Page 54 of Daniil
“The children seem to love you,” she says.“At least, at the cookout the other day, they ran to you and were very affectionate.But they were like that with everyone.”
“The family, in general, is close.All of us cousins were close growing up and we wanted that for our children too.Granted, technically Jesper’s children are not related to us but he’s part of our extended family.”
“That makes sense.”
“I think maybe I held back emotionally when it came to the kids because I kind of knew I’d made a mistake—I just didn’t know how to fix it.”
“With Jesper?”
“Marrying him.I cared about him, truly, and I still do.But it was more like friends with benefits.I wasn’tin love.Not the way I should have been.I was lonely and craved a connection from home, from my life before we were all forced into exile.”
“That’s understandable.”
“It’s not the same with Micah.He wasn’t planned, but I’m happy about being a father.I already love him, Courtney.I need you to believe that.”
“I honestly don’t know what to believe anymore.”She stops walking again and pushes her glasses up so I get the most glorious view of her eyes.“The chemistry between us is impossible to ignore, but there’s a child involved now.The deeper we get the higher the chance he winds up being hurt.”
“I won’t let that happen.I swear to you.No matter what we decide, or what happens between us personally, it will never impact Micah.He’s my son.Part of me.I won’t abandon either of you.”
“And if I go back to the palace tomorrow and decide I’d rather date…Marcus.How would you behave?”
Christ, she’s really a ball buster.
“I’d be upset,” I admit.“I won’t lie about that.But it wouldn’t be the first time someone turned me down or broke my heart or simply changed their mind.If you and Marcus were happy, then I’d have to suck it up.As long as you don’t keep my son from me.”
“I would never do that.”
“But you did.”
It feels like we have to talk out this part of our situation, because she did keep him from me during the pregnancy and the first five months of his life.We talked about the why but not the associated feelings.
“I know it was wrong to hide him, and I’m genuinely sorry I did that to you, but all the reasons why I did it are valid.I was scared for him.I still am.”
“I appreciate hearing a heartfelt apology.It means a lot that you take responsibility for what you did.”
“But do you forgive me?”
“Of course.”I reach out and cup the side of her face with one of my hands.“I can dislike your methods while still understanding your motivations.I would be scared too.”
“So, what do we do now?”
I stare down at her beautiful face.Green eyes glittering in the afternoon sun.Cheeks flushed from the heat.Hair blowing gently in the wind.She’s so fucking gorgeous.
“What I’d like to do more than anything else… is kiss you.”
Chapter22
Courtney
His lips aregentle and sweet, brushing against mine like we have all the time in the world.I guess we do.Micah is safely asleep at the house.We’re alone on the beach.
And this has been a long time coming.
I tilt up my face as he presses light kisses along my lips, my cheeks, the line of my jaw.Daniil is the most sensual kisser, hands and mouth somehow working in tandem to bring multiple senses alive at once.
My skin tingles from his touch—one hand still on the side of my face, the other caressing my arm and shoulder.The faint scent of his aftershave makes me want to press closer and breathe him in.And his mouth.Jesus, I don’t know where he learned to kiss but it’s never sloppy or rushed.Even in the midst of pounding away at me—and he’s really good at that too—he was able to kiss me like I’m the most desirable woman on the planet.
Part of me wonders how many women—and men—he’s made feel exactly like this but I’m enjoying myself far too much to go down any dark paths.As his tongue breaches the seam of my lips, I meet it with interest.My body presses against his like it has a mind of its own, and he wraps his free arm around me while using the one that was cupping my cheek to dig into the hair at the back of my neck.
