Page 183 of Damaged Protector

“No, you didn’t take advantage of me, baby.” I stared at her in awe. How the hell does she do that? Again, she answered my silent question. “I can read you like a book, Gentry. I’m an adult and perfectly capable of making my own decisions. Cam is a moron.”

Voicing my deepest, darkest concern, I kissed her softly on the lips. “I love you so fucking much, but is that enough, Bee?”

“It’s all I need,” she said, caressing my jaw. She drew back her hand when I winced a little. “Does your jaw still hurt?”

“It’s not too bad.”

Swinging a leg over until she was straddling my lap, she purred, “Want me to kiss it better?”

I turned my cheek, and she pressed light, sweet kisses across my jaw. “We could play naughty nurse,” she suggested, rocking her hips over my crotch.

Tightening my arms around her, I buried my face in her neck because I didn’t want to see her disappointment. “Not tonight, Bee. I really just want to hold you right now.”

“Should I tell you a Chuck Norris fact to cheer you up?”

I smiled. “Yes, please.”

“Did you know cats say they have Chuck-like reflexes?”

That made me chuckle, and I hit back with one of my own. “I heard when Chuck Norris gets in the ocean, sharks get out.”

“I like that one,” she told me, resting her head on my shoulder. “Please don’t be upset. Cam will come around. He has to.”

“I know,” I murmured.

And yet I can’t stop hearing those internal voices. The ones telling me I’m no good for you.

I managed to make it through the next morning at work without seeing Cam, but a little before noon, someone knocked on my door.

“Yeah?”

He poked his head inside. “Can I come in?” At my hesitation, he went on. “I just want to talk. No fighting.” He shook out his hand “Your big ass jaw made my knuckles hurt.”

I almost smiled at that. “Okay, come in.”

He sat in the chair across from me and stared at the Dallas skyline through the window behind me for a long moment before turning his blue eyes to me.

“I was informed by my wife and father that I’m a sucky listener.”

“And an asshole.”

“They might have mentioned that too.” He rubbed a hand over his hair and sighed. “Will you tell me about you and Mallori? Like, the whole story. I need to understand.”

I started talking, telling him how we started out as friends. I admitted that I’d been attracted to his cousin, but I’d never acted on it. Then I got to the part about Mallori catching me in the Den of Sin with that other woman.

Cam held up a hand, his face gleeful. “Wait, so Mal sprayed you in the face with pepper spray?”

“Yes,” I said dryly, and he howled with laughter.

“Oh my god, that’s fucking classic.”

“So happy I can amuse you,” I deadpanned. “Shall I go on?”

“Please do,” he said with a grin.

“After I sent the other chick home, Bee and I started talking. She told me about Moreau, and I told her about… about some stuff that happened to my sister.”

Cam’s face fell solemn. I’d never told my friends about my personal life. “I’m sorry if someone hurt your sister.”

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