Page 268 of The Bonus

“I have called to check on her but haven’t seen Ariana since I brought her back to New York. I would never…” He frowns as if shocked by my insecurity. “You think I would go to her?”

“You loved her.”

“I did. But not in the way I love you.” Empathy fills his face, and he cups my cheek in his hand. “Gracie…is this what’s been bothering you today?”

“I just feel like you have unfinished business with her,” I whisper. “And coming back here has just…”

“Just what?”

“I have a bad feeling that something is going to happen to ruin this for us.”

“Sweetheart.” He kisses me softly. “I know this has happened very fast, and yes, it’s true, I was with Ariana. But I came looking for you for a reason…because deep down, I knew you were the woman I was supposed to be with.”

A tear rolls down my cheek.

“I swear on my life, you have nothing to worry about. I’ll never leave you again.”

I screw up my face in tears.

“Gracie,” he whispers as he holds my face in his hands. “I know I’ve given you no reason to trust me. But we need to get past this.”

“I want to believe you… I’m trying so hard, I just…”

“Tell me.” His eyes search mine. “Just tell me how you feel.”

His silhouette blurs as the final wall comes down. “I love you,” I blurt out. “I’ve always loved you. From the first day I met you…it’s always been you.”

He kisses me.

“I left New York because I couldn’t bear to see you and not have you. I was dying a little every day in your office.”

“You have all of me now.” His lips dust mine.

My tears, his sweat…a million regrets.

“I just…” I screw up my face because damn it, now I’ve opened my mouth, I can’t seem to stop it running.

“You just what?”

“We never even went on a first date,” I sob.

His face falls as he realizes I’m right. “Gracie…” he whispers. “Will you go on a date with me?”

I shrug, embarrassed that I had to ask for one, more embarrassed that it matters.

It shouldn’t, I know it’s childish…but somehow, the child in me still believes in fairy tales.

“Not just any date,” he says to sweeten the deal. “The date of all dates. My A game of dates. This date is going to be in the Guinness Book of Records, it’s going to be so fucking good.”

I smile through tears.

“What do you say?” He holds my hands in his.

“I’ll think about it.” I smile bashfully.

He gives me a slow, sexy smile. “And I want to give you something else to think about…before our date.” He lays me back onto the island bench, his hand slides up my bare thighs and he spreads my legs. He dips his head and softly kisses me between my legs through my panties.

Oh…

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