“I could stay just like this forever,” I murmur.
Tripp leans in and nuzzles my nose, his mouth slowly making a victim out of mine.
“I hate to break this to you, but we can’t stay in the back of this car forever. I have an entire world to show you.” Another lingering kiss. “Between classes, of course.”
My sigh is drowsy and content. “Are there places you haven’t been?”
“Yes. Plenty. But even the places I’ve been to are going to feel entirely different with you.” He picks up my left hand, holdingit up so the morning light coming in through the windows can catch the reflection of my engagement ring. “The sun is going to shine brighter. The food will taste better. I’ll get to see everything through your beautiful eyes.”
I hum happily, twirling a lock of his hair around my finger. “My favorite place will be wherever you are.”
His heart knocks forcefully against my shoulder.
“Right now, I want to turn this car around and go back to Boston.” His breath escapes in a hiss. “I could call last night the best night of my life, but it wouldn’t be nearly enough. I feel…transformed. A whole life of feeling like I was missing something is over. I found you.”
“I found you,” I say back, the tendons pulling in my throat. “I love my aunt Peggy, but part of me has felt so alone since the accident.” I trace his cheekbone with my index finger. “I could never be lonely when I’m looking at you.”
Tripp closes his eyes and leans into my touch. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you to give your resignation at Reserve, angel?”
This morning, I woke up to several voicemails from Aunt Peggy. Not only did Tripp cancel out her mortgage, but he left her a sizable, seven-figure check underneath the coffee pot in her kitchen. She won’t have to work for the rest of her life, and that means…I don’t have to clean rooms anymore, either.
Even though Peggy urged me to quit—and Tripp agreed wholeheartedly, of course—I’m still a tiny bit conflicted. Maybe it’s going to take a while to accept that my life is different now, but it still feels like I’m shirking my responsibilities. I’m hoping that resigning face-to-face with an apology for the short notice will make me feel better.
“No, I think I should do it by myself.”
He grips my jaw firmly, tilting my face up and studying it closely. “And you’ll come to my room immediately afterward?”He waits for my nod but relaxes only slightly. “I want to discuss our plans for the rest of the summer. We have three weeks until the semester begins. While I’m going to spend most of it making you come, I want you comfortable at my home off campus when the end of August rolls around. Youwillhave every fucking thing you need and more.”
“Tripp,” I giggle. “All I need is my boyfriend, a toothbrush, and school supplies.”
“Fiancé.”
“Fiancé,” I amend, kissing him to placate him. “Sorry, I didn’t think I’d be using that word for a really long time.” There’s still a furrow between his brows because I called him my boyfriend, instead of fiancé, but I know all too well how to distract him from his irritation. “Do you like it better when I call you ‘fiancé’ or ‘Daddy’?”
A line snaps in his jaw, his blue eyes fogging over with need. “Don’t do this to me when we’re about to arrive, angel.”
“You want me again so soon?” I breathe against his mouth, licking the peak of his upper lip teasingly. “I just kneeled down in front of you at the dining table and took your milk an hour ago.”
A shudder goes through his sturdy frame, his arousal stirring against my bottom and lifting, pushing against the pearl thong I’m wearing beneath my skirt, and I gasp at the sensation. With a knowing expression, his grip slides down from my jaw to my throat, holding and squeezing. “Vida Catherine Sterling, I know when I’m being distracted.”
I blink up at him innocently, but on the inside my heart is racing at hearing him call me a Sterling. Before we’re even married. “Is it working?”
“Yes,” he says through his teeth. “But to answer your question, I think I like being called both equally, so going forward I’d like to be called ‘Fiancé Daddy.’”
I burst out laughing, and he grins down at me tenderly.
“What are you going to do after you hand in your resignation?”
We’ve gone over this five times, but I don’t mind saying it again because it makes me so happy. And I like Tripp to feel as secure as he makes me.
“I’m coming right to your room.”
“You’re not going to leave my side for the rest of the day. The rest of yourlife.”
“What about when you’re working out in the gym?” I ask, pursing my lips. “Do I have to become a fitness bro just so you can keep an eye on me?”
A corner of his mouth tugs. “My gym in New Haven has a spa attached. I should be fine knowing you’re there getting pampered while I lift.”
I gasp. “I’m not getting pampered every single day. I’ll go crazy!”
