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She frowns. “Do you also own zoos?”
I throw my head back and laugh.
“No, that we don’t,” I say, wiping tears from my eyes. “Sorry honey. Why, do you love zoos?”
Carolyn shakes her head, totally serious.
“No, and I’m glad you don’t. A lot of zoos have converted themselves into wildlife research centers and animal refuges, which I support. But I still have mixed feeling about places that hold perfectly healthy animals in cages. It seems barbaric.”
I nod and slide my big hand over her small one.
“It is, and I promise you that Cahill’s not into that.”
She smiles and relaxes.
“That’s good. But still, being the head honcho must be a lot of pressure. It sounds like you have a full plate, and have had a full plate for decades now.”
I shrug. “It is, I guess, but you get used to all the stress and expectations after a while. Plus, our dinner together means more to me than all that business nonsense. There are a lot of jokers out there, and Cahill Holdings has its share.”
The curvy girl sitting across from me smiles incredulously. “You can’t mean that! I mean, of course I love being here with you, but you run a Fortune 500 company. That’s really important!”
I shrug and smile devilishly.
“Yes, but work is work and all work makes Jack a dull boy. Besides, I haven’t met someone like you in a long time, Carolyn. I had a great time with you at the wedding, and I’m having a great time with you now. But are you comfortable, baby? You know that I’m your friend’s father, and that I’m nearing fifty.”
She gasps, her eyes wide.
“You’re fifty?” she whispers.
I shake my head, grimacing a little.
“Okay, that wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for, but in the interest of being transparent, I’m almost fifty. I’m forty-nine, sweetheart. Zora is twenty-five, and I had her young, when I myself was only twenty-four.”
“I’m twenty-four too,” Carolyn says in a whisper.
I nod.
“Does our age gap bother you?” I ask in a low voice.
She thinks for a moment, her bosom trembling slightly. But then the sweet woman cocks her head and looks at me.
“You know what? It doesn’t,” she murmurs. “I kind of like it actually. I like knowing that you have a wealth of experience for me to draw on, and that you’re stable and settled, the way older men tend to be.”
I nod. “Have you dated anyone older in the past?”
Carolyn lets out a melodious giggle then.
“No, not really. I mean, I had a boyfriend who was six months older than me back in high school, but that hardly counts. This would be my first significant May December relationship.”
My eyes flare as I squeeze her hand.
“Good, because I’m taking this seriously, Carolyn. I want this to be a real relationship where we get to know one another, and not a fly-by-night operation where we just have sex and then move on. My heart couldn’t take it.”
She blushes and looks into my eyes, that warm chocolate gaze making my soul expand.
“I’d like that, Preston. To be with you in a real way, I mean,” she murmurs shyly. With that, I can’t resist anymore because this woman is too tempting. I stand and round the dining table to pull her up with me. Then I seize the beautiful woman’s mouth with my own, devouring her sweetness. After all, there’s more to Carolyn than a fun roll in the hay. She’s turning out to be incredible and charming, and I pull her close while savoring those lush curves.
But is she really okay with the May December aspect of this romance? After all, I’m almost twice her age, and maybe she wants someone a little younger and a little more playful. I’ve been on my own for a while now, and a man gets set in his ways for better or worse. Nonetheless, I decide to let go for the moment and to savor what this woman has to offer.
11
Preston
For our second meeting, I decide to take Carolyn out on my yacht because our first date was conducted entirely inside my penthouse. Of course, I gave her a good workout in the bedroom and we indulged in the delicious food prepared by my chef. But still, I don’t want her to think that she’s my dirty little secret that I’m ashamed to show in public. Quite the contrary. So this time, I invite her to meet me at a private dock on the Hudson River where I keep my boat.
Well, it’s where I store one of my boats. I actually have quite a few, but I don’t want to show all my cards at once. Nonetheless, when my woman arrives, she looks amazing. Carolyn’s wearing a white sundress that shows off her tanned legs and a short-sleeve cardigan to cover her shoulders. It’s demure without being staid, and I love how the outfit outlines her curvy figure.
