“It’s a good thing you’re not done with me, because it would’ve been really awkward when I handcuffed myself to your bed and told you I wasn’t going anywhere.”

My chest shook with laughter, and I dropped my hands from her face to her ass and hauled her up against me. Vanessa clutched my shoulders as I lowered my mouth to her lips.

The initial rush of relief I felt at Con’s words was burned away by the white-hot need streaking through my veins. He devoured me with his kiss, but I wanted more. Needed more. I pulled my head away.

“I want you. Here. Now.” My words were desperate, hungry.

I needed to feel his claim all the way to my bones. I needed him inside me to reinforce the fact that he wasn’t going anywhere. That what we had was real. Solid. Forever.

Con’s eyes darkened to a deep blue, and in them I saw hunger that matched my own. He broke our stare, taking in the interior of the gym with new purpose. When his gaze landed on the weight bench, I grinned inwardly. He turned, saying nothing, as he carried me to it. Lowering me carefully until I was seated, Con dropped to his knees in front of me, pulling off my shoes and shoving up my skirt. He dragged my panties down my legs, and I was bared to him. Con’s eyes darted up to mine again before he cupped me between my legs.

“This is mine. And so is every other fucking part of you.”

I reached forward and buried my hands in his hair. “Just like every part of you belongs to me.”

“Always. Forever.”

“I love you, Con.” I lowered my mouth to his, wanting his taste on my tongue again.

Against my lips, he whispered, “Love you more, princess.”

When our kiss finally broke, Con laid me back, dropped his shorts, and growled, “Better hold on, baby. This might get a little rowdy.”

I grinned, because when he straddled the bench and thrust inside me, it did.

When you’ve had the kind of reunion I did with the woman you were crazy in love with, you didn’t question her when she told you to ‘follow her.’ You got on your bike and you followed that woman anywhere she led you. And when those twists and turns took you into the heart of the Garden District and behind the fence of her father’s house, you grabbed hold of yourself by the metaphorical balls and you manned up, regardless of the fact that you once passed out drunk against that very fence. Old insecurities fought their way to the surface, but I crushed them as I lowered the kickstand and swung my leg over the bike. I opened Vanessa’s door and helped her out of the car.

“Princess, we storming the castle for some reason?” Because this was pretty much the last place I wanted to be right about now. Or ever.

She smiled and replied, “Sort of. I think it’s long past time I introduced my father to my boyfriend. Or reintroduce, as it were.”

A fist of uncertainty grabbed hold of my gut and clamped it tight while I fought for some semblance of nonchalance.

“You really think that’s a good idea? From where I’m standing, it ain’t necessary.”

Vanessa grabbed my hand and laced my fingers with hers. Her blue eyes shined up at me with love and sincerity. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for her when she looked at me like that. Hell, it really didn’t matter how she looked at me, I’d do anything for her.

“It’s very necessary. How else would I ever convince you to pick me up at the front door for a date?”

My eyebrows hit my hairline. “Now you’re fucking with me.”

She shook her head. “No. I’m serious. It’s time we bring this out of the shadows and into the light where we both deserve it to be.” She squeezed my hand before she added, “I’m not hiding anything anymore, especially not how I feel about you.”

Well, fuck. When she put it like that, what could I say?

I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple. Eyes squeezed shut, I whispered, “You humble me. And that’s just one more reason I fucking love you.”

I pulled back, and we walked hand in hand up to the front of the elegant, antebellum mansion. Vanessa pulled her keys out of her purse and let us inside. Her father’s booming voice echoed in the house. “Vanessa, is that you? What did the board decide? That fucking Archer. If he wasn’t dead, I’d kill him myself.”

I couldn’t help but nod my head absently in approval. Maybe Vanessa’s father and I weren’t as different as I’d always thought. But as she led me deeper into the house and across the threshold into his study, that sliver of confidence was snuffed out.

“What the hell is he doing here?” Royce Frost was seated behind a desk as large as a ’57 Chevy. It probably cost more than one, if my limited knowledge of antiques was accurate.

“Dad, you remember Constantine Leahy.”

Frost’s gaze zeroed in on our clasped hands.

“And I repeat, what the hell is he doing here?”

I had to give Vanessa credit, she didn’t falter in the slightest.

“You wanted to know if I was ever going to settle on a man, and I wanted to introduce you to the one I’ve settled on.”

“Is this some kind of joke?”

I straightened, refusing to shrink under his stare. “No, sir. And there’s no joke about the fact that I’m in love with your daughter, and she’s in love with me. I know I don’t deserve her—”

“Damn right, you don’t.”

“Daddy, if I were you, I’d watch what you say right about now. I’ve made my choice, and if you can’t be happy about it, then I’d prefer you say nothing at all.” Vanessa’s words were quiet, but firm.

Frost eyed me with all of the ice his name implied. “You willing to cause a rift between a father and his only child just to get a piece of ass, boy?”

I dropped Vanessa’s hand and stalked forward, slapping both palms down on the surface of the desk. “Don’t you fucking talk about her like that, old man. I don’t give a damn what you say about me, but you will fucking respect her. I don’t care how old you are, I’ll teach you some goddamn manners myself.”

I expected him to rise, which he did. He laid both hands on the desk and leaned forward, mirroring my posture.

“What did you say to me, boy?”

“You heard me, old man.”

His blue eyes were an aged and paler version of Vanessa’s, but they speared me all the same.