Chapter 4
Reagan
He’s serious. Either that, or he’s an amazing actor who thinks he can lure me into his bed by pretending he doesn’t want to. Time will tell on that one.
I can’t believe how much I just shared with him. It was practically my whole life story. Why on Earth did I do that? Now, I need to know about him. “What about you? Why aren’t you married or in a relationship?”
He shrugs. “I’ve had a lot of relationships, but my last one left me with a sour taste in my mouth, so I’ve steered clear of them for a while.”
“How long is a while ?”
“I broke up with Silvia four years ago.”
My breath hitches. “You haven’t dated anyone in four years?”
“Nope. I’ve hooked up with a few women since then, but not for anything serious or long-term. It’s been a while since I did that, too.”
“Why?”
He glances at me. “They weren’t you.”
I turn my attention back to the path. It’s wide enough to continue holding his hand here, but it will narrow in some places. He’ll have to let me go eventually, and I find myself not looking forward to that.
“So, you’re an artist?”
“Yes. I’ve been painting for most of my life. I’ve been fortunate enough to sell enough of my work to keep myself afloat. After I broke up with Silvia, nothing was tethering me to Upstate New York, so I bought an RV and started touring the country.”
“I’ve never been more than twenty miles away from Wilde,” I admit, feeling jealous.
He squeezes my hand. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go, Reagan.”
My heart races. He’s like a dream. Surely this isn’t happening. “I guess you have the funds to do so now that you have your inheritance.” I flinch as soon as those words come out of my mouth and look at him. “That didn’t sound right. I didn’t mean…”
He chuckles. “Don’t worry. I know what you meant, and for the record, I don’t exactly have my inheritance.
Thomas McAndrews is the executor of the will.
Each grandchild who shows up is entitled to a hefty chunk of the estate after ten years of living here.
In the meantime, if we want some of our money, we have to go to Thomas and ask for it, and he has to approve it. ”
“Oh. Ten years… That’s a long time.”
He chuckles. “Were you hoping I would be your ticket out of here?”
I gasp and jerk my hand free of his again. “No.”
He stops, turns, and wraps his fingers around the back of my neck.
“Baby, I was kidding. Besides, I don’t give a fuck about my inheritance.
I came to Wilde because I was curious. I figured, why not check out the situation?
I’ll admit the town has grown on me, but you are quickly becoming far more important to me than anything in here.
If you wanted to leave, I’d put gas in the RV and drive away without looking back. ”
I stare at him again. He’s so intense. I know he’s serious. It’s madness.
He lifts a brow. “Any more questions?”
“No,” I whisper.
“I’ll tell you everything you want to know, Reagan. I won’t keep secrets from you.”
“Okay.” I’m breathless as I lower my gaze to his lips. I want him to kiss me. Really kiss me. Not like the peck he gave me earlier. The only kisses I’ve experienced were sloppy ones from Greg in high school. I’d like to know what it feels like to kiss a man.
“Do you want me to kiss you, Reagan?”
“Yes,” I breathe, surprising myself.
Tiago slides his other hand to the small of my back and hauls me closer until our bodies are lined up and touching. After staring into my eyes for a long time, he angles his head to one side and sets his lips gently on mine.
His kiss is sweet. It’s more of a whisper. A promise. He takes his time, tasting my lips before opening his mouth and licking the seam of my lips.
I gasp as I open for him, and my knees go weak as soon as he expertly deepens the kiss, melding our mouths together as one. He slides his tongue in to duel with mine, taking his time, getting to know every crevice of my mouth.
By the time he releases my lips, I’m panting. If he let go of me, I would sway and probably trip and fall. But he doesn’t let go. He’s still holding my neck and my lower back. His huge hand is splayed so wide that I feel enveloped by him. Cocooned. Cherished.
If anyone passed us on this path, I would have no knowledge of it. The gossip mill would be running at full speed by the time we got back to town. I don’t think I care.
“Better than Greg?”
“Light-years.”
He grins. “Doubts about me?”
“None at the moment.”
His grin widens. “I think we’ve hiked about a quarter of a mile so far. Should we pick up the pace?”
