Diamond (Rare Gems #2)(36)
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Thad was just putting his phone away when it vibrated in his hand. He saw that it was Jane and wondered briefly if the bank had notified her and got up to leave the bedroom so he could talk to her.
“You’re not going to believe what your brother has done,” she said in way of greeting. “He’s wanted for robbery as well as murder.”
“What happened?” Thad had since gotten rid of Robert after making an offer on the house. Diamond lay on the big bed after they’d had sex, and slept all covered up in his suit coat. He didn’t want to wake her just yet, knowing that she’d be embarrassed when she did. He, however, could have shouted to the world that he’d rendered her unconscious.
“Apparently he entered a clothing store at about ten this morning and was looking at suits. Three hours later he’s gone and the proprietor is dead, his head beaten in with a sign.” Thad leaned back against the wall as she continued. “According to my friend on the force, it looks like Ward was about to get his pipes cleaned up by William Bolsterer when for some reason Ward decided he wasn’t interested. I guess simply saying no was out of the question. Actually, I didn’t even know your brother was a homosexual.”
“He’s not, not that I’m aware of. Not that it matters.” Thad looked up when Diamond sat up on the bed. He watched her reach for her clothes that he’d picked up for her and was completely distracted by her so much that Jane’s laughter was all that brought him back.
“Where did you go? Some woman I’m hoping.” She laughed harder. He decided to let her know what was going on.
“It is, as a matter of fact. Diamond Erickson and I have just purchased a house here and we’re going to be moving in as soon as it’s cleaned from top to bottom.” That shut her up. When Diamond came into the bathroom with him, he pulled her hips back to his groin when she leaned over to get a drink. Her soft moan had his cock aching to take her again.
“That’s good news, but if you think I’m going to run this place with you up there, you’re nuts. I’ll hunt you down and drain you if you even think of it.” He hadn’t thought of anything other than being close to Diamond and her family since they’d had sex.
“There’s an opening here if you want it, but you have to find your replacement before—”
“Done. I’ve been training someone for my vacation anyway, and I’ll step up the training. Where am I moving to anyway?” He told her. “Okay, I’ll have to find somewhere to stay until…Christ, did you say Ohio?”
“Yes. It’s a nice little town and you’ll love it.” Diamond turned to look at him as he continued talking to Jane. “You will be notified by the bank up here, a man by the name of Robert Beck. He’s going to verify that I have the funds to purchase mine and Diamond’s little house.”
Diamond snorted at him, and he pulled her closer to his body. Jane laughed. “Little, huh? You don’t strike me as a little bugaboo sort of guy.”
“It’s not. But Diamond loves it, and I want her to have it. Make sure that happens for me too.” He knew that she’d understand that he wanted the house in her name, and when she asked about her middle initial, he had to ask Diamond what it was.
“It’s Ava. Why?” Thad kissed her nose and relayed the information to Jane. After asking her to let him know when she found out anything about Ward, he hung up.
“I’ve bought the house, or we have. As of an hour ago.” Thad watched her absorb this information before he continued. “I don’t want you to be upset, but the house will be in your name as owner.”
“I can’t afford this thing.” He smiled. “What happens if you decide you no longer want me, or worse yet, you decide this little town isn’t what you had in mind? I could never pay the bills on this thing, much less the mortgage.”
“The house will be paid in full, and as for me leaving you, that’s not going to happen either.” He took her hand and they descended the stairs to what he had hoped would be his office. After she was seated, he sat as well. “I know you have no reason to believe or trust me, but I want you to try, for me; no, I guess I want you to try for us.”
Thad watched her closely. She was processing and he loved that about her. Emptying her head out to work out a problem wasn’t something that she did. He could almost see her making a long list of things she wanted to say and going through each one of them and tweaking it, marking it off if she found the answers.
When she looked up at him Thad realized two things at once. One, he was in love with her. Not the sort of staggering love that he knew that Blair and Sapphire had, but a gentle I-need-you-to-function love. It wasn’t that he didn’t think they’d get to the I-f*cking-can’t-live-without-you love, but for now, this was enough.
And second, Thad realized he wasn’t going to be bored again. Smiling, he waited for her to begin because he had no doubt she would soon enough. When she looked at him, he saw the tears sprinkled in her lashes and felt his heart take a tight twist. Maybe he was wrong about the kind of love he was in; he thought he had fallen right into the “can’t live” one.
“I know you have a great deal of money…that’s not true. I know you have money, but the amount is just too staggering to take in right now, so I’m leaving it at that. But I don’t know how to be the kind of person you need.” When he started to ask her what she meant, she continued. “You need a woman who can be in the background. The kind that would look beautiful on your arm and smile at the kind of people I hate. I don’t know how to run a house the size of the one my family lives in, much less the one you bought. How am I supposed to keep up with it? And there’s the pool and the—”