Page 125 of Obsession

She tries to stand up but stumbles, muttering under her breath, “You’re bad for my health. I can’t even walk.”

“Are you on the pill?” I steady her. This is clearly something I should have asked about a long time ago, or at least ten minutes ago, but when it comes to this woman, my behavior has been irrational and irresponsible from the start—some might say obsessive.

“I should have told you that I test regularly and that I’m clean,” I tell her.

“I’m not on the pill,” she mumbles, not meeting my gaze. “It’s just that I can’t get pregnant.”

“What do you mean?” I frown.

“I had an accident when I was young. It damaged my uterus. So, you’re fine.”

“Hey.” I grab her arm, forcing her to look at me. “What are you not telling me?”

Her smile is sharp as she looks at me and her eyes dull in that way when she retreats into herself.

“Let it go.”

She adjusts her skirt, but I can see her taut jaw. She’s shutting herself off from me. It’s an infuriating habit of hers, this refusal to give me even an inch.

An inch that I never knew I wanted so badly.

The more she holds herself back, the more I want to dig in deeper. I find myself wanting to know everything about her.

“That’s not going to happen.” I reach out and button up her blouse as she glowers at me.

“So, it’s okay for you to have your secrets, but I’m not allowed to have mine?”

“Exactly.”

“That’s very hypocritical of you.”

I smile at her, pulling her down until she’s back on my lap. “I never said that I was fair, Miss Taylor.”

She gives me a long look. “I see. So, what’s your plan? Try to pry all my secrets out of me and then get me to fall head over heels for you. And once that’s done, you leave me behind brokenhearted?”

I know they’re fueled by insecurity, but my eyes narrow at her sarcastic words. “Watch it, Megan. Even I have my limits.”

“What part of what I said was wrong?” She scoffs. “Or even offensive?” I watch her retreat to her desk, all passion erased from her face. “Understand this, Mr. Middleton. I don’t trust anybody, especially not with my heart. I appreciate all the kindness you’ve shown me and the great sex, but I’d never be stupid enough to fall in love with you. If there’s ever a day I think I may be falling, though, this entire arrangement ends.”

Her voice is suddenly and strangely cold. It's almost as if mind-blowing sex has the opposite effect on her. Instead of feeling closer to me like most women would, she immediately puts up a barrier, forcing me out.

I don’t like it.

And I'm not going to allow this behavior of hers to stand.

Chapter 45

Let Me Remind You Of Something

HUNTER

“Idon’t think you understand how this works,” I say softly, my eyes tracking her every facial movement.

“I think I do. Look, you want to fuck me? That’s fine. I can admit that we seem to be on the same page with that. You don’t treat me like shit, and I appreciate that, but I’m not going to put myself in a vulnerable position because you want to know every little thing about me.”

She sits in her chair and places her palms on the desk, seemingly trying to center herself.

“First, it was that phone call. Now, it’s you trying to get me to talk about my past. I don’t want that. Those types of questions are for people wading into relationship territory. You don’t want a relationship, and neither do I. In this arrangement, you get what every man wants: sex without strings attached. Isn’t that what you want from me?”

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