Page 125 of Who's Your Daddy
His lips tug down as he peers up at me. “I’m absolutely not that bloody cheap. Your ring cost way more than that.”
I sigh. “That’s not what I meant.”
With a shake of his head, he wipes his hands on his pants, then clutches my wrist. “We’ll get a new one. You can have eight rings. Whatever you want. That’s not the important part. The important part is that we’re together.”
I ease myself to my knees and meet his eye. “I agree. That’s the most important thing here.” Which makes the rest of this sentence hard. “But.”
The smile that reappeared on his face even after the cat consumed a ridiculously expensive piece of jewelry fades.
God, I’m an ass. But this is the right thing to do.
“Cal…” I run my thumbs over his knuckles. “I can’t marry you.”
He sits back on his heels, his chest deflating. “Wow, didn’t see it going this way.”
“Listen, babe, I love you.”
He perks up a bit.
“But—”
He sinks even lower.
“We’ve been dating a handful of weeks. That’s it.”
His grin turns devilish. “But you love me.”
“Glad you’re listening. Way to focus on the positive.”
He drops my hand and cups my cheek. “I just don’t want you to leave.”
I frown. Leave? Where would he get an idea like that? “Why would I leave? And where would I go?”
His face hardens.This kind of serious expression is so foreign for this gregarious man. “To Sloane’s stupid firm.”
I suck in a breath. Ah. How is it that when I was trapped, not a soul heard me, yet the topic of my private conversation got out so easily?
“Why would I do that?”
“Because…” He tucks his chin and shakes his head. “Actually, I have no idea. It’s a terrible place to work. And you’d work for a terrible man. I guarantee he wouldn’t buy you coffee every day.”
I nod, a rush of relief hitting me. “Right, so why would I leave this firm? Why would I leave my friends, and the man I love?”
Cal beams. “That’s a good point. Why would you if you love me?”
I cough out a laugh. “You really like hearing me say that, huh?”
“Yes, Lola.” He scoots forward on his knees. “I’d like to hear it a hundred times more. A hundred thousand, actually. Because even if you’re not ready to marry me, you’re mine and I’m never letting you go.”
“Good.” I angle in and stroke his smooth cheek. “Because I don’t want to be let go.”
Cal’s eyes widen. “You don’t?”
“No. As I told Sloane, not only am I not leaving, but I’m certain it would be a mistake if she didn’t move in with us. It’ll take all of us to save the firm. It’s our family’s legacy.”
He makes a strangled sound, his body locking up. “Our family?”
I nod. “Yes, I might not be ready to walk down the aisle yet, but I can see it happening someday.”
