Page 47 of Taking His Heart

“Smooth.” I smile. It’s my fault he thinks I’m going to leave. I did this to us. Which is why I don’t mention it. Instead, I climb over him and settle in beside him. “I won’t leave the room.”

“Thank you.”

“CJ?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you really think we’re going to be able to make this work? Us? I broke us really bad. What if we can’t come back from that?”

“We’re going to work, because I’m not going to give up on us, Dani. I did that once, and I shouldn’t have. You didn’t break us. We both played a part in that.”

“It was me. I left. You didn’t do anything.”

“I didn’t chase you.”

“I didn’t want you to.”

“I know and I wanted to respect what you wanted. But I should have done what I wanted and just kidnapped you and kept you until you developed Stockholm and decided you couldn’t live without me.”

“Huh, you really had that thought out, didn’t you?”

“I had a hundred different ways of taking you, a hundred different locations scoped out where no one would find us.”

“I would have found her.” Dad walks into CJ’s bedroom with a mug in his hand.

“Dad!” I swear my family knows no boundaries.

“What?” he asks. “I got your coffee.”

“Thank you.” I take the cup from his hand.

“Also, your mother is here,” Dad says.

“Well, at least she has boundaries and doesn’t just walk into people’s bedrooms.” I roll my eyes.

“She can come in here.” CJ reaches over and takes hold of my hand. A move my father follows with his eyes before he stares at my face, looking for any sign that I’m not okay.

“Tell her to come in,” I say. “But the other two can stay out there.”

“The other two?” CJ asks.

“Rosie and Aurelio.”

“They can come in, Dani. It’s your bedroom.”

“It’s your bedroom. And you’re sick. You need to be resting. Not having my family invade your space.”

“Technically, you went and made us all his family too, baby girl.” Dad chuckles. “Welcome to the family, CJ.”

“Why do I get the feeling he’s being sarcastic?” CJ turns to me when my dad leaves the room.

“Because my family is… a lot.”

“I’ve known your family for years, Dani. They’re fine.”

“No, you’ve known them in small, polite segments. Now that you’re family, they won’t hold back.”

“Oh my god! You got married without me there. I’m never going to forgive you!” Rosie yells as she runs into the bedroom.