Page 68 of A Billionaire Rebel

“Like when Otis is better?”

He chuckled, the warm sound slipping over my skin like silk. “You’re usually much smarter than this.”

I tilted my head back to glare at him. “Excuse me for having post-orgasm brain.”

He laughed again, a different sort of pleased sound to it. “I guess that means I don’t need to ask if you enjoyed yourself.”

“You don’t.” Feeling a little mischievous myself, I lightly bit his chest.

He growled, squeezing me. “Listen to me, Jae.”

I grinned. “I’ll behave.”

“Good,” he said, “because what I’m trying to say is important.”

I mimed zipping my mouth closed and locking it.

“I want a career singing with the woman I love.” He caught my chin. “And before you really make me feel like an idiot, yes, that’s you.” He brushed his lips across mine. “I love you, and I want us to sing together. Straightforward enough?”

My head spun. “You…” I didn’t know what to respond to first. “I love you too.” Okay, maybe I did know what to say first.

That megawatt smile made my knees go weak. “And you’ll sing with me?”

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “The thought of it…I love the idea of it. I just don’t know about the practicality. I’m not sure if I can be away from my family for the time touring takes.”

He put his finger on my lips. “It’s okay. We don’t have to plan the rest of our lives right now. I just wanted you to know that, whatever I end up doing, you’re going to be a part of it, because the one thing I know for certain about my future is that you’re a part of it.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I kissed him. We’d work it all out eventually, but right now, I fully intended to have my actions speak louder than any words I could find. We had the rest of our lives to talk.

I smiled as I moved on top of him. The rest of our lives. I liked the sound of that.

Forty

Jude

I was worriedabout my grandsons.

“What’s wrong?” Cynthia asked as she brought me a glass of Scotch.

“What do you mean?” I took a small drink.

She sat on the arm of my chair and ran her fingers through my hair. “Come on, Jude. I know you.”

She did.

I leaned against her shoulder. I knew most people didn’t look at the two of us as a real couple. The age difference automatically made us a spectacle. People assumed I was a creepy old man, and she was a gold digger, but Cynthia and I loved each other.

At least the boys got it. Not Walter, but my grandsons. They might not have understood it, but they respected my marriage and were kind to Cynthia.

My thoughts had come full circle.

“Jude.”

I sighed. “Just thinking about the boys. Deklin’s engaged, and at least this time, he seems genuinely happy, but I still worry that all of this with his mother and Ronall Kane will blow up.”

I pressed my fingers to my temples, thinking how closely Deklin had come to getting too close to Aurelia, the sister neither he nor any of the rest of my family knew about. It had taken some doing, but I’d managed to break their relationship up, and while I was glad for it, it had driven yet another wedge between me and my son, Walter. At least Deklin appeared to be happy now. I’d have to settle for that.

“Don’t borrow trouble,” Cynthia said. “Once he’s adjusted, the two of you can talk it over, figure out what you both want to do about it.”

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