the word ‘what’—it’s kind of cute.“Forget about all that for now.Let’s talk about us.”
She opens her mouth and I’m willing to guess she wants to ask ‘what’ but then closes her mouth.
“My marriage proposal was real.Our relationship became real to me a long time ago.It might have even been real from the start.I just didn’t know how to say it.But by Montreal, I was a goner.Our arrangement meant nothing to me.You were mine and I had no plans of ending things whether I got my trust fund or not.”
“But…but all we’ve done is lie.”
“Oh baby, lies or not, this is real.”I take her hands in mine.“And you want to know why?Because all I want is you.”
“How am I supposed to believe you?Zachary Rothwell, you’re a liar.”She pulls from my grasp, putting distance between us.
“I am and so are you.”I wink, moving in a flash to ensnare her in my arms, pressing her warm body flush against mine.Now she’s wriggling to break free.
“Yes, I am.I lied to everyone.”Tears glisten in her eyes and she rests her head on my chest.“I lied to my family and friends, and Nan.And I hated every minute of it.”
“I wasn’t wild about it either, you know.And I did some serious apologizing when I came clean to Nan.”
“What?”She lifts her head to look at me with her eyes bulging, incredulous.“You told her about our arrangement?She knows I lied?”She pales once again, trying to wrestle free of my embrace.“I wanted to tell her.I never wanted her to find out from someone else.”
“Hear me out.”I squeeze her gently and she stills.“I told her everything, and she knew the truthbeforeshe came to the condo with Harley.”I pause, letting that sink in.“She isn’t upset with you at all.”
“I’m a liar.”She spits the words, angry with herself.
“Yeah, you are, but not in the way you think.”
“What?”She growls when the word she’s been stuck on slips from her mouth.Again.
“You lied to yourself.”My hands cup her face.“We love each other.I love you.”
The corner of her mouth curls into a hint of a smile and she bites her bottom lip.That does it.Flickers of desire sizzle through my body as I lean in and crush my mouth to hers, capturing her plump lip between my teeth.I suck on her sweetness.
“I love you, too.”The words tumble from her mouth followed by a shuddering breath.Finally, she admits what I’ve felt for a long time now.
“Paige, we’re the real deal.I never knew I wanted a wife, and maybe one day a family of my own, until you.And it has nothing to do with my trust or hotels or anything but you.”
I love having my hands on her and I wrap them tightly around her hips, hauling her against me as I latch my mouth onto hers.She slides her legs around my waist, and I walk us until my back hits the wall.Her scent and touch consume me.I’m alive, more alive than I’ve ever been, and it’s all because of her.
My fingers dig into her thighs, one hand sliding up her back to burrow into her thick waves of hair.I tug just enough to make her hiss and nip at her lip.She loves the sting as much as I do, and we kiss and kiss, only breaking when the burn in our lungs forces us to gasp for air.My lips are swollen, buzzing, and greedy.
