Page 24 of Stalked By the Recruiter

She had no idea how I had been watching her, following her. No clue to the kind of man she was about to let inside her body, the man who wanted everything from her, but I wasn’t going to risk losing her.

She was mine just like I was hers.

“Andres.”

“I know.” My jaw clenched as I stopped just by her bedside. “I’m coming off strong, and I get that, but you also need to know it’s the kind of man you’re inviting into your bed.” The animal inside of me was telling me to shut up. To sink into her body and fuck her, claim her and shut the fuck up. Not run my mouth and possibly give her reasons to kick me out.

“Andres––“

“And I know there are a million things we haven’t talked about. Your douchebag ex-husband for one. But I can tell you I am nothing like him,” I promised. I was a lot of things, and crazy was possibly one of them, but a dip shit abuser who harmed women was not.

“Honey.” Her eyes searched mine. And it hit me. I’d fucked up. I’d said too much.Great job, dumbass, the animal in me muttered.

“I never told you,” Her voice trembled. “It was… He wasn’t nice and, umm––“

“I know.” My nose flared. I was trying to keep my cool and my shit under control, but the thought of her ex, of what he’d done to her, how he’d hurt her and made her think she was nothing, made my blood boil.

“You know,” she whispered. I could see her thinking a million miles an hour but never heading toward the right destination.

Or maybe she got it.

Maybe she understood why I was so damn fine with her spying on me because I’d done the same.

“You know about Sam?” My jaw ticked, but I nodded tersely.

“Don’t say his name. Not in here, not in this moment.”

“Put me down,” she whispered. My blood turned cold. I held on for a second longer before I did as she asked. Her feet touched the ground, and part of me had been ready to sweep my arms to catch her when she ran off.

But she didn’t run.

Carmen stood in front of me, her feet grounded on the floor as we stared at each other mere inches from her bed. And I had a sinking feeling I’d fucked up. I’d shown my cards and my crazy, and this was it.

“Carmen, please––“ I started to say, but she shook her head.

“Shh,” she hushed me, and my eyes widened with surprise. Her hand rose between us and her fingers pressed against my lips.

My chest rose and fell heavily, like I was a man hanging on for dear life to a rope that was quickly unthreading. My body taut like I was made of stone, too afraid to move an inch. Her hands dropped down on my chest and didn’t stop until she reached the hem of my shirt.

To my happy surprise, she pulled it up. She was too short to get it over my head, so I quietly helped her, letting it float to our feet. Carmen’s soft fingertips dragged their way back down my chest, but I didn’t look at where she touched. My eyes were pinned on her face and the way her green eyes sparkled like freshly polished emeralds as she traced every ladder of muscle. My already overheated skin burned beneath her cautious touch.I knew the moment she spotted the exact size of my bulge. The tip of her tongue peeked out and licked her lips.

“Carmen––“ I rasped.

She was killing me.

I wasn’t the kind of man to hand control over like I was. I liked to be the one who touched and explored, but fuck me, this felt good, too. I’d give her anything she wanted. In and out of the bedroom.

“I know,” she whispered. “No turning back.” Her face dipped forward, and I felt her lips touch the spot right over my pounding heart. “No take-backs. No refunds or exchanges.” She kissed the spot again before her eyes moved up and locked with mine. “Is that what you’re telling me, Sir?” I swallowed and nodded.Sir. Fucking hell! Sir? She’s calling me sir?Giving me control and trusting me? Me? But I wasn’t going to try to talk her out of it. Fuck that.

She was mine!Claim. Mark. Take.

“Exactly that,” I rasped. “We do this, you’re mine.”

“That sounds serious.”

“Very,” I confirmed. She would be it for me. No one in the past had ever worked out for a reason. No one ever would because that hadn’t been what was meant for me. My mom used to say that what was meant for you would always find you. I’d always rolled my eyes, thought it was crap. Until her. Until I saw my beautiful bookworm that late spring day.

Carmen was mine. My soulmate. My other half. My better half.

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