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He smiles and takes a step toward me, then another, until he’s directly in front of me. He lifts his hands, cupping my cheeks as he looks into my eyes. I suck in a breath and hold it as his gaze holds mine, searching. And then he leans forward, touching his lips to mine, but doesn’t deepen the kiss.
Hendrick lifts his head slightly, his gaze finding mine again. He watches me for a moment, his smile still affixed in place before he leans forward again, but this time, he doesn’t kiss me. Instead, he closes his eyes when his forehead touches mine.
“I thought I would never have you here like this again.”
“You’re being romantic,” I whisper.
He snorts. “I’m a far cry from that,” he exhales. “I’m selfish and immature. I am not ready to be a husband or a father.”
“You’re not?” I ask.
My heart is cracking. He slowly lifts his head so he can look into my eyes again, but I can’t read him at all. I don’t know what he’s thinking or what he’s about to say, and I just want to burst into tears.
Just moments ago, he told me he wanted to marry me tomorrow. Well, in just a few hours. Now he’s saying that he’s not ready. There’s also the little fact that this baby isn’t going away. It’s not like I can send it back to where it came from.
“I’m not,” he murmurs.
But he doesn’t look upset about this fact. My cracked heart starts to race. It slams against my ribs, threatening to fall out of my chest and onto the floor, breaking into a million pieces, but just as I’m about to take a step backward, to get away from him and his touch, he continues.
“I’m not ready for any of this shit, but it’s coming, and I’m excited as fuck,” he says. “You’re the person I want for myself. I always knew it was you. I tried to tell myself it wasn’t. I tried to do what was best for the family, but that isn’t what’s best for me.”
“What’s best for you, Hendrick?”
I don’t know why I’m asking him. He’s already said I’m what he wants. I don’t know why, but I want to hear the words. I want to hear him say it.
Wholly.
Completely.
I want the vow.
“You, Allison. You are what is best for me. Might, body, heart, and soul. I want a life with you, and even though I never imagined that this is how it would happen, I vow to do everything in my power to make you happy.”
Tears should not prick my eyes.
But they do.
Then they fall heavily.
He cups my cheek, and his thumb slides across my bottom lip as he stares into my eyes. I love everything he’s just said to me. I want to believe every single word. I want it all from him. The happily ever after. The picket fence, the entire world being ours for the taking.
“I’m not a picket fence kind of guy, sunshine,” he chuckles.
My cheeks heat from embarrassment at the fact I said that out loud. I’m not sure how to respond to that, so I suck in a breath and try to think of what to say, but nothing comes out, and thankfully, he continues to speak.
“But I am a ‘this entire world is ours for the taking’ kind of guy, and I am fucking here for it.”
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
HENDRICK
I want to fuck her again. I want to feel her body wrap around mine when I sink inside of her, but I have other shit to do, and that shit doesn’t include taking more time to fuck my soon-to-be bride. As much as I want it to.
“You look like you’re thinking,” Allison mutters.
“I am,” I admit. “I need to leave and check in on what’s happening with my dad and brothers.”
