‘I did, didn’t I?’ His beard rasps as he rubs his cheek across the pillow I’m lying on. ‘We’ll be here all day if I tell you about all of them. Instead, let me tell you a little of how I was raised. Every family has rules, and with four boys running amuck, ours were pretty solid. But Dad taught us how to grow into men, good men, I’d like to think. His rules have stood us all in good stead.’
‘He sounds like a good man.’
‘He is. He taught us to play with passion or not at all. Said that if you’re entrusted with a secret, you’re honour bound to keep it. And, babe, I’m like a vault.’
‘Good to know,’ I murmur, wondering if he’s referring to last night.
‘He said never be afraid of punching above your weight where girls are concerned because that’s how he ended up with Mum.’ I laugh softly, swatting him away as his lips find the shell of my ear. ‘I took that one to heart and ended up with a duchess.’
‘Go one.’
‘He said stand up for what you believe in, and be confident and humble at the same time.’
‘I’m not sure you’ve mastered humble yet.’
‘Pssht.It’s overrated in my experience.’
‘And what else?’
‘He also said to find a woman you won’t mind losing your heart to because you might lose your heart, but you win in the end.’
The pressure of Flynn’s hand loosens on mine, so I roll onto my back to face him. The bruising on his face is tinged yellow, but it doesn’t detract from how handsome he is.
‘Your dad sounds like a pretty smart man. No wonder he’s been married for so many years. I wonder which of his words of wisdom you’ve taken to heart best.’ I place my hand against his cheek as he appears to contemplate. But not for long.
‘I’d have to say, never waste an erection and never trust a fart.’
I set off giggling, hard, as the gorgeousness that is Flynn stretches back along the bed to grab his phone from the nightstand behind him.
‘Far out—the time!’ Like a shot, he’s out of bed and stabbing his legs into his jeans. ‘I’m sorry, babe, but I’m gonna be late for work.’ His expression looks pained as he fastens his pants.
‘Never waste an erection, huh?’ I laugh, staring at the bulge in his jeans.
‘Rain check, yeah?’ With a quick peck to my forehead, Flynn grabs his T-shirt and dashes out of the door.
I flop back onto my back and consider the past twenty-four hours. I don’t really want to dance in Miles’s guts, but that doesn’t mean I’m happy. But Flynn. What do I do about Flynn? I think he could make me happy if I let him. I like him more than is healthy. In fact, there’s a slight possibility I might be in love with him.
Doesn’t that just make me a glutton for punishment?
Chapter 24
FLYNN
Chastity kept me at arm’s length for the rest of the week, making me promise to give her space. If you ask me, space is exactly the last thing she needs, especially after what I’d seen sticking out of her purse the morning I’d left her in a hurry, late for work. Boots in my hand at the hallway, I’d dropped them to the floor to shunt my feet into them when my eyes had slid to her purse on the floor. A big slouchy purse, the contents hanging half in and half out; mail and a brightly coloured A4 brochure thing. I know better than to pry, and I sure as shit wasn’t snooping, but the wordFertilityhad jumped out at me. So like an arsehole, I’d pulled the brochure out of her bag.
A fertility clinic in London.
I get why—more than ever after seeing her so devastated. I just don’t gethow. Not that it’ll come to it. Not if I’ve got anything to do with it because this last week, Chastity has been the only thing on my mind. Turns out, absence does make the heart grow fonder. Absence makes you realise you are in love.
Call me stupid, but if she’s having a kid with anyone, she’ll have it with me.
But how do I go about it? Not the technicalities. I think we’ve got that down. How do I get her to trust me enough to let me be the one?
Hey, duchess. I wanna put a baby in you and not just for the practice.
Nah. That’ll just get me a kick in the balls.
Babe, I know you don’t believe me because you think half of what I say is shit and the other half ridiculous, but I want to be there for you. Give you a baby. Because I love you.
