Chapter 18
I keep Liliana by my side until Nate pulls out of the driveway. Once he’s gone, all the tension floods out of her body, and she leans into me.
When it became apparent that Liliana would be breaking up with Nate, I realized there was no way we could all stay in the same house for the remainder of their trip. From there, the decision was obvious. Liliana will stay with me until we head up to South Carolina to get her stuff together. As for Nathan, he can do whatever the fuck he wants.
Finding out why he begged Liliana to stay was my breaking point with him. Even if I wasn’t basically obsessed with the woman, I’d never tolerate him treating someone like that. How he could ever think it’s justified goes to show how wide the chasm is between us now.
“I’m not only with you because you’re young,” I say.
“I know.”
“And I’m not going to dump you when you turn thirty. Or before that. Or ever, Liliana.”
She squeezes my hand. “I know.”
“And I’ll never get bored of you. Never.”
“Marcus, I know.” Threading her fingers through my hair, she tugs me down for a kiss. “He just said all that because he was mad. I know who you are, and I know you’re nothing like him.”
I relax. “Good. Because what I feel for you? It’s permanent. Etched into my fucking soul, little star. I am never, ever giving up on you.”
Her expression softens, and I let myself get lost in those big brown eyes of hers. “I wouldn’t let you.”
“Good. I’m glad you haven’t forgotten what I told you.”
Side by side, we walk back into the house. Our house. Soon, this place will have traces of Liliana everywhere. It’ll be hers just as much as it’s mine. Then I can build her the screened-in porch and the hot tub—and whatever else she wants afterward.
“The hard part is over, right?” she asks.
“I hope so.” Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I kiss the top of her head. “Although I have a feeling uprooting your business and moving to a different city will be a pretty difficult process.”
“Yeah,” she muses. “But we’ll get through it.”
I smile. My girl said we. I’ve never heard a sweeter sound.