Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
He stared at her for a moment, loving every inch of her. The way her hair brushed the top of her shoulders and the lines of her nose and lips and chin.
He had no idea what he would do with the rest of his life if he couldn’t convince her to take a chance on him.
“I brought you lunch. Pad see ew with chicken and extra egg.”
Her face turned, and he saw tears in her eyes.
Shit.
“Lou, we should talk,” he began, placing the bag and the coffee on the end of the table.
She shook her head. “No. I can’t talk about this a second longer. This morning was precisely why I wanted to avoid my parents finding out.”
“I’m sorry,” he offered. “I told your mom not to push you, and I explained to Jayce that we’re not anything but friends. I know I’ve pushed you, Lou, but I’m not going to do that anymore. We’re on your timeline. However long you need. If having me as a bodyguard bothers you, I’ll talk to Zach and we can bring in an MT guard.”
“I told you I can’t talk about this.” Her hands were in fists at her side, a sure sign she was emotional and fighting it.
“Baby, you’re killing me. Do you want me to leave? I can catch Kala. I don’t want to be the guy who makes you cry. I’ll go if that’s what you need.”
“And if what I need is for you to stay?”
What was she… Fuck. She was wound up and had no idea how to get out of her own head. When they’d been younger, he would take her for a walk or sit with her while they watched some silly movie.
Now he knew exactly what she needed. “This doesn’t have to mean anything, baby. Like I said, we’re on your timeline, but when you need me, I’ll always be here. Do you need a spanking?”
“I need you.” Tears spilled over her cheeks. “But I don’t want to need you.”
The words hurt, but he couldn’t argue with her. She needed something from him, and it wasn’t softness. “That sounds like a you problem, sub. Take your clothes off.”
His heart started to pound as he moved to the door and made sure it was locked in a way that not even keycards would get through. Security would call if anyone from outside the building was coming up without a card. Lou had a few people who got to breeze through security, but they’d mostly already been here today.
This wasn’t how he wanted to be with her. He wanted to kiss her and be gentle and loving, but she didn’t need that. She felt out of control and needed to know he could take the whole situation in hand.
He turned back and she was standing there, her jaw a stubborn line.
So she wanted this to get nasty. “Lou, I gave you an order. If you want me to handle this situation, you have to submit. Otherwise, I’ll call Kala back. Unless your plan is to punish me. Do you think that will make you feel better? Yelling at me for whatever thoughts your mom put in your head? Is railing at me going to get you back to normal? I don’t think it’s going to work. I think if you yell at me, all that’s going to do is add anger to the fear you’re feeling.”
“I’m not afraid.”
“Oh, yes, you are,” he countered. “You’re terrified, and now that I’m thinking about what your mom said, I might have a long conversation with her. I’ll handle Jayce on Friday. You can do whatever you like as long as you take a guard with you.”
Her head shook. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Knowing I’m out on a date and I can’t really do anything because I’ve got someone watching my every move? Is that your plan? Are you going to keep a guard on me until I decide to give you whatever you want?”
Maybe he’d been wrong and there was already a shit ton of anger in there. What the hell had they talked about? “Nope. The minute Zach says it’s safe, you’re an independent woman again. How about I find you a woman bodyguard who’ll high five you when you screw your date for the evening?”
Her eyes flared, and he realized he’d made a huge mistake. “You want to slut shame me, Romeo?”
He shook his head. “I’ve never once done that to you, but I think you’ve done it to me. You know I’ve probably slept with as many women as you have men. Meaning two, Lou. I know I’ve dated, but I’ve only had sex with two of them. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t capable of cutting that part of myself off. If it helps, every single person who knows the two of us thinks I’m some kind of player, fucking every girl I see with the exception of the sweet one who loves me.”