AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m taken aback by the sudden exposure of her body as she gives me a cheeky smile and sticks her tongue out slightly. “You coming in?”
She dives into the pool, and I watch her body disappear into the water.
I know I shouldn’t, but I’ve exhibited a lot of self-control today and there’s only so much one man can handle.
I take off my shirt and dive in after her.
We circle each other, both dripping with water and smiling like teenagers who are doing something they shouldn’t.
Something about being in the pool together heightens the energy between us.
She splashes water at me, and I dive underwater and grab her, lifting her into the air.
She squeals as I throw her across the pool.
I throw my head back, laughing. I like subverting her expectations of me. Right now, I just want to be someone else. I want to match her free energy.
She swims over and tries to tackle me, but it just ends with us with our arms around each other, laughing.
Electricity crackles between us as I stare at her lips. I’ve never wanted to kiss someone more. Now that I think about it, if this version of Millie had shown up for the dating show, I don’t know if I would’ve chosen her. I would’ve been afraid of what she could do to me and what I would give up for her.
She raises her eyebrow. “What?”
I lick my lips. “Just wondering where this version of you was when we were filming.”
She rolls her eyes and pushes herself backward. “Well, Ireallydidn’t want to get proposed to, but Ireallywanted the participation fee, so it was a fine line of being there but not being likable. I thought I had annoyed you enough.”
I laugh. “You certainly were different from the rest. Why didn’t you just quit and take the money?”
She starts floating on her back. “It was in the contract. If you quit, you don’t get paid.”
“What?! That’s ridiculous.”
I can feel my blood boil as my hands ball into fists. I can’t believe the production company would pull something like this.
After ditching us here and now finding out about this disgusting behavior, I’m going to make them pay.
As much as I’m enjoying Millie’s company right now, no one should be forced to do anything.
She sighs. “And, like, I put myself in this position. I applied, I knew what I was getting myself into, to a degree. But when they said we would be engaged and potentially married… like I know reality TV is far from real, but it felt like it was making a mockery of something that should be sacred.”
I watch as she floats closer to me.
“That’s not what my mom would want for me,” she says. “She wanted me to go to college, find my passion.”
I put my arm on hers. “Well, I’m glad that’s what you’ll get to do now. Did you not go because she was sick?”
She looks at me with a pained expression. “Yes, and as much as she wanted me to go, I wasn’t going to just leave her while she was sick. I spent every second by her side and I don’t regret that. There is a part of me that wonders where I would be, career-wise, but nothing can replace time with a loved one; nothing is more valuable.”
I reach over and wipe a stray tear from her cheek. I want nothing more than to take away her pain and sadness.
“I completely understand. As I told you earlier, my mom is the reason I work so hard, but it’s not just that. I don’t want her to ever be put in that position again; I want to make sure she knows how thankful I am, and I never want to take my money, my success, my stability for granted. I think when you grow up with one parent, your priorities are different, and not a lot of people understand that.”
She nods. “I really do admire your work ethic; I did when we were filming, even. Surely they should’ve realized a company doesn’t run itself.”
I let out a loud breath. “Finally! Someone who gets it.”
Millie steps closer. “At the same time… surely now that you’re at this stage in your career, you can afford to step back?”
