by Jenika Snow
She was crying now, but they were happy tears.
“If being with Reese means you’re happy, then who am I to stand in the way of that?” He smiled down at her, and lifted a hand to wipe away her tears with his thumb.
“Thanks, Dad. Thanks for giving me the chance to do this on my own.”
He glanced down at their hands again. “I know that he cares about you genuinely, too. I guess I just didn’t want to accept it.”
She swallowed back her emotion. “You know that?”
He nodded. “I could see it in the way he looked at you, how he defended how he felt about you, and tried to get me to see what was right in front of me.”
She leaned into him, and he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “I’ll always be your little girl, Dad. Being with Reese, or any man for that matter, won’t ever change that.” She tightened her hold on his waist.
“I know, sweetie. I’m coming to understand that.” He chuckled softly.
“I’m not stopping my life because of Reese. I’m still going to get my business degree, and still hopefully work with you at the office.”
He smiled wider. “I’m looking forward to that, Lake.” He pulled her back and cupped her cheeks. “I just worry about you.”
“I know. You don’t have to worry so much, though.”
“I’m realizing that.” He chuckled again, and then she did as well.
They stayed silent for a moment. She hadn’t realized how much she missed this time with her dad. He was accepting this, or at least trying to, and that was all she could ask for. They hadn’t done things conventionally, hadn’t given anyone time to accept this or even get used to the idea of them together. Her father was wanting to understand, and she was so thankful for that, so thankful that he loved her enough to put his very understandable anger and frustration aside because she was happy.
Chapter Twelve
Calvin stared out his office window, watching the people twenty floors below walk up and down the streets, but his mind was on his daughter and Reese. He’d already made things right with Lake last night, but he needed to talk with Reese. And that was apparently happening any minute now since the man called this morning and was expected to come by here.
Calvin ran a hand over his face and knew that he’d need to work on this, need to understand that Reese was a good man, even if this seemed wrong, in a way.
“Mr. Heart, there is a Mr. Jordan here to see you.”
The sound of his receptionist on the intercom had his thoughts being broken up.
“Send him in, Louisa.” He didn’t turn around when he heard the door open and close a few seconds later.
“Calvin,” Reese said in a deep voice
He closed his eyes for a second when he heard Reese’s voice behind him. He looked over his shoulder, saw the other man standing by the front doors, and tried to look past all the things that had pissed him off when he first found out. Reese stepped closer, but stopped about five feet from Calvin’s desk.
Calvin turned around and sat at his desk. “Have a seat, Reese.” When the other man was in the chair across from him, Calvin breathed out, knowing this just needed to be done so things could move on. Finally he broke the silence. “I was going to call you so we could speak.”
Reese nodded. “I’m glad, because I think this needs to be worked out, and I don’t want Lake upset.”
Calvin agreed. He didn’t want his daughter upset because he hadn’t been able to control himself or see that this was her choice. Reese was a big man, tall and muscular, and matching Calvin in height and weight, but even if the man was ex-military, had lived his life in the battlefield, he was now the person his daughter wanted to be with. Calvin would need to accept that. Since meeting Ginny he’d met Reese, and he’d grown to care for the man like a brother. He trusted him, even if time and distance had separated them. He’d been Ginny’s rock, and because of that Calvin had embraced him as part of the family.
But then all of this had gone down, and Calvin had been lost in his emotions, consumed by them. He hadn’t known how to proceed aside from with violence. Of course he wanted his daughter happy, no matter whom she chose to be with in life. But then another part of him said that this wasn’t okay, that Reese was too old, had a lifetime of experience that was too much for his young daughter, and he had been divorced already.
They continued to stare at each other.
“I meant no disrespect, Calvin. But I care about her, want this to work, and I won’t back off.” Reese didn’t say it with disrespect. “She makes me feel alive, like what I’ve had in my life doesn’t even compare to what I feel when I’m with her.”
“You just got divorced and haven’t even had a relationship with Lake as more than Ginny’s brother.”
Reese nodded. “I know, but what I feel is real. My marriage wasn’t a happy one and didn’t mean what I’d hoped having a wife would mean. I’ve lived a hard life out in the battlefield, and know what death is. I also know what it feels to have something good and perfect, and that’s what I feel with your daughter.” He said it matter-of-factly.
Reese looked down at the ground for a few seconds, and when he looked at Calvin again there was this honesty on the man’s face. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone, not even Brittany. Lake makes me see that not everything in this world needs to be put in its place, or that it has to be a certain way. I feel like a better man with her, and I know how crazy this sounds given the quickness of it all, but it’s the truth.” The silence stretched out between them. “I deserved everything you gave me. But I want you to understand that what I feel for your daughter is real.”
Calvin understood what he said, and was trying to understand and come to terms with it all.
“I know you need time to process all of this. I can give you that time, but I won’t leave Lake. I can’t, not unless she doesn’t want me, Calvin.” They stared at each other for a moment, and then Calvin nodded once.
