Chapter 41 Dominic


    Late into the night, my home remained so full of joy, light, and warmth, eating and drinking and


    laughter. Now the guests have gone, the halls are dark, my girls sleeping peacefully down the hall.


    Presley and I are curled up together in my bed . . . and this feels like family too.


    “Are we going to talk about your surprise today? What made you think of it?” Presley asks, her head


    pillowed on my chest.


    I run my fingers through her elegant spill of dark hair. Her rtionship with her father is something that


    has been on my mind for a long time, actually. Maybe it’s because I’m a dad now as well and could


    never imagine not having a rtionship with my daughters. But it was more than that too.


    “Well, I never got a chance to reconcile with my father . . . or protect my brother . . . but I figured I could


    still help you with yours.”


    She props herself on her elbow to stroke my stubbled cheek, sympathy in her eyes. “I’m sorry,


    Dominic.”


    I still don’t know how to handle it when she looks at me like that, when I can see the full, overwhelming


    depth of what she feels for me. “You don’t have to be sorry. It’s in the past.”


    “The past can still hurt,” she says softly.


    “It can. But I have a present to take care of . . . and a future to look forward to.”


    We lie together for a while, just enjoying each other’s warm solidarity. Then, in a much lighter tone, she


    asks, “So, what on earth did you say to convince my dad?”


    “A magician never reveals his secrets,” I say, not because I actually don’t want to tell her, but because I


    want to make herugh.


    She does and nudges me in the ribs yfully. “Oh,e on, I’m dying to know. Dad almost never


    apologizes.”


    “Well, I said a lot of things—some of which I can’t repeat in front of the girls—but I think what did the


    trick was finding somemon ground. I told him I’m a single father too, and I understand how hard it


    can be when your children’s mother isn’t there, and how easy it is for your life to get out of hand. But if


    he lets these family rtionships go, he’ll regret it until the day he dies.”


    Blinking fast, she sniffles wetly.


    “Are you oka—”


    Her fervent kiss cuts me off. “I love you so much,” she says hoarsely, squeezing me tight.


    My heart soars to the heavens, as it always does every time I hear those words. “I love you too,” I


    murmur against her lips.


    To think, barely any time ago I never would have let myself think that, let alone say it out loud. But now


    I can. Every hour of every day until forever ends.


    She kisses me again, hungry and joyful, and I answer with everything I have. Our touches quickly turn


    from sweet to hot, and soon I’m helping Presley push her pajama bottoms off.


    “Can’t wake the kids,” she says, already breathless under me.


    “I can keep quiet if you can.” I nip at her neck.


    She makes a torn, needy noise. “I’ll try.”


    Sliding into her is yet another kind ofing home. We rock together, slow and sensual, as if we have


    all the time in the world—because now we do. I marvel at that knowledge, luxuriate in it, in her body


    and her moans and the love shining from her eyes.


    “Y-you’re not making this easy,” she pants.


    “Sorry. I just can’t help myself when ites to you.” I kiss her, sealing in our sounds of pleasure, and


    repeat the move until she’s clutching at my back and whimpering into my mouth.


    I thrust faster, harder, and she bucks up to meet me. My hands run over her hungrily, caressing every


    inch of skin I can reach. My whole body is tensing, nerves sparking, so intense, and it’s clear she’s


    quickly getting closer too. Her muffled moanse louder and more urgent, washing heat over me.


    With every second, I fall deeper into Presley until nothing else exists.


    Suddenly, her trembling turns into full-body quakes. At the sensation of her arching and writhing


    beneath me, clenching in waves around my cock, I can’t hold out any longer. Pleasure sweeps over me


    like a tsunami—with a long, rough-edged groan, I follow her over the edge. When our bliss ebbs away,


    I wrap her in my arms.


    As wey entwined, sated and tired and content, our eyes meet, and I can see the promise of a vast


    new future spread out before us. Whateveres next, I will never be the same again. And I’m so


    ready.


    I nuzzle into her neck. “Hey . . . can I ask you something?”


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    “Yeah?” she mumbles sleepily.


    “Do you want to, um, move in with me?”


    She sits up and stares at me, blinking. Then a smile spreads across her face that’s so beautiful, it


    almost stops my heart.


    “Are you serious?”


    “Completely,” I say, returning her smile. “I want you here with me. With the girls.”


    She chews on her lip, considering this. “But do you think it will be okay, I mean . . .”


    I quiet her by taking her hand and guiding her lips to mine. “They love you, Presley, almost as much as


    I do. It’s going to be perfect.”


    Her eyes find mine, and she looks so happy that it makes my heart clench. “Then I’d love


    to.”