Chapter One
April Billingsworth blinked up at the ceiling, deliberating the best way to slip out of bed. And his embrace. She tried sliding out from under his arm, but he tightened his grip, mumbling something in his sleep as he threw a heavy thigh over her legs.
She sighed. So much for that idea.
Rubbing her feet together, she glanced down and edged a foot out from under the covers. One hot pink high heel shone in the morning sun.
“Leave on the shoes, babe,” he had ordered.
Her dress slipped to the floor, but the shoes stayed on. “Don’t call me ‘babe’,” she snapped, then went willingly into his arms.
“It’s a glorious morning,” Finn said, his hand coasting down her side to cup one of her butt cheeks. “Damn fine morning.” He gave a little squeeze. “Of course you’re frowning.”
Turning her attention to the sexy Irishman who’d slept fully nude beside her, she allowed a smile to curve the corners of her mouth. She was really happy, ecstatic even, because he was in such a good mood. Although, it seemed Finn was always in a good mood.
In any case she had really big, scary news and wasn’t sure how to tell him, but starting the day with him smiling was a good thing.
“Now that’s something you don’t see every day,” he said, kissing her nose. “I’ll have to spring for a hotel room more often.”
“I’ll take you as my date to one of my sorority sister’s wedding in June. It’s going to be on Jekyll Island, down in Georgia, so overnight accommodations are a must,” she said and his smile disappeared. Oh, crap. She wanted to die for being so careless with her words. Still she maintained her smile. No matter what, her flipping smile would stay. It always had. One didn’t have a father in politics and not learn something.
He rose above her, all lickable broad shoulders and tight abs while his sexy blue eyes studied her face. “That’s sounds quite serious, Miss Billingsworth. You sure about that?”
A couple of minutes ago, heck even a day ago, she would have said yes, she was totally serious about him. But now, with his serious expression and lack of smile, she had to say, “What’s there to be sure about? I thought that since I’d most likely be bored, you could ride along and keep me…amused.”
Brows rising, he tilted his head to one side. “Did you now?” Before she could answer, his phone rang and he groaned. “Mind if I take this, babe?”
A sarcastic reply almost broke free of her lips, but she tampered it down. Don’t screw this up, she reminded herself. “Go ahead, but stop with the ‘babe’, I hate it.” Actually she loved it, but most of her girlfriends would think it was demeaning and sexist.
She didn’t give a damn, but Finn didn’t need to know that.
“You’re a corker, April. A real corker,” he said, kissing her softly on the lips. Grabbing the phone and sliding out of bed, he walked away, speaking softly, and her stomach did a little flip at the sight of his fine butt and hard thighs.
“I’ll be waiting,” she called out in a sing-songy voice. Something the old April would have never done, but she was tired of being her.
Finn paused and turned, his eyes widening a little. That sexy mouth of his kicked up at the corners and he winked. Then he slipped inside the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
She sat up in bed, pulling the covers up and over her breasts, then tucked the sheets under her arms. Sunlight poured into their room now and she grinned like a Cheshire cat. After years of falling for the wrong guy, then falling for what on paper should have been the right one, she was in love with the “one”. Totally, completely in love.
Finn had been the rebound guy, but not anymore. He had become more than one night stand turned twice a week date and had morphed into serious boyfriend. Unlike the relationship with her ex-fiancé, she and Finn weren’t toxic for each other. She didn’t feel a need to make Finn jealous or lie to him just so she’d know that she was number one.
With Finn, she was number one and he didn’t keep things from her. He was a good guy, a cop or bounty hunter or something like that. She never could keep it straight, because he didn’t like to talk about work. He wanted to know about her: What she liked and what she didn’t.
Not that her ex hadn’t been a good guy, he had been and still was one. When she’d broken up with him, it had truly been an ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ moment. She had been scared to death of getting married, of settling down and becoming another family pimped out to voters for her daddy’s campaigns.
Worse, she had been scared to death of turning out like her mother. Oh who was she kidding—she still was terrified.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and began to rehearse what she’d say in her head. Finn, I know we’ve only been together for four months, but—
The door to the bathroom banged open. “Get dressed.” He picked up her clothes and threw them at her, then began to tug on his own. His movements were angry and hurried while she sat there frozen. “Dammit, woman. Get. Up.”
April blinked at him. She’d never seen Finn like this. “But…I—”
“Look, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, babe—”
“You’re married,” she shrieked, her heart plummeting to her toes.
“God, no.” He made a face. “I’m completely single.”
Okay, so not married, but did he have to sound so opposed to it? “You’re not really twenty-nine?”
“Have you been drinking this morning?”
“No.” Then it hit her and she wanted to cry at the injustice. “You’re gay, but you’ve been told it’s wrong and that if you just sleep with a woman like a “real” man then you’d be cured. Don’t listen to those people. Be yourself!”
“Seriously?”
“There wouldn’t be any shame in it if you were.” But she would be heartbroken. Oh, good grief, gay men didn’t sleep with women.
He rolled his eyes. “My brother’s gay.”
“You never told me that.” She narrowed her eyes. “Is it because you’re ashamed of him?”
His head fell back and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I was his best man, at his wedding. And I’m a godparent to his daughter. He adopted her, with his partner, who’s a man, in case you’re still assuming things about me.”
She winced. “Sorry.”
“You’re a strange woman sometimes, with strange ideas, but you’re forgiven. Now back to the subject at hand.” He placed a knee on the bed, looking around the room before fixing his blue eyes on her. “I should have told you sooner. And I want you to know that what we have means something to me. It’s real. Me and you are real. Together. We’re good together and—”
She felt herself go all soft at his nonsensical speech. This was too perfect. He could admit his feelings and then she could tell him. “Are you trying to say that you’re in love with me?”
“No!”