Page 100 of Reluctantly His

“Charlotte, are you sure you’re not pushing yourself too fast?”

“No, let me do this. I need to say what I need to say, and I can’t be just lying there when I say it.”

My stomach was hollow, and my throat dry, but it didn’t matter.

I had to get this out before he said he was leaving me, or before I chickened out and missed my chance to live a life I could be proud of.

“Okay.” Reid moved the blankets off my legs and offered his arm to help me stand.

A wave of dizziness slammed into me, and I had to grip Reid’s arms to stop myself from falling over.

“Are you sure you want to do this, princess?”

“I need to do this,” I said, meaning more than just the vertical movement. “Just give me a minute.”

I leaned against him, and his arms wrapped around me and held me to his warm chest. The scent of spices and bergamot filled my senses, and I just stayed in his arms for a moment, letting his touch soothe me, letting his embrace take away my fear.

This man said he loved me, and I believed him.

He would protect me and keep me safe, and in return, I would be his partner.

I would shoulder half of his burdens, and we would share in each other’s successes.

Once I was steady on my feet, I pushed back just enough that I could look into his eyes.

“I know my father probably offered you a lot of money and told you what a burden I would be. I can’t offer you the money that he did. I don’t have it. There’s nothing in my name if you take me. I come with nothing. But I love you, and I know you call me a princess, and there’s so much I need to learn to do, but I can do it. I’ll learn how to cook. I’ll get a job. I’m sure I could wait tables or work customer service somewhere. I’ll even bag groceries if that’s what it takes.”

“Charlotte,” he interrupted me, and I put my hand on his chest, silently asking him to listen.

“No, I need you to hear me. I need you to hear that I love you, and I won’t be a burden. I know you can’t afford the massive house that my father can, and that’s fine. I don’t need that. I don’t need expensive jewelry. I don’t need designer bags or anything like that. The only thing in my life I need is you and my cello. I can bring in some money with the Philharmonic, and if that’s not enough, I will get another job. I can… handle it. I want to do this. I want to build a life with you. A real life, not some romantic, princess fantasy.” I was rambling, but I couldn’t stop.

I needed him to know I meant every word.

“Charlotte,” he said again, and I expected to see regret in his eyes or something that told me he had already made the choice to leave me, and he was just here as a courtesy.

Instead, I found mischief. His eyes sparkled with humor as his lips twisted into his signature cocky smirk.

“What?” I asked. “Did you already take the money? Is it too late?”

“You’re right. Your father offered me money.”

“Did you take it?”

His eyes turned cold as he loomed over me, his hand moving to my throat.

Not choking me, there wasn’t even any pressure, just the reminder that he could.

He would never hurt me, but I knew he liked showing me that he was in charge.

My heart was pounding as his thumb rested on my pulse point.

“That is the last time you insult my integrity. I love you, you are mine. Only mine, always mine, nothing will come in between us, especially not something as common and insignificant as money.”

“You say that now, but what happens if?—”

“Nothing will happen. And you don’t have to work if you don’t want to, baby. Princess, I can take care of you.”

“I know you can, and I’m saying that I don’t need everything that my father provided. That I don’t need?—”

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