“Nothing.” His voice is absolute.
“What about babies?”
His lips quirk with the first hint of a smile. “Would you want that? With me? Even though I’m a risk?”
I melt for him, everything turning into a gooey mess I can’t stop. I gingerly touch his jaw. “Charlie, there is no other man on earth I would trust to be the father of my daughters.”
He laughs, and it’s strained and full of the emotions he’s repressed for a lifetime. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
In this, he needs my reassurance. To know he has my complete trust and I’m not about to deny him. “I have a confession to make, but you can never tell anyone.”
His fingers tighten on mine. “My lips are sealed.”
I lower my voice. “I never read The Second Sex.”
He bursts out in a real laugh, the one that comes from his belly. “You little liar.”
“In my defense, I had Women’s History the same semester I had Con Law with the most feared and hated professor on campus. Professor Stanovich was a brutal tyrant, and something had to go.” I touch his hand. “So I’m afraid you’ll have to teach them the foundations of feminist theory.”
“I can do that.” He raises my hand and kisses the tips of my fingers. “I have a confession too.”
“I’m listening.”
His eyes are wet and shiny when they meet mine. “I hate overnight oats.”
I nod solemnly. “That’s disappointing to hear, but you still have to eat them for your heart health.”
“Okay, that’s fair.”
Tears well in my eyes, and my throat is tight when I speak. “I love you, Charlie.”
“I love you too, Jessica.” His gaze searches mine. “So, we’re doing this?”
“We’re doing this.” There’s not a single doubt in my mind.
“Good.” His jaw turns hard. “But don’t think just because we’ve declared our intentions, you’re getting out of what will be an epic and lengthy talking-to.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” We both know where all of his stern talking-tos end up.
“Good. But for now, I will leave it at this.” He grips my jaw lightly. “If you ever do anything like that again, you will not like the consequences.”
“I promise I will never, ever do anything like that again.”
“What were you thinking?”
I nibble my lower lip. “I was thinking I could take advantage of the way he couldn’t take his eyes off me at the bar.”
He growls. “I’ve clearly been letting you off easy.”
“I’m sure you’ll get me straightened out eventually.” I pull him closer, already frustrated that I’m not healed enough for him to hold me. “But you can’t say I’m not exciting.”
“You are heart-stopping.” He leans forward and brushes his lips over mine. “Is that okay?”
“Yes. More.”
“Did I really say I was going to spank you in front of your father?” His tongue slides over the seam of my lips.
“You did.”
