All or Nothing at All(106)

"Fine. Good luck."

He paused beside her chair. Then tipped her head up. "I'll see you later. Have a good day." He kissed her, slow and thorough, with a tenderness that made her whole being sigh with pleasure.

"Ew!" Becca said. "Kissing is gross!"

Tristan grinned. "I'm glad you think so, sweetheart. Keep on that track for me, okay?" With a wink, he left, leaving her staring at the closed door.

She finished breakfast, got Becca on the bus, and headed to the job site to get an early start. The day and evening passed quickly, and she took her time driving back home, lost in thought.

She had committed herself to this marriage because she loved him. Believed with enough time, he'd begin to trust her again. Open his heart. Love her the way she loved him. But months later, he still shut himself off. She was losing herself a little bit more every day, and it might be time to confront him. It was time Tristan Pierce took a risk with her and laid his heart on the line.

When she walked into the mansion, the downstairs was quiet. Kicking off her shoes, she headed up the staircase to check on Becca. As she approached her room, she heard them talking and paused in the doorway. A smile rested on her lips as she listened.

"Why does the princess always marry the prince at the end of the fairy tales?" Becca asked. "Do you always have to marry someone you kiss?"

Tristan's low chuckle warmed her heart. She heard the rustle of bedcovers. "Definitely not. Fairy tales were written a long time ago, when women had no other opportunities other than getting married."

"They couldn't be CPO like Mama?"

"CFO. And no, not back then. They'd marry, have children, cook, clean, and stay home."

"That sounds boring. I thought I wanted to be a princess, but I think I'd rather be an animal doctor. Or work on houses like you and Uncle Cal and Uncle Dalton and Mama. I like HGTV." 

"You are so much smarter than those princesses," he said.

"Yeah, 'cause if the prince gets me mad, I have my own money to go somewhere else."

Tristan's laugh pumped up the room with joy. Becca laughed with him. Sydney shook with mirth, ready to step in and give her daughter a high five, but Becca's next question halted her mid-stride. "If you don't get married because you kiss, then why do you?"

"Because you love someone."

"We can't get married! But you love me, right?"

She squealed out loud. He must have been tickling her. "Silly girl, of course I love you. Parents always love their children, though. Adults are the ones who fall in love and decide to get married."

"Like Mama, right? You love Mama?"

She froze. Heart beating madly, she stood poised at the door, straining to hear his answer. A short moment of silence fell heavily in the air. Her breath caught as she waited.

"I love our family, Becca. And I love you more than anything in the whole world. Get it?"

"Got it."

Their voices mingled. More laughter. Sydney backed slowly away from the door. Very quietly, she entered her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. Everything around her remained the same. Inside, everything felt different.

"Hey, I didn't hear you get in. How was your day?" He stepped inside, shutting the door. He'd changed out of his suit into a pair of faded jeans and a simple black T-shirt. The scent of the ocean filled her nostrils. He was barefoot.

This man finally belonged to her. Her husband. The one who claimed her heart and made her body weep.

But it wasn't enough.

She made sure her voice didn't wobble. "I overheard you talking to Becca."

He smiled and shook his head. "Now, that was an interesting conversation. Decided she didn't want to be a princess. She'd rather have a job and make money. Who do you think she learned that from?" He walked to the dresser, removing his silver watch.

"You told her you loved your family."

"That's right. I do."

"But not me."

He stiffened. She watched him while he seemed to gather his composure before turning back around. "What are you talking about? I told her I loved our family and her."

"Yes, but when she asked you directly if you loved me, you didn't answer."

His brows snapped in a frown. "Semantics. What are you getting upset about?"

"I think you know."

He stilled. Studied her figure. Already the familiar distance shrouded his form, wrapping him up in protection. This time, she wouldn't allow it. His voice held a touch of defensiveness. "Sweetheart, let's not do this tonight. Things have been good between us. Have I done something to show I wasn't committed to this marriage? To you?"

A sigh broke through her lips. "No. Commitment isn't what I was questioning. Neither is responsibility. What I'm questioning is your feelings for me, Tristan."