“I’ve spoken to Lake, and I know she cares about you. I may not understand why a man your age, with your history, wants someone so young, so innocent.” Calvin cleared his throat, thinking about his sweet daughter, about what she’d been through in her life, how she was so strong. “She’s smart, strong, and knows what she wants.”
Reese nodded.
“I can also see you’re genuine. I know you’re a good man, Reese, but if we were in the other’s shoes, I know you’d have gone off the deep end, too.”
“I would have, without a doubt,” Reese said.
“I can’t tell Lake what to do in her life, and she’s smart enough to know what she wants. But if you ever hurt her I’ll make sure you feel her pain as if it were your own. Understand?”
Reese nodded. “I wouldn’t expect any less, but I won’t hurt her.” Reese stood.
“Be good to her and treat her like the queen she is.”
“Always,” Reese said. They nodded once more to each other, and then Reese left the office.
Calvin would have no problem delivering on his promise to hurt Reese if he hurt Lake, but he knew, in his heart, that Reese was the right man for his daughter. He would just need time to fully accept that his little girl was not so little anymore.
****
Several months later
Reese watched Lake as she moved around his kitchen, insistent on making him dinner. He sat at his dining room table, the boxes he’d had stacked against the wall for the last few months finally out of the way as he’d gotten around to putting them away. She looked over her shoulder, smiled at him, and for the millionth time since they’d been together he realized this woman was it for him. He loved her. Fucking hell, did he love her.
He grinned, picked up his bottle of beer, and drank it slowly as he continued to watch her. The truth was he could stare at her all day every day and never get enough. When he’d invited her over it had been to take her out, maybe even get a little dirty before going on a date, but she’d shown up with a bag of gro
ceries, and insisted on cooking for him. He wanted to be in this relationship, wanted her to be a part of his life.
He stood and walked over to her, but stopped and leaned against the frame of the entryway. Reese watched her washing the dishes she’d just cooked with, and heard her humming softly.
He walked up to her, stopped just inches from her, and placed his hands on her hips, holding Lake. “I just realized we’ve never danced.” He pressed the play button in the iPod dock on the counter, and Bach started playing. He turned her around to face him. He dipped his head low, ran the tip of his nose along the arch of her throat, and heard her breath falter. She smelled good, like vanilla and warmed sugar.
“Are you sure dancing is what’s on your mind?” she asked, obviously feeling his erection. The fact his cock was right on her belly, moving back and forth as he swayed with her, was probably a dead giveaway.
He wanted her, always seemed to in fact, but the truth was he just wanted to hold her. And Reese did just that, continuing to move back and forth. Her scent enveloped him, and the fact that this woman made him feel things he’d never thought he’d have made him love her even more.
“I love you,” she said softly, and he reached his hand on the back of her head, and pulled her toward his chest. She relaxed against him, and he rested his chin on the crown of her head.
“I love you, too, baby.”
She wrapped her hands around his waist and sighed one of those contented ones that made a man feel like he was doing all the right things.
“You are doing all the right things,” she whispered, and he realized he’d spoken out loud. He couldn’t help it. Reese dipped down and took her mouth with his.
Reese knew this woman was it for him, absolutely-fucking-it. She was his world, his everything, and he knew that with the time passing his love for her would only increase. It was one hell of a feeling to have.
Chapter Thirteen
Two years later
It had really happened. Lake had graduated with her bachelor’s degree in business management, and she’d never felt more proud of herself than she did now. She’d worked hard to get here in her life, busted her ass in her studies and trying to do the best she possibly could. It had all paid off.
She pulled into the driveway of her apartment complex, cut the engine, and smiled. She’d just left the ceremony to come home and rest a bit before she was going back to Ginny and her dad’s house for a big party. She couldn’t wait to start this chapter in her life, and when she saw Reese’s car in the parking lot she couldn’t wait to start the next chapter with him as well.
Once she grabbed her things and got out of the car she headed up the steps to her place. When she pushed the door open she immediately stopped. Reese stood a few feet from her, candles lit on the table, and this expression on his face that had her heart stopping.
“Hey, baby,” he said in his deep voice that had her toes curling.
She shut the door, set her bag down, and smiled a little tentatively. She’d seen him just a couple of hours ago, but when she started talking with some of her friends he’d disappeared. She looked around.
“Hi.” She smiled. “What’s going on?” Lake was worried, but she didn’t feel that something bad was going to happen, and not just because he’d lit candles.
“Come here, Lake.” He held his hand out to her.
She moved closer, slipped her hand in his, and stared at him. He didn’t say anything for a few moments, but then he exhaled, and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again she felt her heart jump in her throat.
“I want to be here with you, to work this relationship out and experience it all with you, Lake.” He stared in her eyes, lifted his hand and cupped her cheek.
