Her smile widens. "And you were doing so well."
"Not bad for someone who has never been in love before, eh?"
Her eyes glisten. "This feels like a dream."
"Believe it, baby." I slide my hand down and curve my fingers around her neck. "With you, I feel invincible. Like I’ve been given a second chance, and this time, I’m not going to blow it."
"Isaac and Tally—"
“Did Isaac tell you about the affair he had with my HR manager?”
She blinks, then nods. “He did. And I was relieved. I told him about us as soon as we slept together, but considering we’d been eye-fucking each other for days before that, a part of me felt like I had been unjust to him. But now, I realize while Isaac and I tried to be in a relationship, neither one of us was ready to commit to the other. Oh, we tried to make it work, but we weren’t right for each other.”
“Are you sad about it?”
She shakes her head. “It’s what led me to you, so I don’t regret my actions.”
I tighten my hold around her neck. "I’m going to make amends for the past. I’m going to try my best to be a good parent to Isaac and to Tally. It won’t be easy, especially with Tally—I haven’t spoken to her in years—but I’m going to do my best to be there for her, for both of them, from now on." I search her features. "You make me wish I’d been a better man in the past, but since I can’t change that, I’m going to ensure you have no cause for complaint from me in the future, at least not when it comes to my children or the kids we’re going to have in the future."
Her pupils dilate. "Who’d have thought Mr. Stuck-up-Alphahole would turn out to be such a hot, sexy wordsmith?"
"And who’d have thought the gorgeous, curvy, spirited girl who stared at me with her golden eyes would turn out to be my match."
"You already got in my pants, you don’t need to flatter me," she murmurs.
"One thing you need to realize" —I pull her toward me— "I mean every single word I say to you."
"One thing you need to realize" —she leans in closer until our breaths mingle— "when I’m with you, I’m always horny."
Her phone vibrates. She ignores it, brushes her lips over mine, and it buzzes again.
“Do you need to get that?”
“It might be my family.” She nibbles on my lower lip, and my cock twitches.
“Youneedto get it.” Can’t believe I said that, but if I am going to do this with her, I’m going to do it right. Which means, I need to meet her family, and her mother, and get her blessings for what I have in mind.
She pouts. “But—"
I curve my lips against hers. “No buts. I do want your butt, but right now, you need to take that call and introduce me to your family.”
She blinks. “You sure? They’re a handful.”
“But they’re a part of you. Ergo, I need to get to know them and introduce myself, since they’re going to be seeing a lot of me in the future.”
She blinks, then nods. “My mom’s ten years older than you.”
“Is that a problem for you?” I search her features.
“Is that a problem for you?”
I shake my head. “I’m proud of you, Dinky. Proud of what we are together. And I want your family to be part of our happiness. Is that okay?”
Her chin wobbles, but her smile is so wide it lights up her entire face. Her golden-brown eyes sparkle. “Here goes.” She answers the FaceTime call, then holds it up so both of us are reflected on the screen.
“Hey, guys, I want you to meet JJ.”
A week later