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It’s five in the morning when I arrive at the Dawson residence. It’s still dark, so they’ve turned on the exterior lights for me. I smile when I recall pulling Frankee around to the side of the house for our first kiss. That was only a month ago. So much has happened since then. It’s like our relationship is on hyperspeed.
Maybe it’s because we know she’s leaving in six weeks. Maybe it’s because we spend so much time together. Maybe it’s because we’re perfect for one another and meant to be together.
I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Never cared more about another person’s happiness than my own. Never felt sick to my stomach at the thought of losing a woman.
I’m done falling. I’m there.
I love Frances Ameline Dawson.
My porno princess.
Scott meets me at the front door, and we shake hands. “Come in. Frankee will be right out.”
Mrs. Dawson comes into the living room. “Porter, you remember my wife, Tara?”
I nod. “I do, but it’s been a while. Good to see you again.”
“Good to see you as well.”
Tara Dawson is a stunning woman. I didn’t realize how much Frankee looks like her mother until this moment.
“Scott and I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for Frankee. The internship. The training. And especially this trip to the graphic design expo. It’s all so generous of you.”
Hearing Tara and Scott’s gratitude makes me feel like shit. Like I’ve been taking advantage of their daughter. Using her for sex.
But that’s not the case. It can’t be when I love her.
“I’ve been very impressed with Frankee. She’s a talented designer. I’m lucky to have her at Lovibond.”
I notice Tara’s eyes have left my face, and she’s studying my left bicep. “I’ve seen that before.”
“It’s Frankee’s design.” Shit. I probably shouldn’t have said that.
“You had Frankee’s design tattooed on your arm?”
“I did; the design was amazing. I knew I had to have it done the moment I saw her drawing.”
Frankee comes into the living room, rolling a suitcase behind her. Perfect timing so Mrs. Dawson can’t quiz me further. “I’m all set.”
I go to her and take her bag. “I’ve got this, ba…”
Fuck.
Frankee’s eyes nearly bug out of their sockets after my partial slipup. Fingers fucking crossed that Tara and Scott didn’t catch on to me halfway calling her baby.
“Call us when you get there, so we’ll know you made it safely.”
“I will.”
“I’m putting my little girl’s safety in your hands, Porter. Take care of her.”
I shake Scott’s hand. “You know I will.”
Frankee hugs her parents, and the two of them stand in the doorway watching us drive away. “I may have fucked up.”
“You think so, ba…?”
Well, there’s that too. “I’m not talking about that. Your mom recognized my tattoo from your sketchbook. I told her it was your design and she had a weird look on her face. I think she suspects.”
“Well, if she does, she does. I’m twenty-one so there’s not a lot she can say. I mean, she had three kids by the time she was my age.”
“Do you think she’ll say anything to Scott?”
“I don’t think so. She wouldn’t want Daddy to have a problem with his boss, especially if there was no basis behind it.”
Frankee unbuckles her seatbelt and slides across the seat so she’s sitting beside me. She fastens the lap belt around her waist and takes my hand in hers. “I don’t want to think about what-ifs on this trip. I only want to think about us and how much fun we’re going to have together.”
“I like that plan.”
We do the airport shuffle and board our flight. “I can’t believe I’m sitting in first class. Hell, I can’t believe I’m flying at all.”
“How have you managed to never fly?”
“My parents have three kids. Two of them were holy terrors. Even if they’d had the money, there was no way they were going to put us on a plane to go anywhere. The boys probably would have taken the plane down.”
“You talk about your brothers like they’re awful.”
“They were, Porter. It was bad. People think twins are so cute but they just don’t know what kind of hell they can raise.”
The attendant brings us the mimosas we ordered. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Let me know if you need anything else.”
I taste the drink and find that she didn’t skimp on the champagne. “Good, right?”
“I like it.”
“So you’d freak out if you got pregnant with twins?”
Frankee grimaces. “I wouldn’t get done crying if they told me there were two in there.”
“Wouldn’t twins be hereditary since your mom had them?”
“Identical twins are not hereditary—only fraternal twins run in families—so I shouldn’t have any greater chance at having twins than any other woman. Thank God for that.”
“Do you want children?”
“I do, but not until I’m married to the man I’m going to be with for the rest of my life, and we’re financially stable. I want what your parents have. They did it the right way.”
“They were married years before they started having kids. Do you want to wait until you’re thirty to have your first baby?”
“I’m not stuck on an age as much as I’m stuck on being financially stable.”
I can understand that after everything she went through in her early childhood. “Would you have a baby at an earlier age if your husband were financially stable?”
“Yeah. I guess I might do that. What about you? Do you want a wife and kids?”
“I do.”
“How many?”
“Only one wife.”
Frankee gently bumps my shoulder with hers. “I hope you only want one wife. How about children?”
“I grew up in a family of three kids. That always felt right to me. How many do you want?”
“Two, three, or four. I haven’t decided.”
Big difference between two and four. “Keeping your options open?”
“I think it depends on what gender the first two are. If they’re boys, I think I’m done.”
Her brothers have done a number on her. “I can see that, especially if they’re a handful.”
“Did your brother and his wife wait a while to start their family?”
“They’ve been trying for a long time. Years of infertility. Numerous miscarriages. Failed in-vitros. They’ve gone through hell and back for this baby.”
“Then it’ll be even more special because they waited so long and went through so much.”
“I pray everything goes okay. I don’t think they could make it through another loss.”
“I’m sure their baby is going to be just fine.”
I upgraded to the presidential suite after I was sure Frankee was coming. I want this trip to be first class all the way for her. “What do you think of the room?”
She falls back on the bed. “I think this is not a bad place to experience hotel sex for the first time.”
“I like that attitude.”
“Thank you for bringing me.”
“Thank you for coming.”
“Can’t come to Austin and not do anything so what’s the plan for tonight?”
“We have the rest of the evening to do anything we want. What are you thinking?”
“We don’t get to date like a real couple. I’d like to go out to dinner. Maybe go to a club and have some drinks and dance. You never get to see me dressed up. I’m always wearing shorts or jeans and a T-shirt.”
“True, but you look mighty fine in them.”
“As you do but I’d like to see you in a button-down and dress pants.”
“You’re going to see me in that for the next four days.”
“And it may turn me on s
o much that I drag you back to the room every day.”
“I wouldn’t complain about that.”
“Can we go dancing at a club tonight? I want to dress up and look pretty for you.”
Does this girl not know she looks gorgeous every day regardless of what she’s wearing? “Dinner and dancing. Done.”
I’ve been waiting on the sofa in the living area for like an hour when Frankee finally comes out of the bedroom. She’s wearing a short, tight black strapless dress and mile-high red fuck-me pumps. Her makeup looks vintage with thick, black lines on her upper lids. Reminds me of a sixties model. “Damn… girl. You look hot.”
