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I wrap my arms around her and pull her close so that our bodies are pressed right up against each other, sharing warmth, sharing the essential fact of us.
She clings to me fiercely.
“Maybe we are,” I tell her. “I’m sure the rest of the world….”
Graham, I fill in silently.
“Will think we are,” I go on as I gently smooth my hand down over her naked body, cradling her belly.
She flinches a little as though she’s going to tell me not to, but then she settles down. She never has to be embarrassed about her perfect body, not with me.
“But I don’t care what anybody else thinks,” I go on and then pause when she winces. “I care what certain people think – but not generally speaking. So what if it’s only been a little while? So what if I’m older? I know, Hallie, without any doubt…you’re the woman for me, our family is the family for me, and I love you. I love you more than anything.”
She says it in reply, and then we’re kissing again until she breaks it off, her hands clawing against my chest. It reminds me of the first night she bit me in almost the same spot.
“We have to tell him,” she says softly, her gaze flitting to me and then to her hand, where she grabs me as though she wants to confirm the physical fact of us. “We have to, don’t we?”
“Yes,” I say firmly. “We’ve always had to. But it’s more important now.”
She arches her eyebrow. “Now that we…love each other?”
I lean over and gently kiss her cheek.
My manhood is still raging. The emotion dominates…for now until the closeness of her naked body becomes too much to handle.
“You don’t have to sound so unsure,” I say. “I’ll tell you I love you a million times and never get bored.”
“Good, because I’ll never get bored of hearing it.” She beams, then grimaces. “But dad has to know. I’m not sure I can wait. But I can’t do this over the phone.”
I sit up with conviction, relieved Hallie finally wants to tell Graham.
Even if I know it could tear us apart.
“I’ll book a flight,” I tell her. “We’ll talk to him tomorrow.”
She sits up, causing her naked breasts to jiggle alluringly. I snap my gaze to her face, the emotion there, attempting to focus.
“Are you sure?” she asks.
“This has gone on in secret long enough,” I tell her firmly.
She nods, meeting my eyes. “We can do this, Hayden. I know we can.”
“I love you,” I say fiercely, leaning in for another kiss.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Hallie
Dad opens the door with a serious look on his face.
At least, that’s what I see as I stand beside Hayden, feeling a little tired from the flight…and from the sex, the three freaking times we’ve done it since that first. My whole universe would be bright and sparkly if it weren’t for this.
Dad’s staying in a rented holiday apartment, open plan, letting the California sunshine into the main living area. As dad leads us into the room, I spot notes on the coffee table covered in facts, figures, and medical terminology.
“Would either of you like a drink?” Dad asks.
“I’m fine,” Hayden says.
“Water, please,” I cut in as if the seconds it will take to pour us a glass of water can save us, give us enough delay to make this sound reasonable, to make what we did sound reasonable.
But though Hayden and I discussed it last night and all during the flight here, I can’t think of anything else.
Except the truth.
Hayden and I sit on the couch on one side of the coffee table. When dad returns and places my coaster down, he walks around the table and leans down, giving me a hug.
“Don’t think I forgot this,” he jokes, squeezing me tighter.
I hold on with far more desperation, as though one hug can reverse everything.
Despite the affection, dad has that same grim look on his face as he returns to his seat. He looks at Hayden and then at me.
“I’m guessing you didn’t fly all the way out here – together – just to say hello.”
“I feel like you know, Graham,” Hayden says, his voice choked, more than husky. It’s like he has to work hard just to push the words out.
“I don’t know anything,” Dad replies, tone snappier than usual. He sighs, stroking his mustache. “But logic tells me there are only a few reasons for you two to be here together. Perhaps if something had happened to Lila or Janine…but I spoke to them earlier. What else could it be, then?”
Dad sits back, folding his arms.
Hayden leans forward, staring at dad, at his oldest and best friend.
There’s a pit in my belly, far too wide, swallowing up any potentially positive emotions, making everything even bleaker.
“The truth is, Graham, I love your daughter.”
