One month later …
“Hello, Miss Travelle. You can go on in,” Daisy said as Lily walked past her desk.
“Thank you, Daisy. And might I say your suit is fabulous.”
“Oh, thank you. I, uh, have been trying out a new look.”
Tarq had mentioned his relationship with Daisy. They’d spent a few days holed up in his house, having serious conversations in between bouts of screwing their brains out. He’d wanted to be on “firm footing” he’d said and have no secrets between them.
He told her he wasn’t proud of his lifestyle, but, before Lily walked into his life, he hadn’t seen anything wrong with it. When he informed her of the sordid affair with his assistant, she’d chastised him.
Then he told her what he’d done, compelling Daisy to start on a professional path, and Lily could see how it was sort of nice of him.
She felt sorry for Daisy, so she made it a point to complement the poor girl. Lord knows Daisy needed to work on her self-esteem.
Once they’d cleared their air, they spoke of the future. Tarq wanted her to move in. Immediately. He wanted her to come work for him. Immediately. He also wanted to get married. Immediately.
He was pushing her to make giant life decisions and not giving her a second to think about it.
He hadn’t actually asked her to do any of it, so she politely declined. It only led to him torturing her sexually until she caved. Who knew withholding an orgasm was so cruel?
But all of it seemed minor in comparison to the conversation they were getting ready to have. Usually, she met him for lunch, they made out, and ordered in. Today, well, today was sure going to be different.
She opened his door without knocking. Tarq looked up from his desk and grinned. He got up and stalked towards her, sex obviously on his mind.
Lily shut the door. She watched his shoes as they came closer. She was scared shitless. Warm fingers lifted her face to his.
“What’s wrong? Tell me and I’ll fix it.”
Lily bowed her head, resting her forehead against his sternum. His hands went to her hips.
“Lily, you’re trembling. Tell me what’s wrong this instant.”
Lily, keeping her forehead where it was, reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the plastic baggie she’d put there after her last visit to the ladies’ room. She held it up beside her head.
Tarq frowned. What was she holding in her hand? It looked like a sandwich bag.
Inside the clear plastic was a white and purple stick. He squinted, not quite believing what was on the stick.
Two. Pink. Lines.
His shaky hand reached for what his Petal had come to give him. Instead of taking it, he put his much larger hand over her smaller one.
“Lift your head,” he told her.
Lily lifted, her face tilted up. He was too damned tall.
Tarq’s eyes were glossy. Her big bad immortal male was overwrought with emotion, just as she was.
“I know it’s too soon, Tarq. I know—”
“Hush. There is no such thing as too soon. I knew I wanted to keep you the second I saw you. You have given me the greatest gift. I will treasure it always.”
Those were the words he’d given her when he took her virginity. Now he used them to describe his feelings towards their child. Tears spilled over her eyes and down her face.
Tarq knelt in front of Lily. He leaned in and kissed her belly and she put her hands in his hair.
“I thought kissing you the first time was the most intimate moment of my life. I was wrong. This is. Thank you, Lily. My life was empty until you filled it.”
She gave him a wobbly smile, unable to speak.
He put his mouth to her abdomen. He had something very important to say to his offspring.
“I’m going to love you as much as I love your mother, little one. And that’s a whole hell of a lot.”
Lily sobbed, dropping to her knees and kissing him soundly.
“I love you, too, Tarq.”
“Good. Because this is literally forever.”
She laughed, and he pulled her into a warm embrace. He would hold her tight the rest of his days.
* * *
Aphrodite, remaining invisible, smiled from her spot in the corner of Tarq’s office. Her nephew was finally content with his life.
One down, too damned many to go.