Page 180 of The Temporary Fiancée
“I want you back, Olivia,” he tells me. There’s fire in his eyes. “I want to be with you—more than anything. I miss you so fucking much. More than you could ever know.”
I’m touched, and so, so tempted to fall right into his arms. But the rational part of my brain holds me back. “What about your family?” I remind him. “What about the company? I’ll never fit in with any of that. We talked about this.”
“My family’s opinion doesn’t matter to me.Youmatter to me.”
“But—your legacy. Your future.”
He shakes his head. “My father will never have the opportunity to make you feel less than,” he says firmly. “Ever again.”
I’m taken aback by the protectiveness of his words. I try to process this, and as I do, he keeps speaking.
“I’ve decided to step down from the hotel.”
I stare at him. “Youwhat?”
There’s a small smile playing across his lips as he repeats, “I’m stepping down from the hotel. My brother and I both sold our shares of the company.”
“Why—why would you do that?” I blink, stunned. I feel a small stab of panic at the idea that he would do something like this—throw away his entire future—just forme.
He shrugs. “We’ve got our own things in the works,” he says, still smirking. “We’re both smart. We’ve been brought up around the business. We have the capital and the knowledge to make our own go of this. There’s no need to ride the Eastwood coattails forever.”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course I’m serious. We’re striking off on our own. Starting our own business.”
“But—but?—”
“It’s well worth the risks,” he says. “It means that neither one of us will have to keep living under our father’s thumb. I’m sick of letting my toxic family dictate my life, and so is Shane. He doesn’t want to succeed my father at Eastwood, and neither do I.”
He takes a step closer to me, and I’m sorely tempted to step closer to him, too.
“I wantyou,“ he says, his voice fervent. “And I don’t want to let my family’s disapproval keep us apart. Before I got to know you, I would’ve chosen the company. I was raised for most of my life to accept that that was my future. But now I know better. You’re my future.”
I lift my hand to my mouth, trying to hide my shock, but I know he can tell how I’m feeling nonetheless.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen to Eastwood Hotels, but it doesn’t matter. You’re my family. You’re my priority. And I’m always going to choose you first.”
I can’t believe it. I can’t believe he stepped down—forme.Reed is the type of man who is driven, headstrong, and restless. The fact that he chose me above everything I thought he wanted… and without the approval of his family…
“You care about me that much?” I whisper.
“I love you with my whole heart,” he replies. “With everything that I am.”
Chapter 44
Reed
Olivia stares at me,her brown eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears. For a moment, I feel as though all of the air has been sucked out of the room as I wait for her response.
Then, after several seconds, she throws herself into my arms.
Relief courses through me, and then I’m kissing her, my hands twining into her hair and wrapping around her back. All of the longing that I’ve felt for her, all of the desire between us, comes to a head instantaneously, like a sudden burst of flame.
I pull her up into my arms, my lips locked against hers, and then tip her back onto the bed.
I pull Olivia as close as I can, pressing myself to her, wanting to feel every inch of her body connecting to mine. Her hair fans across the pillow. Her lips mold to my mouth. Her hands travel through my hair and scrape down my back. She releases a contented sigh, and the sound makes relief flood through me.
Olivia is right where she belongs, in my arms, kissing me, touching me. Every trace of her fingertips across my skin solidifies that I’m making the right choice to put her first—above everyone and everything in my life.
