Page 102 of Seductive Scoundrel

“A part of me will probably always be curious, but it’s not worth the emotional fallout, or the potential damage it could cause my family.”

“Believe me, I get it. I’ve been down this exact road with Bianca, and I’ve asked myself all the same questions. We found out because she wanted to, and it had implications for things like having children. She would have continued to be with me regardless. She just doesn’t know it.”

I laugh. “I’m glad we’re friends.”

I chose the word carefully. He might be my blood, and he probably is, but friends are all we’ll ever be. And it means a lot that he understands and accepts it.

“And I’m grateful for it. You could have taken this news very differently, and I’m glad that we’ll be working together merging Seneca into Montague.”

Business.

Now that’s a topic I’m much more comfortable discussing.

And we spend the next two hours having an impromptu strategy session because we both need the distraction. My friend-who-might-be-my-brother is a good guy who has always been honest with me.

Mia hasn’t been. But despite her imperfections, I know where her heart is, what her intentions are, and I trust her.

That woman is it for me. She’s the one.

But now I have to head into the office and try to get through a long afternoon when I’m still emotionally battered and would much rather go back to bed.

Back to Mia.

* * *

Wally isin the foyer to greet me when I get home, Mia is cooking something that smells delicious, and she’s started adding her personal touches – a bunch of random pillows because women love pillows, and framed pictures of us stand out – to my apartment.

Ourapartment.

It’s all so goddamn domestic, and even though my friends are going to make endless jokes about me living in captivity now, it’s exactly what I never knew I wanted.

And she’s exactly what I need.

I sneak up behind her while she’s stirring something on the stove, and she immediately presses back against me. I hook a delicate chain around her neck, and she turns around in surprise.

“What’s this for?” She looks down at the three pink diamonds inside a platinum heart that symbolize our past, present, and future, and then back up into my eyes with tears in hers. “It’s beautiful.”

“Just because I wanted to. I was thinking about you all day, and about how much you mean to me. This is the way I know how to show you.”

“There are less expensive ways than Tiffany’s. I would have accepted pizza.”

I smile against her mouth. “I don’t care about money. Not when it’s for you.”

“I want to know everything about your chats today.”

And I tell her, leaning against the island and sharing a glass of wine with her while she finishes cooking and listens attentively. She always makes me feel like the most important person in the world.

It’s such a simple pleasure, coming home to someone you love and telling her about your day. Getting her thoughts and perspectives, or sometimes just her listening ear.

And it means everything.

Today is day one.

And if I’m lucky, we’ll get thousands more.

Epilogue

Mia

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