Page 299 of The Grand Duel
Her lips dust over mine. “It’s going to work out, Charles. You’ll be a wonderful dad. And I’m going to be right here, every step of the way.”
My heart squeezes at the promise. At the fact this beautiful woman is mine.
I chase her mouth for another kiss, wrapping my arms around her back, pulling her as tight to my body as I can get her.
Lissie
We walk into the cottage a little while later. Charles is at my back, his hands not leaving my body as he closes the front door behind him. “I’m sorry we never got to have ice cream.”
My mouth curls up as he peels my coat off, his lips dipping to kiss my shoulder. “It’s okay.”
Luna and Daisy come barrelling down the stairs, and I step away from Charles to fuss over them.
“Do you want me to open this bottle of wine?” Charlie asks, walking through the archway.
“I’ll have another glass if you are.” I smile at Luna as she wags her tail, lowering my voice. “He’s trying, Lu.”
He listened to me, and he’s trying.
I’ve been worried about him and the Emily situation all week, always feeling like it’s the elephant in the room and that nothing had really changed when it came to him talking about it. I hoped it was a time thing. That he was too busy focusing on putting us right to take care of everything going on in his head.
Never did I imagine he’d ask me to go with him to an appointment.
I follow him into the kitchen, pulling myself up onto the kitchen island as I watch him uncork the bottle of wine.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asks, his eyes on me.
“Like what?” I chuckle, my cheeks flushing.
“Lis,” he accuses, although it almost sounds like a plea.
“What?”
He shakes his head and pours the wine into the glasses, handing me one.
“I did something today,” he tells me, coming to stand between my legs. His eyes search mine and my stomach flutters. “I’m not sure what you’ll make of it.”
“Well…what did you do?”
He blinks once. “I went to see your mum and dad.”
My face drops. That is the last thing I thought he’d say.
“I asked them if they’d sell Elton House to me instead of the current buyers.” He takes my face in his large palm, tilting his head as he regards me. “They refused my offer.”
My stomach falls.
Why am I not surprised.
Charlie dips his hand into his pocket. “Said that if you want it, then it’s yours.”
I look from the keys in his hand to his face. “What?” I mutter in disbelief. “They said that?”
He nods. “You can sell it, rent it out, let it sit empty.” His lips turn down. “You can attempt to have us move, but you’d be wasting your time.”
I smile despite the adrenaline rushing through me.
“You didn’t seem sure that it being sold was something you wanted this morning. You can do whatever you want with it now, Lis. It’s yours.”