Page 134 of Reckless Vow

It takes no time before my walls clench and my muscles tense. “I’m there.”

“Thank God.”

And then we’re coming, swept by a wave of pleasure, in unison.

Baldo collapses on top of me, kissing my hair. “Are you okay?”

“More than okay.” I turn my head to face him.

He is only an inch from me. His eyes drop to my mouth. My lips part, and my heart hammers against my ribcage so fast that he must hear it.

The moment stretches, and fuck it, I close the distance between us.

Chapter35

Baldo

Ijump back and scoop her up.

We almost kissed, but I chickened out.

I’ve fucked her. I’ve made love to her. I would kill for her, or happily die for her.

Yet I’m a scared asshole who can’t give her that last symbol of her power over me.

Am I aware this is a pathetic attempt to maintain the upper hand? Yes.

Do I realize the upper hand is not what relationships are built on? Also, yes.

Am I willing to take that last step and savor her? No. I’m not.

Why?

Fuck if I know.

Rounding the bed, I lay Brook gently on the covers, kissing her forehead. Like she needed a consolation prize.

I remove her pants and underwear from around her ankles and drop them to the floor. Yanking the sheets from under her, I tug them to her shoulders.

“Let me clean you up.”

Fuck, I don’t know where the bathroom is. I open a double door, only to be confronted with the shelves and empty hangers of a walking closet.

Okay, the other door it is. I enter the spacious bathroom and let the water run.

What’s wrong with me?

They will never accept us.

Brook has been so excited about our nephew and coming back to be with her dad, it’s like I’m losing her all over again.

But this time, she’s still here with me. Just being drawn away by her loyalty to them.

To our family.

The rational businessman in me knows that we need to sit everyone down and tell them. Hope for the best, but adopt the outcome whether they accept us or not.

The scared man in me fears that if it comes down to a choice, Brook would choose me, and then hate me for stealing her from her family.

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