Page 48 of Static

"O-okay," I said. "I haven't slept with anyone since..."

"I know, Sugar."

I gave him a quick, shaky smile. Trent didn't belong in this conversation. Really he didn't belong in my thoughts at all, and maybe someday I'd be able to banish him.

"I've been fucking kidding myself for nearly a year, Gwen."

Focusing back in on Static, I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "I don't know how to have this conversation with you and take things at your own pace. I think you're right that we need to lay all our cards on the table outright. There are too many factors to this to do otherwise." His bright blue eyes latched onto mine. "I don't want to just fuck you." His eyes narrowed. "It's more than that."

"My kids-"

"I love those kids more than I can explain," he butted in. "I'd hurt myself before I'd hurt them."

My heart swooned a little inside my chest. This was what every single mom prayed to find. A man who didn't just want her, but wanted her kids, too. Loved them as much as she did.

"I want to date you," he said, folding his arms over his chest. "I don't want to fuck other women. And I sure as hell don't want you fucking other men." He gritted his teeth together, as if just saying those words made him want to wrap his hands around a guy's throat and squeeze. "I'll give you whatever level of relationship will make you feel comfortable enough to be mine."

He strode forward, holding out a hand. I took it and smiled as he pulled me to my feet. We were back to standing so close together there wasn't more than a breath of air between us. "What do you say, Sugar?"

It was a risk. Things weren't back to normal with me just because a gorgeous man wanted to date me. "It's probably not going to be easy," I admitted. "I've been...struggling."

"I've noticed." He didn't say anything else, yet somehow it made it easier to keep going. I never wanted to be pitied. His straightforward response helped me hold it together.

"It would probably be easier for you to find another girl." I broke off with a squeak when he reached out and threaded his fingers through my hair at the base of my skull. His grip was tight, but not punishing. He wasn't hurting me, and he was watching my reactions closely. I knew he'd let me go if I needed him to. He pulled enough to tilt my head back so I was forced to hold his gaze.

"I'm not an easy man to deal with. I can be jealous. I'm possessive. Once you're ready for it, I'm going to manhandle you while I fuck you."

I swallowed because his words made my pussy pulse. He was also so kind and caring with me and the kids. He'd been very slow to show me this side of himself, and I understood why. If he'd acted like this even six months ago, I would have run away from him.

"But I don't want another woman," he continued when I didn't say anything. "I want you. I'll do my damndest to rein myself in until you're ready, but I'm not letting you leave this room until you answer my question."

I should know his question. I knew that much. But my mind was foggy and my body was begging me to let him make us forget everything, and I couldn't focus. "What-"

"Will you be mine?"

Searching his eyes, all I could find was the man who had dropped everything to help me time and again over the last year. He babysat. He made meals for both me and my kids when my shifts had run over. Sure, he was about ten times more intense right now than normal, but I was handling that just fine. This was the man I'd slowly started falling in love with. Sloane's words popped into my head. It starts with a man you know is trustworthy. And I did trust him. "Yes."

His hand tightened in my hair, but the small sting only amped up the arousal coursing through me. "Something like this can only be sealed with a kiss." He moved slowly, giving me time to back up. Even though his hand was still buried in my hair, I knew I could avoid his kiss if I wanted to. I just didn't want to.

He pulled me closer until our bodies were pressed together. It was like all my nerves sang out at once. Then his lips were on mine. I didn't think, didn't overanalyze. I just reacted. My mouth opened and his tongue brushed mine.

It was heaven. It was hell. It was a mixture of everything. And it was over too soon.

Static's eyes were burning when they met mine. He looked ready to devour me, and I had to admit that I'd never been more eager for that to happen, but he pulled away. "I have to finish helping the guys unload." The look on his face said it was torture for him to stop, too. "I'll explain about the drugs later. They'll be locked up in the gym."

"Okay," I whispered. I wanted to ask him to stay, but honestly, I needed the space to think things through. He seemed to recognize that. Somehow he understood me better than I did myself. And I had a commitment from him. Whatever happened with us moving forward, I knew he wasn't going to fuck me and leave. He wasn't going to cheat on me. We were going to try to make something of what was between us. It wasn't marriage, and that was just fine by me. If he'd said that word, I would have run screaming. I got the feeling he knew that, too.

"Come on," he put a hand on my lower back and guided me out of his room and back to my apartment. "I'd tuck you in," he said with a wicked grin, "but then I'd never leave." His smile held the promise of what was to come.

"I'll see you in the morning?"

"Yeah, Baby Girl, you will."

He shut the door between us, forcing both of us to move away from one another. I floated around, getting ready for bed, content in the knowledge that my kids were safe with Jordan and that from this point on, Static and I were in a new place with each other. The nerves and excitement—not to mention the desire—made it hard to fall asleep. But this was a big step forward for me, and I knew it was time to take it.

CHAPTER 19

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