Uncompromising (Age Gap, gxg)

Chapter 54

Zee curled up sideways in the bed, her head resting on my chest with my breasts as a pillow while looking up at me. She looked so sweet in that position, and I could easily imagine us in bed, night after night, just talking together like this. After tonight, I hoped there would be a lot less worry, and maybe that would be the norm.

"Elliot and I had a pretty even financial power dynamic," I told her, which earned a frown. "We both made good money, and he was my best friend for years before we got married, and it still didn't work out. Elizabeth and I spent years trying to get him to grow up, and he never did. I don't say that as any slight towards you at all. I know that we've both mentioned money worries several times, but I think we also looked at it too narrowly. Our power dynamic, any power dynamic, is more than money. Yes, I have a lot of money, and you are just getting started, but that is only one small part of what we each bring to the table. I've seen you with the girls since you've been back. They adore you, especially Dani, and you are great with them. Dani worships you, and you have a connection with her that I could never hope to replicate. You may not be her mother, but she looks to you like one, or at least an amazing big sister that she can rely on. That is huge, Zee, and it is one of the many things that you bring into this relationship. Because our relationship is much more than just who makes the most money."

"That counts?" she asked in a happy whisper.

"It does, because this relationship isn't just us. We have three girls that we have to get to adulthood, and one who is just entering it, too. I'm not saying I want you to be their mom, but doing what you're already doing is making this a much happier house. And how you treat me is also wonderful. Protecting me from Elliot and keeping me safe. Watching over me when I was on a shitty date and showing me how much you care. Those are things that nobody has ever done for me before, and it gets a lot of points in my book. Nobody has ever made me smile like you, even on our simple lunch dates. Nobody has ever cooked with me, even just the plantains and breakfasts. You've already surpassed everyone I've been with, even though we've had almost no real time to spend together other than in bed."

"Which is still pretty amazing," she pointed out with a smirk.

"Yes, you know very well that you're the best at that too." I reached over and tickled her ribs, making her squeal and giggle. "My point is, there is no single formula to a relationship. When I first decided to leave Elliot, I told myself I was going to find the perfect person to have the perfect relationship with." She looked down at that, and I tilted her chin up once more. "So far, I think you fit the bill."

She let out a little snort of frustration. "But I'm hardly perfect."

"Nor am I," I countered. "And neither is any relationship. I'm insecure about my body, and jealous when you're near pretty girls. I was insanely jealous when I saw the girls you were with in your dorm, and it made me so angry I couldn't even see for a minute. We're going to argue, and disagree, and that is okay. As long as we can talk through things, and come up with solutions together, that is the biggest thing. I never had that with Elliot. When we had an argument, he just stormed out of the house, and it was never resolved. That is why I wanted you to come back here after what I'd seen in the dorm. I wasn't happy, and even though I didn't see a future, I wanted to at least talk because I said at the beginning I'd let you explain things. And now we're good again, right? I'm going to fuck up somehow too, I know it. But I have faith that you'll give me a chance to apologize and make it right."

"I like the sound of that. Plus, we get great make up sex!" She leaned up and gave my nose a quick kiss.

"We're going to have amazing sex anyway." I reached over and grabbed her ass to give it a little squeeze. "I know we have a lot to learn about each other, and I know there are going to be some rough patches, but we've already overcome one big hurdle, and I think we can keep doing that for anything else we run into."