I giggle. I like him. I’m not sure it’s wise, but I do. Plus, unless he’s fucking with me, he doesn’t intend to fuck me today. I like that, too.
When we resume hiking, Tiago says, “So, this Greg guy, does he bag groceries or what?”
I chuckle. “He does whatever Mr. Peterman tells him to.”
“Will he be shocked when he sees you in my arms at the store?”
When I think about the look that would be on Greg’s face… I can’t stop chuckling. It’s priceless. “He’d probably shit himself.”
“I wonder how jealous he’ll be after I put a ring on your finger and the first time he sees you round with my child.”
I gasp. I’m pretty sure my heart skips a beat. He says all that so matter-of-factly. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
“Nope. I’m just thinking ahead.”
“You’re thinking incredibly far ahead , Tiago. Like years.”
He tugs me against him, keeping me off-balance, and kisses my neck. “Nope. I’m old. We’re not waiting years. Weeks.”
I stop walking so abruptly that my arm pulls tight when he takes another few steps.
Tiago turns to look at me. He’s grinning. “Weeks, baby.”
I shake my head. He has to be kidding. I’m going to ignore what he said. We’re not having this ridiculous discussion.
“We are totally going to the grocery store after the hike. We’ll pick up a few things before we head to the estate.”
“We?” Is he inviting me to the estate? No… He’s telling me. Because he’s bossy and domineering. He’s making my head spin with all his talk about rings and babies and now the estate. I’ve never been to the estate.
“Yep. We’ve sort of established a routine. Usually, we all come together for dinner at six.”
“You, Ryder, and Claire? Aren’t you like a third wheel?”
“Our cousin Dallas arrived yesterday. He’ll join us, too, and I don’t think anyone thinks of me as a third wheel. I enjoy giving Claire shit. She takes it well.”
Our arms stretch out again as we resume walking and I go around a large rock. “You give your brother’s wife shit?”
He shrugs. “Every chance I get. She’s feisty. Like you.”
“You think I’m feisty?”
“Definitely. And I love it.” He gives my hand a squeeze. “I like a challenge.”
“You’re overloading my brain, Tiago.”
He chuckles. “Why beat around the bush? When I see something I want, I go for it. I see you, Reagan.”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Of course. You will always have a choice.”
“But you’ll make it hard to say no.”
“Yeah, I’ll probably always do that, too.” He tugs my hand. “Come. We’ll end up roasting out here. They’ll need to send a search party if we don’t pick up our pace. Do you always hike this slowly?” he teases.
“Aren’t you a comedian?”
“No, artist. Weren’t you listening?” he jokes.
“Oh, I’m listening, Tiago. I’m listening to a madman who seems to have my entire life planned out for me, even though we just met. Do you realize how bossy you are?”
“Very bossy. It’s in my blood. Wait until you hear how Ryder speaks to Claire. He keeps her on her toes. You’ll see at dinner.”
“I can’t just come to your house for dinner, Tiago. It would be rude. And besides, I’ve known Gretchen all my life. I can’t sit down to dinner in your fancy dining room and let her serve me.”
“Yeah, Claire has issues with that, too. We’ve all tried to get Gretchen to eat with us, but she refuses.
She’s managed the estate for thirty years.
There’s no getting her to budge. And for the record, Ryder and I were not raised with servants or any sort of silver spoon.
We’ve never had someone cook for us and serve us.
We aren’t pompous assholes. We let Gretchen do so because it pleases her.
She’s like a mother hen at the estate. She’s been tiptoeing around grandfather’s mental and physical health for years.
She’s so pleased to have laughter and youth in the mansion again.
It didn’t take long before we realized we were insulting her when we suggested she not serve us.
She knows more about that estate than just about anyone alive.
Out of respect for her, we’ve learned to let her do her thing. ”
I think about his words. It makes sense in a weird way. I get it. “Still, I can’t just show up.”
He winks at me. “You’re not. I told Gretchen to expect you for dinner before I left this morning.”
I gasp. “Tiago… Could you be any more cocky and sure of yourself?”
He shrugs. “Probably.”