Page 66 of Whiskey and Whispers
It was far more than she could have hoped for.
“I received a call from my former modeling agent in New York. There’s a cosmetics brand that wants me to be the face for a mature skin care line.”
There. She’d said it. Funny, how it didn’t sound so cool or glamorous. It sounded like more modeling work. That was it. Not bad and not good.
She watched closely, trying to see any emotion that might flicker across his too handsome face, but he would have made a damn good poker player.
“I hope you know that I would never stop you from doing something that you wanted to do. I won’t try and talk you out of it, and I’ll be your biggest cheerleader. I only want the best for you, Cat.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she had to blink several times to keep them from sliding down her cheeks.
God, she loved this man. Here she was, talking about flitting back to the big city to take some modeling job, and he was determined to stand beside her.
After she’d left the first time. He didn’t have any reason to trust she’d do better now, but he was extending that trust.
I’m not sure I deserve it.
Heart hammering in her chest, she reached out to cup his chin, stubbly against her palm.
“I’m not even sure I want to do this. I’m not sure I want any of it. But I needed to tell you about it, because it felt wrong not to be honest. I don’t want this to come between us. Nothing means more to me than what you and I are doing here. Giving this relationship between us another try is important to me. I don’t want to throw it away like I did last time.”
“I don’t want to be the reason you don’t do something that would make you happy. That’s not the person I want to be.”
“I don’t even know why I’m entertaining the idea,” she replied. “I want a home. I want a family. I want to adopt a dog, Tate. I want this second chance with you. Is this some sort of fear of missing out? Is that why I’m thinking about it?”
“You can have both. You don’t have to choose.”
“I don’t even know if I want both. I just want to have purpose and direction in my life. My mom said I need to think about what I’ll be proud of.”
“That’s good advice,” Tate said. “Did she say anything else?”
“Of course, she did. It’s my mom. She said a lot of things, but it all came down to finally growing up and figuring out what I want to do with my life.”
“Those are big questions. Do you have the answers?”
“No,” she confessed. “I do not. I only know one thing right now.”
“And what is that?” Tate asked, his fingers gently stroking the sensitive skin on her arm. Just a light touch, back and forth.
“Will you hold me? I need your arms around me.”
“Sweetheart, you never have to ask. I’m always willing to do that.”
It was heaven, lying here in Tate’s strong, warm arms. There had been other men in her life when they were apart, but none had given her this overwhelming sense of calm and security. Somehow, he made her feel as though everything would be fine. She was loved, cherished, and protected. All the bad things in the world had to stay outside when they were together like this.
The steady thump of his heart under her ear and the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest wove a web of contentment around the two of them. She could feel herself physically relax, her muscles loosening and her own breathing syncing with his.
Her fingernail drew random designs on the back of his hand, while she inhaled his heady scent that belonged to him and him alone. She’d never met a man who smelled as delicious.
“How about a glass of wine?” he offered. “It might help you decompress a bit.”
She didn’t want a glass of wine, or a snack, or anything else but him.
Reaching up to cup his jaw, she pressed her lips to his, the urgency quickly building between them. She couldn’t begin to express how she felt about him and how grateful she was forhis patience and understanding, but she absolutely, without a doubt, knew how to show him.
The fact that she’d damn well enjoy it, too, made it all the better.
Her hands slipped under his shirt, pushing it upwards until it was over his head. He picked up on her idea immediately, smart man, and quickly shed the rest of his clothes while she did the same. She didn’t have time for all the niceties tonight. She wanted to feel as consumed by lust as she did. Blood pumped through her veins as she ran her hands down his muscular torso, letting her gaze take in every little detail.
