Page 413 of Dark Love

“And you’re blind. How can you not see that he wasn’t trying to ‘be nice’? A man is never just nice to a woman—” That isn’t totally true, but in this case it is. “—for no reason. He wants you.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” A woman her age should know this. I shouldn’t have to explain something so obvious to her.

“Then why did you bring me those treats and stay with me today?” She steps forward with one hand back on her hip and a militant jut of her chin.

“Because I want you too.” Her mouth drops open at my blunt words. “But unlike him, I’m not playing games with you. Or holding your job over your head. I want you, Dahlia. And I mean to do everything in my power to make you mine.” I take a step forward.

“Yours?” she croaks.

“Yes, mine.” I take another step forward. “In every sense of the word.”

“Um.” She leans the tiniest bit forward.

“Is that a yes or a no?” I already know the answer. She’s shown me dozens of times today by simply letting down her guard, by touching me without the need to, and by sleeping in my arms like she’s done it for her entire life.

“You didn’t ask me a question.”

There’s that spunky independence again.

“But if you did, my answer wouldn’t be either. I don’t know you well enough… yet.”

That breathy ‘yet’ almost makes me lose my control. I take one last step, closing the distance between us, and lean my head down.

She tips hers up until we’re staring into each other’s eyes with our lips almost touching.

I want nothing more than to kiss her until she changes her mind, and I would with anyone else. But not Dahlia. I don’t want her to say yes because of a passionate moment. I want all of her, including her mind and her heart. Pushing her too hard, too fast, won’t get the response I want.

But tormenting her might. “You will.”

She closes her eyes and leans in.

“But not today. A beautiful woman told me today wasn’t the day to kiss her.”

Dahlia blinks up at me with a frown on her face.

Soon. Very soon, I’m going to kiss those sweet lips. “We should finish our movie.”

“Fine. But next time, don’t slam the door on my boss.” She sashays up the stairs.

There won’t be a next time with that guy.

***

I should have just gone and killed Adonis. What’s one more body in the ground and stain on my soul?

Instead, I’m pounding on Payne’s door way too early since Dahlia kicked me out to go to work.

How dare she kick me out? Why is she even working? My woman doesn’t need to work.

Payne pulls the door open bleary-eyed. “Why are you banging on my door at this horrific time in the morning?”

I push past him into the foyer. “I need a drink.”

“What did she do?” Payne closes the door and follows me.

“Dahlia didn’t do anything. She’s perfect.”

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