Page 152 of Guardian Daddy

“Are you sure you want to tell him?” she asked. “We could keep it a secret and then you wouldn’t have to talk to Ink.”

“No. No secrets. I don’t like lies and subterfuge. And I don’t want to pretend our relationship doesn’t exist. I can’t keep something like this from Ink. He’s not just my boss, he’s my friend.”

“But how can there be a relationship if you’re not even here!”

His eyes widened. “Baby, what are you talking about? Oh shit. No. I’m not going to go anywhere.”

“But if Ink takes you off this job . . .”

“I’m still going to stay. I just won’t get paid.”

“You’d stay without getting paid?” She knew he’d said that earlier but she hadn’t believed him. “Oh wait! I could pay you!” That was the perfect solution.

“That is not happening.”

She stood and stepped to the side so she could pace up and down the room. “No, it is the best idea. I’ll pay you to stay and be in a relationship with me.”

“Cate Ripley,” Ethan said firmly as he stood, towering over her. “Did you hear what you just said?”

“Well, yes. Of course I did.” There was nothing wrong with her hearing.

“And you don’t see any problems with it? Go over the words in your head again.”

She said them back to herself. Huh . . . oh. Right. “Um, right. I don’t mean I’d pay you to be in a relationship with me. I just meant if I paid you, then you could stay. I don’t want you to suffer just because you’re in a relationship with me. I don’t think I’m saying this very well.”

“No, you’re not,” he agreed. “But it doesn’t matter. Because under no circumstances will you ever be paying me. Not to be in a relationship and not to protect you, understand?”

“But won’t you need the money?”

“I’m not going to go broke, baby.”

“All right. As long as you promise to tell me if you need money. I have plenty.”

“You shouldn’t go around telling people that you have money.”

“I shouldn’t?”

“No. It’s not safe. Although now you have me to protect you, it’s not such an issue. So, I’m going to call Ink and tell him. Then we’ll talk to your brother.”

“Right. And I can tell Rhodes about us.”

“He’ll probably want to come home so he can punch me,” he muttered.

“Rhodes would never hit you!”

“I let his baby sister give me a blow job. He’ll want to punch me.”

“I didn’t think I had to mention the blow job. And I’m sure it was more than one, wasn’t it? Or was it just one long blow job? With multiple orgasms? Yes, I think that’s correct. Now, where was I? Oh, should I mention the blow job with multiple orgasms?”

Why was he going red? Was he embarrassed?

He shouldn’t be. He had a gorgeous body. Even if his dick was quite large, it felt good in her mouth. And he was sexy when he came.

“I don’t think it’s necessary to mention that. Rhodes doesn’t tell you about his sex life, right?”

Cate shuddered. “No. I don’t need to know those things. Right. Got it. You know, I don’t think this is actually a big deal. Maybe Rhodes won’t insist on coming back. I mean, he has Samantha. And now I have you.”

That felt so crazy to say. She’d never had someone all of her own.

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