Page 35 of Sugar Pie
We might have met sooner. I grabbed the onions and the carrots and began chopping. “In what?”
She shook the bag of chicken she’d seasoned the day before then emptied it into the frying pan. “I didn’t care. I wanted time to figure it out.”
My eyes watered from the onions. “I understand. I thought that once I proved I was capable with the stock market, I wouldn’t have to do anything else.”
She tossed her hair behind her shoulder. “Did you lose everything, then?”
I finished with the onion and wiped my eyes, though that didn’t help with the burning. “No. But I didn’t use my hands for anything useful.”
She turned the water on for me to wash my hands then motioned for me to cup some water for my eyes. I followed her directions, as she’d been the one to teach me about vegetable preparation a few days before, and my eyes itched less. Then she said, “So you have money in the bank as collateral.”
If she knew, I had to forfeit. It was why I chose to start my account at a different bank. My skin zipped as I asked, “What made you think that?”
She shrugged. “The bank doesn’t just approve people, from what I understand, unless you have something. And the banks are really rolling the red carpet out for you to have whatever you want.”
“You’re very observant sometimes. And if you keep making smart business decisions that help me, like finding this property or insisting on a lake, I’ll want to marry you.”
She laughed and held her belly. “That’s all it takes for you, then?”
I’d never broached the subject with anyone, but my tension grew as I suspected she was denying me. I lowered my head. “I guess so.”
She put the vegetables in a different pan then added water. Once she finished, she said, “Well, if I ever do get married again, I want romance like I’ve seen my friends have. The kind of romance from movies and TV.”
To me, romance was two people realizing how much they had in common, like Kerry and I had, and then experiencing physical intimacy, which I wanted.
But she meant roses and being swept off her feet, I supposed, so I wrinkled my nose. “You sound like a woman.” I chuckled.
She cupped my face. “What’s wrong with wanting romance?”
She was so close. My lips tingled for a kiss. “It sets up unrealistic expectations when the truth is marriage is a good tax write-off.”
She didn’t step away and kept her eyes wide open. “Maybe, but it’s what I want.”
I brushed the soft skin on her face, and my heart sped up. I lowered my eyes. “Let’s start like this then.”
She pushed against my chest. “Wait.”
“You can tell me no.” I pulled back.
She curled her fingers in my shirt and tugged me forward. “Just don’t ever ignore me, Warren. I hate that.”
Finally.I closed my eyes. “I promise.”
Then our lips met. She tasted better than ice cream sundaes, which had been my favorite. Her floral perfume wafted in my nose and made my mouth water for more.
She broke the kiss and sighed. “Damn.”
I held her tightly, as I wasn’t ready to let this moment go. “It’s only the beginning, Kerry.”
She clung to my neck. “We’ll see.”
“We will.” I took a second taste.
No woman ever had set me off like Kerry, and I needed to make sure she was real. Having her forever was possible if she would let me into her heart.
16
The doctor was shocked when I spoke to him on the phone today. I’ll have more info for you soon. Warren Nourozi’s story is going to be delicious to spill.
