Page 92 of Wilde Abandon
Her grip tightened.“No.I wanted you to see me, not some version someone put in your head.”
“I do see you.I know what makes you smile and what makes you sad.I know what’s important to you and who.That’s why I’m going to tell you my secret, because I know you’ll keep it no matter what happens.”
Her forehead wrinkled.“Okay.”
“But first, I really need to know.Are we good?We’re still together, right?Because I’m seriously freaking out that I’ve screwed this up and you really will toss me out the door.”His heart was thrashing in his chest.He could barely breathe or think straight.
Her lips firmed into a tight line.“This is the last time you come at me with accusations.Next time you’re upset with me, or about something, make it a conversation, because I don’t want to fight with you.”
“I don’t want that either.I hate this feeling that I’ve lost the closeness we share.”
She went up on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him close.“Better?”
“Getting there.”He tightened his hold on her, then spilled his secret.“I won the lottery.”
“I feel lucky to have you, too.”
He chuckled.“No.I literally won the lottery.”
She leaned back and stared at him.“That’s awesome.”
He waited for her to ask how much.
She didn’t.
So he told her, because she was waiting for him to share it because he wanted to, not because she’d asked.“One point onebilliondollars.”
Her eyes went wide, her arms went loose, and she fell back onto flat feet.Her eyes went blank.Shock.Had to be.
“I gave a hundred million to both Dean and Max.”
She finally blinked.“Wow.That was generous.”
“I didn’t want money to come between us.The rest I used to grow my company and invest.Max handles the investments for all of us.”
Warmth came back into her gaze.“That’s amazing.”She smiled.“And you have your friends, people you can trust, helping you.”
He pulled her back into a hug.“And I have you.Right?”
“Yes.Always.”Her arms tightened.“This doesn’t change anything.”
He leaned back and grinned at her.“Are you sure?Because it’s a lot of money.Being with me means you’ll never have to work or live without something you want or need.”
She shrugged.“I mean, that’s nice, but I like having a purpose and feeling like I’ve accomplished something.I’m not asking you to pay my way, so I can just…what?Sit around and do nothing but spend money on things I probably don’t need?That might be fun for like a minute, but then what?”
“That’s been my dilemma.I don’t want you to want the money, but I also can’t think of anyone else I want to spend it with because I want you to have nice things and feel like you can say you hate everything in the apartment, so let’s redecorate it so you’re happy.”
She grinned and shook her head.“And you’d let me do that.”
“If it made you want to stay with me, yes.”
She pressed her lips together.“Shouldn’t we decide something like that together?”
“The only thing I care about is that you’re in my life.”
“And do you believe that’s what matters most to me, too?”
“Yes.So say it.”