Colin tilted my hat back and pulled me in to give me a smoldering kiss that left me wondering how much sexy fun we could get away with in my room, which shared a wall with my mother’s room.
The partythat evening was everything I had imagined when my mother had said there’d be barrels, pumpkins, and hay. And as I’d predicted, Colin made me very popular.Everyonewanted to meet my handsome, rich boyfriend. At least that’s what Lisa told me as I watched Colin attempt to two-step with my mother.
I tried to encourage them, but it was hopeless. Neither one knew the steps, and Colin apologized several times for stepping on my mother’s feet.
“I think Colin might be better off waiting for another type of dancing,” my mother said when she came to deposit him back with me.
“I promise I have other things I’m good at, Mrs. Donovan. Dancing has never been one of them.”
She winked at me. “As long as one of those things is being good to my daughter, you can step on my feet whenever you like.” She quickly walked off toward her friends who were huddled at the bar.
Colin put an arm around me and pulled me close.
“Let’s get something to eat,” I said.
He didn’t move.
“She loves you a lot,” he said.
“Yeah. She’s my mom,” I said absentmindedly. Then I realized it was insensitive of me to take that for granted. “I mean?—”
“I understand what you mean. I should have had that too, but I didn’t. It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay.”
“No, it’s not. But I’m fine as long as you promise if we have kids someday to help me give them all the love they deserve.”
The idea of us having kids (and him being the one to bring it up) made the back of my eyes sting and gave me goosebumps all at the same time.
I nodded, stood on my tiptoes to kiss him, and whispered in his ear, “Want to go take a walk?”
He raised his eyebrows, looked around the room (presumably to see if we’d be missed), and gave a quick nod, leading us out the back door, which led to the pool area.
“What’s your impression of this place?” I asked. We walked along a lighted path past the pool area.
“I can’twaitto retire,” he said.
I laughed and held onto his arm, my head resting on his shoulder.
“But it’s not a luxurious place. And we’re in a smaller bed than you’re used to. And we have to cook our own food.”
“If we don’t want to cook, we can order out. And I can cook well.”
“You are a wonderful chef. But you wouldn’t want to cook for me every night, would you?”
He stopped us, put himself in front of me, and held me close. “I’d cook every meal for you if need be. But I can guess at what’s fueling all these questions. You still hold some uncertainty about our financial differences.”
He’d hit it on the nose. I winced.
Colin continued, “If I lost all of my money—yes, it would be hard because it means I’ve lost my position, which I’ve worked hard for. Itwouldtake getting used to, just as it takes anyone getting used to anything they’re not accustomed to. But it wouldn’t devastate me like losing you would.Thatwould be the greatest loss of my life.Youare the reason I trust in love again. It hurts me that you are worried about something like this. You’re worried about our worlds colliding, but Kate, wherever you are is my world.”
I leaned my forehead on his shoulder and gave a laugh full of relief, nerves, and surrender. Then I looked up into his eyes, now a deeper blue and full of questions. “Colin, I’d love you if you lost every cent to your name. This will be the last time you hear me talking about this. I hear you, and I believe you, even if I’m still in shock thatyou’dpickme.”
“We picked each other, I hope.” His charming half-smile floored me.
“Of course. I’d pick you over and over again.”
We stared into each other’s eyes for several moments while he traced a finger down my cheek and along my jawline.