She felt this zing of electricity go through her when their flesh touched. She always felt that intensity when he was near. “I’m glad, because I want that, too.” She smiled, having a feeling on what was going on, but holding her breath regardless.
“I want to be able to give you the world, to give you whatever you want.” He dropped to one knee, and her heart stopped. When he reached in his pocket and pulled out a small black box, she knew that her life would forever be changed from this moment on.
“Reese…” She didn’t know what to say.
He opened the lid, showing her a solitaire diamond. “This ring means I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He took the ring out of the box. “I don’t want to rush this with you, even though it’s been two years, Lake.” Reese slipped the ring on her finger. “Lake Heart, my beautiful, beautiful Lake,” he said and stopped for a breath. “I am asking for your hand in marriage, asking for you to be my wife, my lifelong partner.” He smiled up at her. “I’m asking you to be the mother of my children, to go through the good and bad times with me, and to be in my life until we are old and grey.”
She covered her hand with her mouth, looked down at him, and felt tears in her eyes. Her vision became blurry, and she shook her head, not refusing this proposal, just not knowing what to say at the moment.
Maybe he took her silence as she was saying no, because he started speaking again. “I don’t want to rush you. I never want to rush this. If you don’t want to give me an answer right away, I understand, and will be here regardless.”
Her heart picked up speed.
“Baby, I want you to be able to experience life, start your career.” He smoothed his fingers over the back of her hand. “When you’re ready, I want to make you my bride.”
She looked down at her ring, at the size of it, the way it seemed so large on her finger, even dwarfing her hand.
“You’re making me nervous, baby,” he said on a little, nervous chuckle. “You let me know how fast or slow to go, and I’ll be here.”
“Yes, God yes, Reese,” she said and started laughing through her happiness. He smiled and stood. Reese pulled her in for a hug, and she closed her eyes and smiled. She leaned back.
Rising on her toes she pressed her lips to his. He lifted his other arm and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her close to him, and slightly having her going off the ground. He was so strong, so powerful. The feel of his erection prodding her belly had a flash of wetness leaving her pussy. God, even two years later this felt so new and exciting with him. They’d taken things slow. She lived alone now, having moved out of her father’s and Ginny’s place, and getting an apartment about ten minutes from where they lived. Although she saw Reese a lot, and he spent the night more times than not, she hadn’t wanted to rush into anything.
“I’d do anything for you, baby,” he said against her lips. He went back to kissing her, harder this time, and slid his hand that cupped her cheek to the back of her head. He held her face close to his as he fucked her with his lips and tongue.
“Reese…” She breathed against his mouth. Her eyes fluttered closed when he moved his mouth to her neck, and his warm breath teased the skin right below her ear.
“Yeah, baby?” His voice was low, husky.
“I…” she said on a moan when he ran his tongue along her throat.
“You’re mine,” he groaned, stopping her from speaking anymore. The feel of his tongue on her throat had a small mewl leaving her. “I won’t ever take anything you’re not willing to give, and I’ll never rush you into anything. I’m here for the long run.”
Her head was suddenly too heavy for her to hold up, and so she let it fall back, baring her throat.
“That’s it, baby, give yourself to me. I swear to fucking God, I’ll make you never regret it.”
She knew she’d never regret anything with Reese, would never think twice about giving herself to him. Lake wanted to let go, so she brought her hands up, gripped his massive biceps and nodded her desire for him to continue. “I want you, want this, but…”
He lifted his head and looked down at her. “Tell me what you want, and it’s yours, Lake.”
She licked her lips, knowing she really did want this, but wanted him to submit to her,
too, at least at first. “Will you let me lead?” She didn’t need to elaborate, because by the sound he let out she knew he understood.
“Anything. Anything and everything I have is yours. I’m yours.” He brushed his lips against hers, like he was ready to let her take the reins. She knew it was probably for this one time, because Reese was a very dominating man. She’d seen it, felt it in him when he’d taken her that first time, and every time after that for the last two years. Lake liked that he took control. It made her feel like a woman, and that he knew how to make her feel good because he knew her so well.
He took a step back, and for a moment all they did was stare at each other. The shirt he wore was a button-down. She lifted her hands to his chest and rested her open palm right over his pectoral muscles, felt the firm definition, and felt her arousal grow.
Lake slipped the buttons out one at a time, and when the material was hanging open she smoothed her hands along the hard, smooth ridges of his chest.
Pushing the shirt off his shoulders, she stared at the dark hair that started right below his belly button and disappeared beneath his jeans. All other thoughts left her mind, and she breathed out roughly as she stared at his hard chest. It was broad, golden in color, and so muscular she felt like a small, insignificant woman beside him. He groaned low in his throat as she stared at him.
Lake knew it must be hard for Reese to just stand there, not taking control when she knew he wanted to. Nervousness was a living entity inside of her, but she pushed it aside and reached for the belt at his waist.