Page 48 of Wicked and Ruthless

Did he mean that as romantically as it sounded? “Nash…”

“Baby…” he crooned back, then rubbed her needy clit again in slow, torturous circles. “C’mon. Give it to me.”

“You want me to come?”

He scoffed. “We’re nowhere near ready for that.”

Not true. She was, but… “Then?—”

“Tell me your favorite TV couple.”

“Jim and Pam,” she gasped out. As far as Haisley was concerned, this duo from The Office were who every couple aspired to be. Friends before lovers. Funny, lots in common, considerate of each other, patient. Most especially, she loved that they’d finally overcome the bad timing, their awkwardness and shyness, and declared their love for each other openly, honestly, and without fear.

But she didn’t ever see that being her and Nash.

“The ultimate will-they-or-won’t-they couple?”

“That’s one way to look at it. All those longing looks, that slow burn…” Haisley wriggled and tried to focus on the conversation. Something in her brain told her this might be important, but his fingers and the dark weight of his stare was driving her wild. “It’s romantic.”

“He proposed to her at a gas station.”

“He loved her too much to wait.”

Nash stopped rubbing her to stare down into her face. “I thought you didn’t believe in love.”

“Jim believed enough for both of them until it came true. Their relationship was sweet. Don’t you think?”

“What about real life?”

Haisley’s heart started chugging. What was he saying? Had he changed his mind? “I never said I didn’t believe in love, just that it only happens for some people. The lucky people. Your brother and Laila. Zy and Tessa. Matt and Madison. Hell, even your bosses seem to be happily married.”

“So you do believe in love?” His voice dropped an octave, drizzled with a tone as sweet as syrup on a stack of fluffy pancakes. “Do you want love? Is that what you mean?”

Jim had the courage to tell Pam how he felt about her. With Nash pinning her to his bed and staring down at her, she had no place to hide. And her courage deserted her. She’d never remotely been in love—until Nash—and being the one to utter the words first terrified her. All his attention, affection, and pleasure could be gone in a snap if she spilled those three little words.

“I mean that I like good TV as much as the next person.” She shoved at him until he backed away. Then she vaulted off the bed, scrambling to find her clothes.

“Where are you going?” He rose from the sheets, his body so solid and beautiful, his cock standing at attention, pointing at her like a divining rod.

For months, she’d been telling herself that the way he wanted her constantly must mean something. He had to have some feelings for her, right? He’d even admitted he’d been faithful since they started hooking up.

But that wasn’t a declaration of love.

Feeling exposed, she grabbed her dress and held it over her nakedness. “What about you? Do you believe in love?”

“I never said I didn’t.”

What did that mean? Maybe nothing, and she didn’t want to find out the hard way.

“I think I should go.” Haisley grabbed up the rest of her things he’d strewn across the floor when he’d undressed her and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it behind her.

With shaking hands, she tugged on her clothes, sniffling back tears that stubbornly insisted on leaking from her eyes.

He pounded on the door. “You okay?”

“Fine.”

But she wasn’t. Every time Haisley got around Nash these days, she felt emotional. She hated feeling so off balance.

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