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could see the good humor in her eyes. Her and my father were always telling stories of how they met and fell in love, and couldn’t wait to be together forever. It was so sweet and I loved hearing it. But it was also annoying, because they wanted the same for me. Sooner rather than later.
    Jade Summers was definitely not an ‘insta-love’ kind of girl. I’d never felt those butterflies they professed to have felt the first time they laid eyes on one another. Love at first sight was something that the fictional characters in my novels did. It wasn’t for a smart, level headed woman like me. In fact, I’d hardly felt anything, let alone butterflies, when both Greg and Brandon had kissed me, or when we’d had sex. I really didn’t know what all the damn fuss was about.
    “She has a point there,” Dad said as he wiggled his eyebrows and pulled Mom to his chest, kissing her warmly. After all these years my parents were still crazy for one another. I’d grown up with them smooching all the time, Dad grabbing a handful of her ass or breast whenever they thought I wasn’t looking. I always knew what they were up to, but I played along, a smile on my face that they so clearly adored one another, when many of my friend’s parents were splitting up. I could think of far worse things than watching them steal kisses and groping one another.
    Of one thing I was sure though. The d ay I finally did fall in love, I wanted all-encompassing, all-consuming, and unconditional love. The kind where we couldn’t get enough of one another. The kind where we couldn’t wait to tear off one another’s clothes and ravish one another, over and over. Just like in my novels. Yes, that was definitely what I was waiting for.
    I was aware that a perfect man was n on-existent. So I wasn’t waiting for a perfect man.
    I was just waiting for the man who was perfect for me.
    So I didn’t mind being without a boyfriend until I found a guy that turned my insides to jelly. It would be worth the wait, and the mess on my sheets. Because once I started, with the man who was right for me, I knew I’d be insatiable. I was hoping like hell that Marcus Masterton would turn out to be that man.
    “Sorry to break the news to you oldies. Times have changed. Most of my friends don’t consider getting married till their thirties. Besides, my career is way more important now. Men and babies can wait.”
    My dad laughed. “See, we should’ve had more kids. Then maybe we could’ve had grandkids by now.” He winked at me over my mother’s head—I knew he was proud of my achievements and wouldn’t have it any other way.
    I snorted. “You’re going to wait a while before I’m ready. If you want grandkids, speak to Harrison about that.”
    “We’ ll wait forever if we have to rely on your brother. You know he’s married to his career. He doesn’t believe that a special-ops anti-terrorist cop should have a family. They’d be an unnecessary distraction, according to him.” Mom’s voice was soft and a little sad at the thought.
    Harrison had chosen a dangerous career, one that could place his family at risk if things went wrong. He wasn’t one to take those kinds of risks. Not after The Incident and what’d happened to him when he was only seventeen.
    I grabbed an apple f rom the kitchen counter and went to my room to change and finish my novel.
    Yeah. I wanted what they had. I was determined to have it.
    And I would.
    Some day.

Chapter 10 ~ Jade
    Daddy gr inned widely as he led Mom and me into the selective member’s only club. Marcus was the youngest ever in the history of the firm to be made junior partner, one of only two per year, and tonight we were celebrating the occasion with him.
    “A beauty on each arm,” Daddy said proudly, as he guided “his girls” up the stairs. He nodded politely as we swept passed acquaintances and were shown to our table. 
    Smiling widely, Marcus rose to his feet as we approached the table, trying his best not