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“Viewing room?” I asked Riley.
His eyes grew openly amused. “Yes, that’s kind of the point,” he said. “Settle in, sweetheart. Enjoy a bubble bath, we’ve got the place for the entire weekend.”
No way José could I linger in the bathtub when my insides burned with curiosity.
Luna and I only explored the areas intended for the Littles’ entertainment. But I was keenly aware of what this place had to offer, and my curiosity burned a hole in me to uncover what lay beyond the next door.
Riley’s delight grew unmistakable, and I looked around for its source. Standing tall and proud, he wore a mischievous grin that played at the corners of his lips. I swear I could almost see him mentally rubbing his hands together when he said, “Time for me to remind you of the private vows we promised.”
Before I saw it coming, he picked me up and carried me to a huge, velvet-covered Chesterfield couch. He sat down, holding me effortlessly on his lap, his arms around me.
I thought back to his comment about sexual adventures after we’d encountered Jake, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that’s why we were here. I tried to play it cool.
My sandpapery throat made my voice come out in a hoarse croak. I cleared it, took a deep breath, and asked, “What about them?”
His fingers played with a lock of my hair, twirling it around. “Do you recall telling me no one man would ever be able to keep your attention?” He paused for effect, his sapphire irises sparking. “You were so cruel. I was completely smitten with you, desperate to make you mine, and I couldn’t stand the thought of other men’s hands touching what belonged to me.”
I swallowed hard, having lost the ability to speak. The only sound was the slight rustle of clothing as I moved my shoulders in a shrug.
Fear of being abandoned because of my ADHD-related oddities had driven me to push Riley away preemptively, but they hadn’t bothered him. Suddenly, my self-sabotage seemed over the top. “I guess so. Honestly, I wasn’t trying to hurt you. It’s just that I’ve never been good at relationships.”
His stare blazed with a jealousy that made my own green-eyed monster resemble a timid kitten. “You didn’t upset me, Faith. What you did was torture me. You may as well have laid brands on my skin, pulled out my nails with a pair of pliers, plucked out my eyeballs, and tossed them to the dogs, so bad was the pain whenever I thought of you in another man’s arms.” His voice was thick and unsteady. “You belong to me.”
Like I said, you usually know before you know.
My heart was hooked on Riley before my brain even had a clue.
And I realized suddenly—my big mouth had been writing checks my ass wasn’t ready to cash.
CHAPTER18
FAITH
He still held me on his lap, as if afraid to let me go. I gently pressed my lips to his eyelashes, which were squeezed shut tight. His voice was raspy and low, and a subtle tremor clung to the edges of his words, which filled the room of our suite at The Ranch. The irony was, hearing the pain he expressed was the same torture he’d described. Only one idea came to mind—it wasn’t my kisses that could fix it.
I mustered up the courage, and let the words tumble out of my mouth. My heart seized with fear—the thought that he might grow tired of my forgetfulness and impulsivity was beyond scary. But as I looked him in the eyes, there was not a whisper of hesitation left in me. “Daddy, I love you. Thank you for never giving up on me.”
A lone tear rolled down his cheek.
Shit.
I sucked so badly at this.
The shock of failure held me immobile.
In my attempt to make him feel better, I’d only made it worse.
My throat ached with defeat. “Please don’t cry.”
His voice was a gentle purr. “Happy tears, Faith. You make me so happy. I love you.”
Riley kissed my nose and I wiped the wetness from his cheeks. “Only the woman gets to be moody as fuck due to pregnancy hormones.”
“Maybe I’m having sympathy mood swings.”
“But, seriously, why are you crying?” I asked.
“I’m not crying. You’re crying,” he joked.
