Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Eva
After dinner that evening, we stayed true to keeping our conversation hopeful. I snuggled into his arms on the couch, watching a nature documentary.
“So what’s the deal with three hundred thousand dollars?” he asked.
My heart thundered, wanting to share my dream with him. I shared only bits of it with my friends. If my grandfather knew, he’d give me his life’s savings, and I couldn’t do that.
“I’ve always wanted to open my own flower shop,” I began, and told him everything: Morgan’s offer, what it would cost me, and all the fears that came with an exciting venture.
“Don’t go to the bank,” Kain said. “You can borrow money from me. Interest-free. You can make monthly payments to me like you would to a bank.”
The offer sounded wonderful, but it didn’t sit well with me.
What if my relationship with him failed?
We’d hate each other, and the financial situation could turn into a nightmare.
I’d already seen what a divorce did to Morgan, and though I wasn’t married to Kain, I didn’t want the drama.
Financial ties could complicate matters.
“Kain . . .”
“If you’re worried, I’ll have my lawyer draw up a contract, put things in black and white. You can make payments to an account he’ll set up.” He tipped up my chin. “If something happens between us—which it won’t—you’re protected. Okay?”
How did he know everything? Tears welled in my eyes, but I forced them to stop.
“Stop worrying about the financial details. The only thing keeping you from your dream is money, and I have plenty to share. Go after your dream, like I went after mine.” He kissed me. “And now I have you.”
I was his dream?
I looked at him to see honesty in his eyes.
Go for it.
How could I say no? He offered me the best deal I could ever imagine.
“Okay,” I breathed. “Have your lawyer draw something up. The contract will protect you too.”
My heart was so full it wanted to burst. I fell in love with Kain more and more every day. Not because he offered his financial support, but because he was the first man to confess I was his dream. He made me feel loved and safe from the very beginning.
I loved him, but I couldn’t tell him yet. Telling him too soon would make him assume my feelings for him stemmed from the financial support. So many emotions battled inside me, and I needed them to calm down first.
Love terrified me more than buying the shop.
If the shop failed, I could rebuild it. If this relationship failed, I didn’t know if I could recover from the destruction.
It took me a while to heal from Dennis’s betrayal.
My feelings for Kain were stronger and deeper, meaning I might not recover if we broke up.
Despite the barriers I’d built to protect myself, I couldn’t stop falling for Kain.
With him, my resistance weakened. The falling was like a leaf swaying toward something it had no control over.
Instead of landing on the ground, a tree limb extended its arms and caught it. He was that tree limb catching me.
He’d done so much for me, and his actions were all selfless.
During our first encounter, he shielded me from the metal display rack; he also chased after the thief, and then he used his body to protect me from the explosion at the hotel.
Still, my heart warned me to take it slow.
Let things settle so I could see them clearly.
Maybe I was confusing love with appreciation.
I knew Kain cared about me, but that didn’t mean he loved me. Love was a powerful word. What his dad did to his mom probably gave him a fractured perspective on relationships.
Kain pulled me into his arms. “I want to ensure that you have everything you need to fulfill your dreams.”
My throat tightened. “Why do you care so much about me?”
He looked down at me, and the green in his eyes darkened to a gorgeous emerald. “Because I’m a smart man. I know when I have something precious. You’re sexy and have a beautiful heart.” His eyes flickered. “Not to mention you’re wild in bed—my kind of woman.”
I laughed as my heart swelled. Kain was the stability I needed to leap toward my dreams. Tomorrow, I’d send Morgan a text, letting her know of my decision. Then I’d prepare an outline for when I returned to work to meet with her. Joy shot through my body, and I attacked his face with kisses.
“How can I thank you for your generosity?” I nipped at his lower lip.
“I’m yours for the taking, my wild passionflower.”
“Then I’ll show you how wild and passionate I can be.”