22. PG? Never Heard of It #2
“Pleasure to meet you.” Eddie’s eyes narrow. “Sorry, you look really familiar. I swear I’ve seen you before.”
Kiki stiffens, no doubt bracing for an onslaught of accusations. “You have—on the front page of the papers, all thanks to my soon-to-be ex-husband. You know, the monster of Sparkwood.”
Eddie studies her, then nods slowly. “Yeah. I saw the article. I’m sorry you had to go through that. You’re not him, though. I hope you know that.”
“You don’t have to be nice to me. I just can’t wait to divorce the bastard.”
Now, this could go either way—but Eddie turns out to be as stand-up as his sister.
He reaches out and gives her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “Divorce isn’t easy. Trust me, I know. It’s not a club I ever wanted to join—but that’s life. I’m here if you ever need to talk.”
This time, Kiki’s smile is genuine. “Thank you. Both of you.”
“You’re family, Kiki.” I pull her into a quick hug, then motion between her and Eddie. “I have to get back to my woman, so I’ll let you two handle the details. Just remember—Mina can’t know about any of this.”
“Got it,” Kiki replies, flashing Eddie a grin. “He’s bossy, like his brother.”
Eddie bites back a laugh. “No one is as bossy as Ori, though. She’s lucky I love her.”
“On that note, I’m out.” I hold up my hands in surrender because I am not getting into the middle of that conversation. “Thank you.”
Mina is dancing with a few friends when I sneak up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist.
“You better be my boyfriend, because no other man touches me.”
“Maybe I can make you reconsider,” I whisper, delivering a gentle nip to her earlobe.
She turns with a laugh, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I don’t know. My man is pretty much perfect. But I’m ready to hear your list of attributes.”
I pull her close, letting my hands drift down to cup her ass. Sorry, kids—this is not a PG moment.
“Where to begin? I mean, I’m seriously good-looking.”
Mina smirks. “True.”
“Umm… I can cook.”
She moans and licks her lips. “Yes, you can.”
And now my cock is screaming for some private time with my lady. “Let’s see. What else? Oh yeah—I’m crazy about you. And if I recall correctly, I made you scream my name several times last night.”
She presses her lips against mine, sliding her hands along my chest. “You have an excellent memory.”
I nibble her lower lip, fully aware she can feel my erection pressing against her—knowing exactly what she does to me. “I also have a very talented tongue, unless you’ve forgotten that part.”
“Care to remind me?” She nods toward the main estate house, a mischievous smile on her face.
“What do you have in mind?”
She grabs my hand and leads me from the dance floor to where the shadows shield our movements. “We have an entire empty house to play in.”
“Damn, but that sounds tempting. Although, knowing us, we’ll end up falling down some rust-laden stairwell and wind up with tetanus. ”
Mina wags her finger at me. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
Truth is… so am I.
“But,” Mina’s voice cuts into my thoughts, “I’d rather not hurt any of your precious body parts.”
“I will need them later.” I fold her into my arms, sighing when she rests her forehead against mine. “How about I make it up to you after the party?”
“Sounds perfect.”
We sway gently to the music as I bask in the feel of her.
Unlike my brother, I always wanted to settle down and get married. Having kids seemed like a blast—even if it meant no sleep for the next twenty years.
But although I’ve dated a ton of great women, none of them ever felt like the one .
The one I’d grow old beside. The one who, thirty years from now, would look back at our life and not change a thing.
Until now.
Mina is the reason no other woman ever felt like home.
She tilts her head back, eyes bright in the low light. “I love you.”
Her words are soft. So is her smile. And I know, without a single doubt, she means it.
I drift my thumb across her cheek and steal a kiss. “And I love you.”
“You think one day that might be us?” she asks, nodding toward Ash and Ori, wrapped in each other’s arms as they dance.
“I don’t know. I enjoy being me. Don’t think I’d want to be Ash.”
I’m teasing—mostly. Getting a rise out of my ballerina girl never gets old.
Mina jabs me in the ribs, laughing softly. “You know what I mean.”
Yes. I do .
And despite its being soon, I believe Mina is the woman I’ll marry one day. The woman who will make me a dad.
At least, I hope it’s her.
“Maybe it’s too soon to think like that.” She skews her mouth to the side, a flicker of insecurity rising in her eyes.
Not a chance in hell I’m letting it linger.
“That little girl who used to twirl on the lawn?” I murmur, brushing my knuckles along her jaw. “She dreamed of a stage. A home. Maybe a couple of kids running around.”
She nods—slow and shy, eyes glistening. “She did.”
“I think about that a lot,” I whisper. “What it would be like to give her all of it.”
She seizes my mouth in a fierce kiss, her tongue dancing with mine in perfect rhythm—and I feel my need rising to strip her down and take her right here in this darkened corner.
Hey, Ash and Ori would understand.
The other guests might have an issue with it, never mind how my parents would react.
After all, it’s their first time meeting her—and although she was an instant hit, a visual of her bent over a railing is not a good core memory.
For them.
For me, it’s perfection.
So is she—and I think she’s finally starting to believe it, too.
She bunches my shirt in her hands, rubbing her nose against mine. “I’m holding you to that, you incredibly perfect man.”
“I love you, Mina. I fucking love you.”
I grab her face with both hands, my thumbs brushing her cheeks as I pull her to me. Then I kiss her—deep and unapologetic—knowing we’ve earned this moment and daring the world to take it away.
I’m lost in her. And I don’t care if I’m ever found .
To think I almost didn’t give her a chance.
Someone clears their throat near us, and we pull apart.
I wipe a hand across my chin and grin at my folks. “Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad.”
“Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Hammond,” Mina groans, burying her face in her hands, her cheeks red as a lobster.
“Don’t be sorry,” my mother replies. “You two are adorable together. We’re heading to the hotel now—our flight back is at the crack of dawn.”
“Why aren’t you staying longer?” I ask, leaning against the wrought-iron railing.
“Your father booked us a trip to the Bahamas as a surprise anniversary gift.”
A smile lights up Mina’s face. “Nicely done, Mr. Hammond. Have fun.”
My mother winks at her and jerks a thumb toward my dad. “He’s a good one. Taught his sons well, too. Okay, let go of her for a second so I can say goodbye.”
As I watch my mom and Mina embrace, I realize—once again—how right this feels.
How natural and easy.
“You’re coming to Florida soon, right?” my mother asks. Not really a question—it’s more of a demand.
Mina happily obliges. “Of course. I’ll even bring your son along.”
“Thanks a lot,” I mutter, hugging my folks goodbye.
“Do you think they like me?” Mina asks, watching them depart.
I wrap an arm around her shoulders, dropping a kiss to her hair. “They more than like you. If they had their say, we’d be getting married tomorrow.”
“No way we could do that,” Mina says, shooting me an incredulous look.
Okay, weird response. I wasn’t asking—but damn, she was quick to shoot the idea down .
And why does that knowledge bother me so much?
“I mean… next week might work. But a girl needs a dress.” She pops out her hip, fixing me with that azure gaze.
“Next week, huh? You drive a hard bargain.”
“You love it.”
She’s right. I do.
Mina’s phone rings, and she grabs it from her bag, her smile faltering.
“You okay?”
But Mina remains silent, her gaze glued to the screen.
“Mina?”
She nods and waves off my question. “I’m… fine. Just need to take this call.”
The warmth in my chest fades by degrees.
Something’s wrong.