Page 56 of A Sudden Response

“I got the message loud and clear this morning, Eric. There really was no need for you to come all the way up here,” Joe said, turning her back on him to start a bath.

“I’m sorry about that,” Eric said quietly.

“It’s fine,” Joe said, shrugging it off like it didn’t matter as she started pulling her clothes off.

It was a bit distracting and he really wished she would stop doing that, but he kept his mouth shut since the last thing he needed was to piss her off again.

“I love you, Joe,” Eric told her, wishing like hell that he knew what he was supposed to say to convince her to give him a chance.

Joe sighed as she settled into the bathtub. “I know,” she said softly. “I love you too, Eric, which is why I’m not going to push you into anything that you don’t want. I’d rather be your friend than lose you.”

“And I’d rather have you, Joe. I’m in love with you and I want to be with you, Joe,” Eric said, praying that she gave him another chance. He’d already fucked up so badly and he didn’t know what he would do if she told him to fuck off.

He knelt down next to the tub and barely resisted the urge to take her into his arms. “I know that I don’t have the best track record for dating, but you have to know that I would never treat you that way.”

“How can you be so sure?” Joe murmured, drawing her knees up so that she could hug them against her chest.

“Because they weren’t you, Joe. I didn’t want them the way that I want you and I sure as hell didn’t love them. I love you, Joe, and I want to be with you,” Eric said, unable to resist the urge to run his fingertips along her jaw.

When she didn’t say anything, Eric shifted nervously, racking his brain for a way to get out of this hole that he’d dug himself into. Just when he’d decided to start begging, Joe released a long-drawn-out sigh.

“I’m willing to give this a chance, but you should probably know that if you treat me like crap again that I’ll have no choice but to kick your ass.”

He nodded solemnly even as he murmured, “That sounds fair.”

“I thought so,” Joe agreed even as she reached for him. Not that she had to since he was already moving to pull her into his arms. He leaned in to kiss her when the banging on the door started.

“I’m hungry!” Nathan bitched.

“So? Go get something and leave us the hell alone!” Eric snapped as he leaned in to kiss her.

“You promised to buy me a steak dinner if I came up here with you,” Nathan pointed out.

“I lied!”

He ignored the gasp of outrage and nearly groaned when his lips met hers.

“You lying bastard!”

“You know that you’re buying me a steak dinner, don’t you?” Joe whispered against his lips.

Eric couldn’t help but chuckle as he said, “I knew you were a little gold digger.”

CHAPTER 24

“Iwant to go home and go to bed,” Joe said, knowing that she was whining, but she couldn’t help it. After an eight-hour class and a two-hour drive, the only thing that she wanted was to go home and crawl into her own bed.

Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the only reason she was tired. Since Eric gave her the shock of a lifetime on Friday, they’d been inseparable when she wasn’t in class. They went for walks, talked, went out to eat, went dancing, and cuddled and whispered most of the night while Nathan snored a few feet away. They hadn’t had a chance to make love since they’d decided to give this a chance and she fully planned on rectifying that just as soon as she found a way to get out of this.

“Can’t,” Eric said, reaching back and grabbed her hand when she tried to make her escape. “Mom called a family dinner.”

“But I’m not hungry. I’m tired. Can’t she call a family nap instead?” Joe asked, sounding hopeful.

Eric simply chuckled as he threw his arm around her and herded her towards the door. She waited for Nathan to open the front door before she tried to pull away again, but Eric simply tightened his hold around her and pulled her into the house.

She loved Alice, she really did, but she was so damn tired. She hadn’t slept much in the past week and she was struggling to stay awake. All she wanted to do was sleep.

“This is too perfect,” Nathan said, chuckling softly as he made his way into the kitchen.

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