Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Hmm. It had been a long time since he’d felt guilty about anything.
“I really want this to work between us,” she told him.
Oh, he didn’t like that. It sounded like she thought there was a possibility that this wouldn’t work.
Which wasn’t possible.
“It will work between us. There is no possibility of it not working because I never intend to let you go.”
“Thanks, Daddy. I might keep you too.”
“Might?” He gave her an outraged look.
“Okay, okay, I’ll keep you too. Sheesh. You’re very needy.”
He snorted.
Faith needed Reuben to know that he could share things with her.
She wasn’t weak. While she liked him protecting her, he didn’t need to completely shelter her.
“Reuben, I want you to know that I’m here if you need to talk about something. I won’t . . . I won’t break, you know. I want to be here for you. Like you are for me.”
He eyed her for a long moment. “I don’t want you worrying. I need to take care of things for you. It’s not a desire. It’s part of who I am.”
“And I like that. Sometimes, it feels like I’m drowning in my worries. There are times when I lie in bed with this weight on my chest, thinking about everything that could go wrong . . . everything I could have done differently.” She rubbed at her chest.
“See? I don’t want to add to your worries. I’m here to take them away.”
“You can’t take all of my worries away.”
“Sure, I can.”
He was so arrogant, but she gave him a small smile. “It doesn’t make you less strong to lean on me.”
“I won’t tell you things if I think they’ll worry you,” he replied stubbornly.
“All right.”
“Some things are confidential,” he added.
“I understand that.”
He cleared his throat. “However, I suppose I can tell you that Juliet is having nightmares about the accident even though she still can’t remember what happened. She only knows that she was scared.”
Sympathy flooded her. “That’s terrible. I can only imagine how awful she must feel. Is she healing all right?”
“Physically, yes. But emotionally, Xavier said she’s fragile. I want to hire a bodyguard for her. But more than that, I want her here with me.” He looked surprised that he’d said that.
“I can understand that,” she said.
He stared at her in surprise. “You can?”
“Yeah. You’re so protective. Your first instinct is always to take care of those around you. You stand up for the people who don’t have voices.”
“I’m not that man, baby. I’m not that altruistic. Everything I do is selfish.”
She burst into giggles. But he just stared at her, not even smiling.
“Oh, you were serious?” she asked.
“Yes, I was serious, brat.”
“Daddy.” She climbed into his lap, facing him. Then she cupped his chin, the way he always did to her. “You are not selfish.”
“I am. I decided I wanted you so I did what I thought was necessary to take you.”
“What was necessary?” she asked curiously.
“That isn’t important. What’s important is that you know I’m not the hero in this story.”
“But you’re the hero in my story,” she whispered. “I’m certain you’re the hero in Juliet’s too.”
“She has two other heroes. I don’t like that.”
“You need to learn to share, Daddy.” She wagged a finger at him.
“Do I? Because I will never share you.”
She sucked in a breath. “No. And I wouldn’t want you to.”
“That’s my good girl.” Dipping down, he brushed his lips over hers.
“I take it that Xavier wasn’t thrilled at your demand that Juliet come here?”
“What makes you think I demanded it?” he asked.
She sent him a dry look.
“No, he wasn’t happy. I wish she could remember what happened. What if someone knocked her off the road?”
“Is that a possibility?” she asked.
“At this point, anything is possible. Although, I don’t believe anyone in Wishingbone would do that because they know I’d torture them for the rest of their miserable life.”
She knew it wasn’t an empty threat.
There was a worry line between his eyebrows and she rubbed it gently.
“Just try not to shut me out entirely, please?” she asked.
“I’ll try. No promises.” He kissed her. It was long and hot and when he drew back, her head was spinning.
“I want you to move in with me,” he told her.
“Yes, I’d figured that out.”
“But I’ve decided I will give you more than a week to decide.”
That was a surprise. “How long are you giving me? Two weeks?”
He gave her a proud look. “My baby is starting to figure me out. But no, I’ll give you longer than that. I’ve been told not to overwhelm you or you’ll run.”
Xavier must have told him that.
Thank God he was listening.
Right. And that’s not a pang of disappointment you’re feeling?
“You won’t run from me.” It was a statement, but she thought she heard a hint of vulnerability. That wasn’t like Reuben at all.