Page 71 of My Merciless Don

She blushed bright red and looked away, “Thanks.” she said shyly.

I just had to lean down and kiss her - she was such a mass of contradictions. She smiled into the kiss, and when I pulled back her face was still flaming. I caressed her cheek, gently smiling back at her. “So, where do you wanna start?” I asked.

She pushed her lips thinking about it. “I mean there's no such thing as a fresh start is there?”

“There could be.”

“Okay, then I'd like us to have a fresh start. I want you to woo me, buy me flowers, take me to the movies…”

I quirked a disbelieving eyebrow. “Really?”

She gave me a defiant look, “Yeah. I can be in soft girl mode too. Why not?”

I raised my hand in surrender. “You’re absolutely right. But… just to be clear, you don’t want me to be too possessive or controlling but I can coddle you and make you my baby girl?”

She grimaced. “When you put it like that…”

“No, I’m not trying to have a gotcha moment. Just tryna understand the parameters.”

“Well, I think we can go with trial and error. If you do something, and I don’t like it, I’ll say so.”

“Without getting mad at me?”

She nodded, “Without getting mad at you.”

“Alright baby girl. So, a date?”

“Yeah, a date.”

“Any preferences?”

“Surprise me.”

I drew in a breath. “Phew, famous last words.”

She giggled. “I have faith in you,” she said.

I reached for her, drew her to me and kissed her forehead, feeling more content than I had in years. “You got it, baby girl. I’ll make it one you won’t easily forget.”

She got up on one elbow, looking me in the face. “Okay so enough with the baby girl shit. I don’t like it.”

I grinned. “Got it ba- Audry.” I leaned up to kiss her, “How do you feel about honey?”

Her mouth twisted. “I’m not your wife.”

“Sweetheart?”

“Mmm, maybe.”

“How about Audry?”

“Mmhmm.” She gave me a chaste kiss. “That sounds perfect.”

I smiled, “Yes, it does.”

EPILOGUE

AUDRY

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