Page 45 of Bidding War

She gulps her untoasted bagel down. It doesn’t seem to hurt her much—no wincing. But it still looks like work. “Talking is okay. And I have no idea how I’m doing right now. It’s like, I’m fine one moment, and then it all comes crashing at me. You?”

“Can I tell you something stupid?”

“Always.”

“I’m mad I didn’t get to kill him on purpose.”

She laughs sharply at that. “That is stupid, and I totally understand.”

“Fuck, it’s good to hear you laugh.”

“You’re the only person who could make me smile after everything.”

It lifts my heart to hear that. “June, I know tonight has been traumatic and fucking awful.” I brace myself to say what I need to say. Doesn’t make it any easier. “But if, at any point, you want to retract telling me you love me, I understand. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster, and?—

She pops forward and kisses me softly, then presses her forehead to mine. “I’m not taking it back. I meant what I said. Did you?”

“Yes.”

She sits back again, smiling this time. “Good.”

“Do … do you want to talk about it?”

“I’m not sure. You were following me, right? That’s how you were there in time.”

If I admit that, will she change her mind? Doesn’t matter. I’m not lying to her ever again. “I’d hardly call it being there in time, but yeah. I was.”

“Anderson, you saved my life, so you were there in time.” She sips her latte, thinking. “And I understand following me. It’s okay. I’m not mad. Our breakup has sucked. We do iffy things when we’re in pain. I get that.”

“You’re being way too understanding.”

She smiles. “A flaw of mine, I think.”

“Yeah, maybe.” But I’m smiling when I say it.

June sets her food aside to give me her full attention, so I do the same. Her eyes are red and swollen from crying. Her throat still wears that purple bruise. But she’s still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. After all she has been through—the auction, the kidnapping, getting fired, and now this—she’s still smiling. She is so much stronger than me, and I am in awe of her.

“I don’t want to be broken up anymore, Anderson.”

My heart wants that to mean what I think it means, but I need clarity. “What do you want?”

“You. In my life. I want you to be my boyfriend again. Or for the first time. We weren’t real specific before, and?—

I lean and kiss her in a flash. This is exactly what I want, and I can’t believe I’m getting it. I slant my mouth over hers, sliding my tongue along the seam of her lips, and she lets me in. My heart leaps into my throat.

Throat. Fuck.

I pull back to my side of the couch. “Sorry. I got carried away.”

“Don’t be sorry.” She crawls to my side, straddling me. “I want you, Anderson.”

“Want?”

For an answer, she pulls her pajama top off and kisses me. And because I’m weak, I let her. I am of two minds at the moment. I don’t know if this is what she needs right now. But I can’t be the condescending prick who tells her what she can and can’t do with her own body. Not after what she’s been through tonight. Her body, her choice.

That said, I don’t know if I can be monster enough to take advantage of her vulnerability. But am I taking advantage? She’s instigating this. I know she’s emotionally wrecked over everything. I am, too. Shit, is this going to fuck me up?

My raging cock, on the other hand, has no qualms about any of this. The traitor.

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