Page 76 of When I Had You

She nods, her smile softening. “I do, but like you, I want the family unit, too.” Getting up, she turns and settles on my lap. “You’re a great father, Cash. Cullen’s lucky to have you.”

Readjusting on my lap, I lie back and hold her so I can see the stars shining like a halo over her head. She’s the only star in the universe I need.

“I’m lucky to have him.” I kiss her shoulder and add, “And you.”

22

Cash

“You killed it.”

“Really?” Marina rolls to her side to face me.

I click off the TV when the show ends and set the remote on the nightstand. Turning to look at her in bed beside me, I feel a sense of pride that I’m not sure I have a right to. I feel it anyway. “Yeah, you were funny and sweet, beautiful, and so smart he couldn’t keep up with you.”

“You have to say that.”

“No, I don’t. I’ll always tell you the truth.” Signaling toward the TV, I add, “You were incredible. Viewers will fall in love with you.” I cup her cheek and lean over to kiss her. “Just like I have.”

Caressing my hand on her, she says, “You fell for my spicy side.”

I chuckle, kissing her neck, and then move across her shoulder. Planting wet kisses over her collarbone, I slide my hand under the covers and much lower between her legs.

Her eyes flutter closed as she rolls to her back and licks her lips. Moving over her, she butterflies her legs, opening for me like a flower. Sinking into her wet heat, I kiss her mouth, then whisper in her ear, “I fell for your every side, babe.”

* * *

A poke to my forehead has me swiping away at the nuisance and groaning.

My chin . . . “Fucking hell, gnat, I need sleep.”

I swat at it again and then hear a giggle. My eyes fly open to see a smiling Cullen staring at me. “Hi, Daddy.”

“Hey, buddy—oh shit.” I sit up to block his view of Marina sleeping next to me. “What are you doing here?”

He’s now covering his mouth and giggling even harder from hearing me swear. “Grandma said I needed clean . . .” Giggle. “Underwear.”

“I thought we packed some for you.” He shrugs. I say, “Go get some in your room, and I’ll come with you.”

My mom rushes in to guide him by the shoulders out of the room. “Sorry. Sorry. There was an accident and . . .” She doesn’t even bother finishing before she shuts the door behind them.

Scrubbing my hand over my face, I then shake my head. Not the way I wanted to wake up this morning.

Marina sits up beside me and rubs my back. “Good morning.”

“Sorry about that.”

“You don’t need to apologize, but I guess we need to start figuring out how this will work. Not only for Cullen but also my family, and eventually, the world since we live in a fishbowl.”

I realize I haven’t even looked at her. I’m so caught up in what happened that I’m missing what’s right in front of me. Her hair is a complete fucking disaster, and I couldn’t be more attracted to her than I am right now.

That she can show up on my doorstep in full makeup and fancy clothes but let me ravage her for hours last night without a single care about how she’d look in the morning—fucking perfection.

She rests her cheek on my shoulder and says, “I need to shower and get going. Busy day of press ahead.”

“And then the premiere. Will I see you tonight?”

“I can stay at a hotel or Harbor’s since you have Cullen tonight.”

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