Eventually, they made it across the ocean, ditched the family, and arrived at his house.
“I expected you to be living in some ultra-modern high-rise,” she admitted, entering the restored Victorian.
“That would be my city place.” His bachelor pad, which he wouldn’t be needing anymore. “This is my country home.” Which he also thought of as his forever place. He’d spent the last decade restoring it to its former glory.
She ran her hand over the wooden balustrade that he’d stripped, sanded, and stained himself. “It’s beautiful.”
“Would it help if I said you’re the first woman, other than my aunts, I’ve brought here?”
“How long before you send me packing?” She slapped a hand over her mouth as if she’d not meant to say it.
“Don’t look so horrified. It’s a perfectly valid question. A week ago, before I met you, I might have assumed we’d already be done with each other. But…” He shrugged. “Is it wrong to admit I’m just as surprised as you are that when I wake each morning, the first thing I think about, the only person I want to see, is you?”
It sounded dorky spilling from his lips. True. But still super emasculating.
Totally worth it, as it brought a smile to her lips. “I like waking up to you as well, but we have to be realistic. We barely know each other. What happens in a few days or weeks when you tire of me?”
“Shouldn’t you be asking what happens if we don’t?” He arched a brow.
“Be serious, Lawrence.”
He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I understand your concern. It’s not as if my family has been quiet about my reputation, and I earned it. I won’t lie. I want you to believe me when I say this is it for me, but that will take time to prove. In the meantime, to help alleviate your concerns, you should know that I’ve already been in contact with my lawyer. I expect we’ll receive the new deed to the house showing you as owner by tomorrow. Also, an account of one million dollars has been established that only you can access.”
She gaped at him. “Why would you do that?”
“Because, as some of my cousins pointed out, I am in a position of power right now. You have nothing. No home or funds of your own. In order for you to feel as if you truly have a choice and a say, you need to be in a position where you can walk away.”
“I don’t need your money or house to say no.”
“I know you don’t, but I am still giving them to you. Which means, as the owner, you can kick me out right this minute if you want.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“We will move as fast or slow as you want.” It was his Aunt Lacey who’d given him that advice. You can’t force her, Roarie. She needs to realize she loves you on her own terms.
Love? Was that why he felt so utterly torn up?
“What if I wanted you to stay?” The shy invitation filled him with an intense warmth.
“Did I mention the master bedroom has a California king bed?”
“What’s wrong with that wall?” She grabbed him by the shirt and shoved him even as she rose on tiptoe seeking his mouth.
He slammed into the plaster, but he’d never been happier. His hands roamed her body, the familiarity of it exciting because he knew where to stroke to make her cry out. He knew how deep and at what angle to have her clutching him tight.
Her mouth was hot and breathless against his. Her legs a vise around his waist and the heat of her molten heaven.
She didn’t let him leave that night. Or the next. Or the one after that.
As a matter of fact, they didn’t talk about separating at all. Which was what led to the incident with the binder.
Chapter Eighteen
It wasn’t until two weeks after they’d arrived in America that the binder landed with a thump on the kitchen table, rattling her coffee mug. Charlotte glanced over to see Lacey, hair pinned atop her head, a determined expression on her face.
“How did you get inside?” She knew for a fact she’d set the alarm before going to bed. A bed Lawrence still sprawled in while she got to deal with one of his crazy aunts. They had a tendency of just popping in and not leaving easily.
“I used the front door of course.”
“It was locked.” Lawrence insisted on it. The attacks might have stopped since they found the key and left Russia, but he worried the danger wasn’t over.
“Was it?” Lacey pretended innocence.
Charlotte took a sip of her coffee. “I can see why people put bells on cats.”
“And they say we’re the ones with claws.”
Charlotte scowled. “Maybe I wouldn’t be so defensive if I didn’t feel as if I was always having to watch myself.”
“We wouldn’t hurt you.”
“Lena showed me a rose bush in the garden and said if I hurt Lawrence, she’d bury me under it.”
“Just testing your mettle, dearie. You didn’t think we’d let Lawrence fall in love with just anyone, now did you?”
“I would never do anything to hurt him.”
“Exactly. Which is why we have some things to discuss,” Lacey announced as she dragged a chair close and shoved the big tome closer.
“What is that?” Charlotte had a sneaky suspicion given the hearts and flowers plastered over the cover. In a cutout at the very center was a baby picture of one chubby-cheeked Lawrence and, look at that, in a smaller circle, a picture of Charlotte, cross-eyed.
“This is the binder.” Lacey beamed as she clasped her hands together. “Shall we begin?”
“Begin what?” asked Lawrence as he entered the room, bare chested and wearing only low-slung track pants. He preferred to be naked, but given it still made her blush when he walked around in the nude, he compromised with bottoms. She would never tire of seeing that vee arrowing from his waist. “Morning, Peanut,” he rumbled, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“Mornin’.” She lifted her face for the kiss he dropped on her lips before he sat in the seat across from her.
Two weeks of being domestic and they’d fallen into some habits. The first being that he slept over every night. He’d offered to leave that first day and give her space.
She’d dragged him to bed instead. Nothing she liked more than waking up draped on top of him.
Then it was a quickie in the shower and breakfast before he dropped her off at her new job. He’d helped her find one in a marketing agency that was on the way to his office. However, as he warned, while he was able to give her rides now, if he got sent out of town for work, she’d have to either commute or drive. He’d offered to loan her his lovely red sports car, but she kind of had her eye on his Jeep.
“What is that thing doing here?” Lawrence asked, pointing to the book.
“It’s past time we planned the wedding, of course,” Lacey said with a “don’t be silly” tone.
Charlotte choked on her coffee. “What wedding?”
Lawrence was instantly rubbing her back and took on a stern note as he addressed his aunt. “I don’t think this is the right time.”
“Why not? It’s obvious the pair of you are besotted. Aren’t you?”