“Then there’s my dad to consider,” Amanda points out.
I think about Alan Simmons and wince.
“Your dad is a scary man,” I tell her, and she lets out a startled laugh. “But we’re adults. As long as it isn’t affecting either business, we have the right to do whatever we want.”
“He’ll still be angry,” Amanda says.
“Then let him be angry.” If her only arguments against a relationship are her father’s ire and having a conflict of interest at work, then that’s good. It means she’s not against the idea because of either of us. “You’re a grown woman. And if he won’t let you succeed, then wait until he’s ready to retire and then take it over!”
She snorts.
“I have considered that,” she says.
“You’re smart enough and ambitious enough to do it,” I tell her. “You’re a leader, Amanda. Don’t let anyone sideline you, not even your father.”
She smiles at me. It’s nothing like the strained smiles I was getting before. This is her smile, the one I’ve been waiting for.
“Okay,” she says.
I pause.
“Okay?” I check; was it that easy?
“Okay,” she repeats, and laughs. “Okay, let’s do this. Let’s try and do an honest relationship, this time, all cards on the table.”
“Deal,” I say, beaming. “This weekend, you can come over. We can watch movies in my home theater.”
Her eyes bug out.
“You have a home theatre?” she gasps.
“Inherited, like most other things, but I’m renovating,” I say, amused by her reaction. “And…maybe we can talk about the baby, and what we can do before it arrives?”
I really want to do that. I’ve wanted a family for as long as I can remember. But, in the last few years, I resigned myself to it being impossible when I met so many women who were only interested in my money. Then I met Amanda, and that hope was cautiously rekindled.
Yet somehow, we’ve skipped several steps. Forget dating for years, eventual engagement and the marriage. Before we do any of that, we now have a baby on the way.
I’m going to be a father.
“I’m going to be a dad,” I say out loud in wonder.
“Yeah,” Amanda says, smiling softly. “And, yes, we can talk about the baby whenever you want. You sound more excited by it than I am.”
“That’s okay,” I say, smiling. “You don’t have to be so excited. I know this wasn’t planned, and it was a shock.”
She laughs and kisses me again. I’m not sure what I said that prompted that reaction, but I would gladly do it again, especially when she licks my bottom lip slowly, requesting entrance. I open my mouth and suck her tongue into mine, lightly scraping my teeth against it.
Instantly the air changes around us, become charged with something hot and electric. I deepen the kiss and Amanda presses against me. It hasn’t been that long since I last touched her. But after everything we went through in the last week, it feels like forever. Having her in my arms again, right after everything that happened, is utterly amazing. I never want to let her go.
“
This is perfect,” I murmur against her lips as we pull away slightly.
“So is this,” she purrs.
Her hand slides between us and she rubs against my cock, which was previously slowly sitting up in attention. Blood instantly flows down, leaving me feeling a little light-headed, and I gasp as I buck against her hand.
“That feels good,” I groan.