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I snuggle my face into her neck, kissing and nipping as she throws her arms around me.
I take in her soft, sweet scent, and she moans. “We should stop,” she whispers. “Need I remind you I’m at work, and technically, you haven’t taken me on that date yet.”
I smile into her skin. “I’m already regretting taking things slow,” I mutter.
The thing I’m not regretting, is being here in her arms.
I didn’t plan it like this, but I’ve always followed my gut, and it’s never let me down before.
I knew she was mine the first time she fell into my arms, and every night after that when we made long and passionate love. It went way beyond fucking.
The way she looks at me makes me feel like her king, and I want to make her my queen.
But we can only take it day by day, and weather the stormy waters that will come.
And I will, for her.
Epilogue
Lukas
One year later
James sits across from us. The look on his face says it all, and I know Ariana is uncomfortable, but it was inevitable this moment had to come. He’s known about us for a while, and while I never expected his blessing, I didn’t expect the barrage that shortly followed. To say he’s been intolerable is an understatement.
I get it’s weird. I get he’s not thrilled about it, but it wasn’t like we set out to do this… to fall in love.
This past year of dating Ariana has taught me so much, and I’ve never felt more alive. She makes me feel things I’ve never dared to imagine before. While the tightening in my chest hurts, it’s better that it’s all out on the table, because we’re moving forward in our relationship, and I want James to be the first to know.
“…got to be fucking kidding me…” he’s saying.
Yeah, I tend to zone out when people start to yell, because he’s my son I’m kind of obligated to at least hear him out. Not that he deserves it. He cheated on the other girl he was with too, the one he cheated on Ariana with.
“We’re not fucking kidding, James, and we wanted you to be the first to know.” I don’t addout of respect,because frankly, he doesn’t deserve that courtesy. Instead I say, “Before you hear it from someone else.”
“This is absurd!” He turns to Ariana sitting next to him on the other armchair. We’re in my office since he came barging in here when I summoned him. Naturally, he thinks I’ve changed my mind on his inheritance, so now he’s just pissed.
“And you!” he snarls at her. “How long was this going on, huh? I mean, it’s sick. I’m a laughingstock!”
She turns to him, cool and composed. My girl has come so far with her confidence this last year, and it wasn’t before time. She’s come on in leaps and bounds, opening her own florist boutique with all on her own merits, changing her career, taking charge. She’s done it, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.
“Nothing was going on when we were together, James,” she says, meeting his enraged face. “You know that. We met on vacation, by accident. We didn’t do any of this on purpose, and might I remind you, it wasyouwho cheated onmewhile we were together, so I don’t think you’re in any position to lecture me on anything.”
I know Ariana feels bad about how this is affecting James; she’s just that kind of person.
I, however, don’t give a fuck. He should’ve looked after her when he had her, not let her slip away, and certainly not have cheated on her.
There was a time when I started to feel a little bit guilty, but that passed as soon as he started talking shit about Ariana. All my sympathy went out the window, and it seems he still doesn’t know how to treat a woman. Let’s just say, he didn’t learn any of that from me.
I really want to smack him upside the head for speaking to her like that, but I know that as much as I want to defend Arianawhen she’s being attacked like this, she’s her own woman and she’s one tough cookie. Some things, I’ve got to let her do for herself.
“Ha!” he snorts, his anger building. “Everywhere I go, people are asking about it. It’s so fucking embarrassing, Ari. You could have picked any other fucking guy in the world, but my father?” He makes a face that leaves no question about his disgust. Finding out it’s not just a whim has only added to the animosity in the room.
I stopped making excuses long ago. She’s mine now, and he has to learn to accept it.
“So let them?” She shrugs. “It’ll be yesterday’s news soon. There’s always some new scandal ready to print tomorrow. And you can’t help who you fall in love with, James. Maybe if you spent more time on your own relationships instead of worrying about mine and your father’s, you might be able to hold onto a good woman. I doubt it, though, as past experience shows us that you’re not very good at communication.”
He shakes his head, scowling at her. “Maybe if you were around more during our relationship, I wouldn’t have had to go looking for my needs elsewhere.”
