Page 114 of The Situation
He pretends to focus on the muted television across the room. I nearly laugh because his pout is the biggest I’ve ever seen. But I hold strong and manage not to crack. This sweet, precious man has put marriage on a pedestal, and I truly hate that I’m the one attempting to remove it from its perch.Because when marriage falls, it can shatter. And those sharp pieces cut you to the core.
“What would be easier is if you stopped telling people that,” I say. “Then I wouldn’t have to defend myself.”
“I didn’t realize that someone wanting to be with you was offensive.”
I groan. “Please don’t pick a fight with me.”
“I’m not,” he says. “But I feel like we’re just treading water pointlessly when we could be doing so many huge, fun things.”
“Maybe I’m fine with treading water for a bit. It’ll make my muscles stronger to carry the big things later.”
“You don’t need to be strong. I’ll carry everything for you.”
I run my hand down his arm, feeling the ripples of his muscles under my palm.
I’ve avoided having a frank version of this conversation for days. But each day, I feel more pressure to fold—to acquiesce to what Tate wants me to do. Namely, make him my whole personality.
That’s what it feels like, anyway.
Spending time with Tate Brewer is one of the most surreal experiences of my life. I wouldn’t trade it or him for anything or anyone. And I hope to spend the rest of my life at his side.
I’ve fallen hard for him.I’ve fallen in love with him.And I never thought I’d be on this side of love again. Not in the foreseeable future, anyway.
But he’s so charismatic, so capable, so overwhelming that it makes it almost impossible to keep my head above water.
I need a minute to breathe without the air scented with his cologne. And I need him to be okay with that.I need him to hear what I need right now.
Because to date, he’s been extremely good at that.
Please hear me, Tate. Please know this will be better for us.
“Since the Raptors are still on hold and I just sit in the office with nothing to do, I was thinking about taking a couple of days off next week,” I say.
“Sure. What do you want to do?”
I shrug. “I was thinking about spending time with Jamie. She mentioned that she’s struggling, and if I’m not going to be doing any work with the Raptors, I’d rather be doing something productive, if that makes sense.”
He nods, but I’m not sure it makes sense to him.Oh, the comprehension of a billionaire who doesn’t need to work.
“I’d still be in town if the Raptors stuff starts up again,” I say.
“For sure.” He pulls me in for a hug. “Whatever makes you happy, gorgeous.”
I smile against him.
“You know I don’t mean anything harmful when I tell people you’re going to be my wife, right?” he asks. “I just feel like I’ve hit the jackpot.”
“I feel that way, too.” I press a kiss to his shoulder and sit upright.
“Really?”
“Yeah, but if I’m being honest, it’s starting to overwhelm me a little bit.”
He flinches. “It is?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
