AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The word seemed to reverberate in her chest—part promise, part threat—as her head jerked up.
‘What about us?’ she managed, forcing herself not to relinquish eye contact. Whatever happened now, she would not let the fanciful girl she’d once been misconstrue his intentions again.
‘I’m going to need your help getting to know Ruby,’ he said. ‘Alotof your help. Because, believe me, fatherhood is not something that is likely to come naturally to me,’ he added.
The dark tide of sympathy pulsed in her chest. His uncertainty was surprising but also deeply touching...and illuminating.
He was struggling as well with the enormity of this situation—why hadn’t she considered he might not be as confident as he appeared? It also seemed important that he’d let her glimpse his vulnerability. Because she suspected showing a weakness was something he despised.
‘Marriage is the best way for us to get to know each other properly,’ he added. ‘I want Ruby to trust me. And, for her to trust me, I need to trust you. We need to spend time together for that to happen.’
She took another sip of the whisky. ‘Okay,’ she said.
Something fierce and visceral flared in his gaze. ‘Okay, you’ll marry me?’
‘Okay, I’ll consider it,’ she replied.
Brandon let out a strained laugh. He’d been considering this conversation all day. He’d been prepared to bully and cajole her if necessary into doing what he thought was best. But, as usual, Lacey had blindsided him. Almost as much as the experience of holding his daughter in his arms for the first time had blindsided him that morning.
Seeing his child and Lacey and her sister trapped in their home by those bastards, feeling his little girl cling to him and rely on him for her safety, had changed something fundamental inside him. Until that moment, the concept of becoming a father had seemed purely academic in a lot of ways.
Now it felt very real.
‘What exactly is there to consider?’ he said, deciding to humour her. After all, they’d both had a long, tiring day. And she seemed a lot more malleable than she had yesterday in his office. Perhaps it was time to employ the carrot instead of the stick—something he should have considered sooner. He prided himself on being a master of negotiation, but for some damn reason as soon as he got a lungful of Lacey’s scent, and saw the bold pride in her eyes, he found it impossible to back off with her.
Perhaps because he wanted this marriage, so much.
Eventually he would get bored with her. He had no track record when it came to long-term commitment, nor did he desire one. At which point they could consider a divorce. Somehow he doubted his fascination with Lacey would wear off any time soon—after all, it had lasted five years already—but when it did, if he had established a workable relationship with his daughter, then it would be all good.
‘Exactly what kind of marriage are you expecting?’ she asked, her cheeks mottling with colour.
He frowned. ‘The usual kind.’ Why was she talking in riddles?
‘So you don’t plan for this to be a marriage in name only?’
He choked out an astonished laugh at her naivety—breaking the tension in his gut for the first time in close to a week. ‘Of course not. Why would either one of us want a sexless marriage?’
He cupped her cheek, no longer able to resist the powerful urge to touch her. Did a little of that girl still remain? And why did the thought of discovering the answer to that question feel as hot as it was beguiling?
‘Sex happens to be the only thing we do well together,’ he said. ‘Why deny ourselves that pleasure when we’re probably going to be fighting fires on every other front in this marriage?’
Funny to think, though, that fighting those fires with her appealed to him almost as much as the thought of taking her in every possible way he could imagine. And he’d imagined a lot.
She turned away, but he saw her throat contract as she swallowed.
That’s right, Lacey, why deny it when you know it’s true?
He let his hand drop, remembering that in any negotiation it was sometimes better to stake your claim then wait for your opponent to come to you.
‘Of course, it will be your choice. I’m not going to force the issue,’ he added.
Not when seducing you will be so much more rewarding.
At last she nodded, but something flickered in her eyes that he couldn’t read.
‘I see,’ she said. He had to bite his lip to stop himself from smiling again. She’d learn soon enough that resistance was futile when it came to denying their chemistry.
He tensed as her breath gushed out.
