“You!” I point my finger at him. I wanted this place so bad. I made a cash offer but someone outbid me. Before I could try and make a higher one they told me it was gone.
Aaron grabs my finger, kissing the tip of it. I try and narrow my eyes at him but he bites the end of my finger and now I fight a laugh. I should be yelling at him but here I am giggling like a schoolgirl. He brings that out in me. This playful side I have mostly with my family. I give it to him too. He makes me feel at ease to do it.
I thought this place was perfect. I always loved it as a child. It wasn’t far from my parents’ home and it reminded me of a castle. It had a grand feel. The whole thing is built out of old stone with parts that have vines winding around it. The people who owned it before didn’t handle it with care. I had plans to fix it up but when I lost the bidding I thought it was a lost cause. Now I can see someone has spent the last year putting work into the estate. It has a fresh cared-for feel but it still has its history.
The helicopter lands and I pull my gaze back off the house to Aaron, who is still holding my hands. The helicopter goes quiet as he opens the door.
“Welcome home, dollface.” He steps out first, offering me his hand. I let him help me down.
“I’d say you won this round but if we are to be married it will belong to me too.” I tilt my chin up, trying to act like a brat.
“Take everything I have as long as you take me with it.”
My chin drops as I look over at him. “You speak to me in a way that I’ve never heard you speak to anyone else.” I turn to fully face him. Aaron is a man who gives orders. Orders that are followed. I’m still not sure what kind of power he has but he is somebody. That’s for damn sure. The more I think about that, though, the less I care about it. As long as the somebody he is mine as much as I am about to become his. Like Aaron, I don’t half do anything. If I am in, I am in all the way. I am very much that way, as are my brothers.
“No, I don’t call anyone else dollface.” He pulls me into his body, wrapping an arm around me tightly.
“It’s more than the dollface thing.” I look up at him, enjoying being this close to him. I can see a few of the small scars that line his face. One day we’ll lie in bed and he’ll tell me about them.
“It is. I speak to you like I speak to no one else because you are different than everyone else.”
“Because I’m to be your wife?”
“No, because you’re my everything. The title of wife changes nothing to me. With or without a marriage I will always consider you mine. Have from the very first moment I laid eyes on you.”
My heart gives a flutter. “When was that?” I try to think of the first time I saw Aaron. Maybe a year ago? I think it was around the time I was trying to buy this place.
“Two years ago when your mother tried to hire me for your protection.”
“Wait, what?” I half yell. Has he been a secret bodyguard?
“Tried being the keyword. I told her no, dollface. No need to get worked up.” He cocks a smile at me. He’s enjoying me getting worked up. That’s good, because like my mom I can be hot to start. She has my dad to calm her down. Do I have Aaron now to do the same for me? I always found that adorable and endearing about my parents, how well they play off each other. Two people who balance each other out. Could that be Aaron and me too?
“Lies. I know you’ve been following me.”
“Never said I wasn’t. I just said I turned your mother down for the job.” He gives a small shrug. “I was already doing it. I didn’t need to be paid for something I was going to be doing either way.” His hold on me tightens more. The look in his eyes should probably scare me but my body goes from a simmer of lust to full-blown arousal.
“Then take me inside our home. There is a lot more of me I could show you.” There I go again. I am running my mouth like I have game.
“With pleasure.” He swipes me into his arms as he carries me inside.
5
Aaron
Savannah holds on tight to me as I carry her inside. All those lush curves melt into me. The bikini gives me access to all of her skin. I should take the time to show her around but I know she’s already seen this place. She tried previously to purchase it. She took multiple tours of the place so there is no reason for me to waste time giving her another one now.