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“You don’t have to be ashamed because you started life with money,” Duke says, reading me like an essay.
“It’s difficult,” I admit. “Being in college, knowing everybody else is eyeballs-deep in debt or working several jobs.”
“If you gave them a choice between the cash and their parent, they’d all choose their parent. Life is never as simple as it seems.”
“Oh, I know that,” I say, giving him a look.
I love how easily he can read me. He knows I’m talking about us and the strange path our desire has taken, bringing us together despite all the viciousness with Ryan.
We eat without talking for a while, and then Duke says, “How long until you leave for Korea?”
“Just over three weeks.”
He swallows and looks out the window, but it’s not like he’s searching for Ethan this time. It’s more like he’s searching for an answer. Warmth whelms in me when he faces me again, pain in his eyes.
“I had a proposal in South Korea a few months ago, a business opportunity to open a gym there. It was a good proposal. I rejected it because I needed to be here for Ryan.”
Hope tries to flare in me, but then Duke sighs and shakes his head. “But we shouldn’t talk about the future,” he says. “Who knows what’s going to happen?”
I swallow. “Yeah, but…”
“Go on,” he says, leaning forward.
“I’ll miss you,” I say.
“Of course you will. I’ll miss you more.” He smiles, but there’s a tinge of sadness to it. It’s like he’s holding off on being happy until he knows his son will be okay. Since we’re going to have children together one day—I hope, I dream—I respect him for this. I’d want the same for our son. “You’re my woman.”
“What does that mean, huh? Beingyourwoman?”
“It means nobody else touches you or kisses you. It means nobody else is intimate with you in any way. It means we’re together.”
“Even if…” I bite down. I can’t say it.Even if things don’t work out with Ryan…
“You’re mine,” he says gruffly.
“That means you’re mine, too,” I reply. “Doesn’t it? Or is this a one-way deal? Are you going to date other women?”
“No,” he says firmly. “I’ve got no interest in anybody else. Only you.”
Forever, I wait for him to add, but then he turns back to his steak. After a minute, I ask, “When does Ryan’s mom get here, anyway?”
He narrows his eyes at me. “Susan? She’s not coming.”
“What?”I almost yell. “I don’t understand. She knows Ryan has been kidnapped, right?”
Duke nods. “She knows everything but said there’s no reason for her to be here. She’s not a cop or a hostage rescuer. She said it’ll all be over by the time she arrives.”
“I don’t understand that,” I say. “If that was my son… Heck, I’dswimacross the ocean if I had to.”
Duke reaches across the table and takes my hand. “I know you would,” he says warmly. “That’s why you’re going to be the perfect mother. You’re always going to put them first.”
“Always,” I say fiercely, squeezing his hand. Our eye contact is so steamy and full of meaning that I think he must be talking about us. There’s no way, with all this children talk, it’s just some theoretical conversation.
“How long have you wanted children?” he asks.
“Ever since I was one,” I tell him. “I think it was watching Mom and Dad. I want to do better.”
“I wanted to do better, too,” he replies.
