Page 58 of Maid for a Magnate

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 “You already knew?” he asked in a whisper. “Didn’t you?”

 Cat nodded. Will’s heart tightened. How had she known? How could she keep something so important from him?

 “You’ve known awhile,” he said, keeping his eyes on her unsurprised face. “How long?”

 Cat blinked back the moisture that had gathered in her dark eyes. “Four years.”

 Rubbing the back of his neck, Will glanced down at the floor. He couldn’t look at her. Couldn’t believe she’d keep such a monumental secret from him.

 “I didn’t know when we were together,” she told him. “My mom told me after we broke up. I was so upset and she kept telling me how the Rowling men... Never mind. It’s not important.”

 Everything about this was important, yet the affair really had nothing to do with how he felt for Cat. The sins of their parents didn’t have to trickle down to them and ruin their happiness.

 “I still can’t believe you didn’t say anything.”

 Cat turned, walked to the door and stared out into the backyard. Will took in her narrow shoulders, the exposed nape of her neck. She wasn’t wearing her typical black shirt and pants. Right now she had on a pair of flat sandals, a floral skirt and some type of fitted shirt that sat right at the edge of her shoulders. She looked amazing and she was just out of his reach, physically and emotionally.

 “I wanted to tell you on the island,” she said, keeping her back to him. “I tried once, but we got sidetracked. That’s an excuse. I should’ve made you listen, but we were so happy and there was no such thing as reality during those few days. I just wanted to stay in that euphoric moment.”

 He couldn’t fault her for that because he’d felt the exact same way.

 “There’s just so much against us, Will.” She turned back around and the lone tear on her cheek gutted him. “Sometimes people can love each other and still not be together. Sometimes love isn’t enough and people just need to go their own way.”

 Will heard what she was saying, but how could he not hone in on the one main point to her farewell speech?

 “You love me?” He couldn’t help but smile as he crossed to her. “Say it, Cat. I want to hear the words.”

 She shook her head. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

 “Say it.” His hands settled around her waist as he pulled her flush against him. “Now.”

 “I love you, Will, but—”

 He crushed his lips to hers. Nothing else mattered after those life-altering words. Nothing she could say would erase the fact that she loved him and he loved her, and he’d be damn it if he would ever let her walk away.

 Her body melted against his as her fingers curled around his biceps. Will lifted his mouth from hers, barely.

 “Don’t leave, Cat,” he murmured against her lips. “Don’t leave Alma. Don’t leave me.”

 “I can’t give up who I am, Will.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “No matter how much I love you, I can’t give up everything I’ve worked for and I wouldn’t expect you to give up your work for me. We have different goals in different directions.”

 The fear of losing her, the reality that if he didn’t lay it all on the line, then she would be out of his life for good hit him hard.

 “I’m coming with you.”

 Cat’s eyes flew open as Will tipped his head back to see her face better. “What?”

 “I meant what I said. I won’t give you up and you’re more to me than any business. But I can work from anywhere and I can fly to Alma when I need to.”

 “You can’t be serious.” Panic flooded her face. “This is rushed. You can’t expect me to just say okay and we’ll be on our way to happily-ever-after. It’s too fast.”

 Will laughed. “I’ve known you since you were a little girl. I dated you four years ago and last weekend you spent nearly three days in my bed. You said you love me and I love the hell out of you and you think this is too fast? If we move any slower we’ll be in a nursing home by the time you wear my ring on your finger.”

 “I can’t think.” Once again she pushed him aside and moved past him. “I can’t take all this in. I mean, your dad and my mom...all of the things that have kept us apart. And then you corner me in a laundry room of all places to tell me you want me forever.”

 “So we don’t do things the traditional way.” He came up behind her, gripped her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “I’m done with being by the book and boring. I want adventure, I want to be on a deserted island with the only woman in the world who can make me angry, laugh and love the way you do. I want to take care of you, I want to wear out the words I love you and I want to have no regrets from here on out where we are concerned.”