Page 54 of Playing My Rivals

He stares at my hand like he’ll get sucked away if he touches me. “Some things have come to my attention. Now, I’m second-guessing everything.”

He’s still shaking, the emotional rain pushing on the clouds above. I wiggle my fingers to entice him to give me his hand. I know when we’re touching, he calms down.

“What things have come up? Help me understand so we can fix this and you can see that I do, in fact, love you.”

He closes his eyes briefly, taking in my words as if they mean everything.

He slides his hand into mine. “This would be so much easier if I didn’t love you.”

“What would be easier?”

“I want to move forward with you. I don’t want to worry about losing you.”

“Hunter, tell me what’s going on. What makes you think you’ll lose me?”

“You’re wearing a locket around your neck from another man. He wants you, so what’s stopping you from ending it with me and going to him?”

His agony stabs my heart, but I can’t find the right thing to say that would soothe his pain.

“Dorothy, do you want to be with me?”

I place my hand on my heart. “Yes, I want to be with you. I love you.”

“Then quit your job and move in with me. Let’s go public.”

I’m not sure I heard that right. My mouth drops open. “Are you out of your mind?”

He scoots closer to me. “No. It’s the only way.”

“The only way to be together is for me to quit my job? What do you expect me to do after that?”

I think he’s serious about this.

Shock swells my brain.

“Quit your job and move in with me. I’ll take care of you. You won’t have to worry about working.” Desperate excitement bounces through his words. “We can get married and you can have all the kids you want.”

“Do you think that’s the answer to all of this?”

“If you feel anything like I do about you, you’d do everything in your power to be with me. Even things that are out of character.” His words are laced with innuendos I don’t understand.

I shake my head. “What does that mean?”

“It means it’s time to take our relationship to the next level. Show me how much I mean to you, and I’ll forget about everything else.” His eyes beg me to do as he asks. “Taking steps that are uncomfortable but in the best interest of us being together is what we need to do.”

He’s officially lost his mind.

I shift away from him. “I am not quitting. Do you understand me at all? If you want this relationship to be public, then get the clause removed from my contract like you promised me you would.”

His face turns red, burning with fire. “So it all lands on my shoulders? You don’t need to do anything. You get to sit back and wait for me to do everything and I’m supposed to be grateful that you do.”

“You’re asking me to give up my career. I don’t want to be taken care of. Let this sink in. I want to be an equal partner and contribute to our relationship.”

“I don’t need your contribution. It’s like asking you for pennies. I’m a billionaire who wants to take care of you. Why isn’t that enough?”

“Newsflash, Hunter. Not all women want you to take care of them.” I get off the couch, stride to the kitchen counter, and place my hands on the edge. My head falls forward as I think. “Where is this coming from?”

He stands, and thunder vibrates from his chest. “This isn’t new. You’ve known I want you to be with me, meaning moving in with me. And for your information, I’m not asking to take care of any other woman but you. Why don’t you appreciate that?”

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