Page 78 of Obey

Would you look at that? My Half-Pint’s growing up. She said sex, out loud, without stuttering or her face going the shade of a tomato. The newly familiar tingle of pride sweeps through my body.

“Sounds good to me. But food first. We don’t negotiate on an empty belly.”

She laughs. Will I ever get sick of that tinkling sound? It’s hard to believe that not even two weeks ago her whole aura was like nails on a chalkboard on that damn plane, and now I want her around me all the time.

She’s sunshine, and I’m chasing a hit of heat.

“No hangry sex negotiations. Got it. That’s a good rule for life.” She points her finger at me. “Thai?”

“You read my mind.”

It takes about thirty minutes to pick up food and make our way back to my place. She’s never been here before, but from the way her jaw drops, I’d guess she’s surprised.

Her head snaps to me, and back to the front of the house. Then back to me.

“You live in the suburbs? Like a grownup?” She points to the house as she walks up the driveway. “A rich grownup.” She mumbles, tilting her head at me. Her wicked side-eye game is one of my favorite things about her.

“You made assumptions about me based on my career.”

She nods, pressing her bottom lip against her teeth with her index finger as I unlock the door. “You’re right. I did. Your oil covered, grumpy butt self, came across like you didn’t have your life together. I admit, I completely misread you.”

She steps into the house, spreads her arm and twirls in a circle. “Jeez. How many bedrooms does this place have?”

I close the door behind me, carrying the food past Talia and into the dining room. “We’ll talk about that later.”

“I bet you have four bedrooms, don’t you? Four rooms for just you. How do you clean it all? Is there a thick layer of dust over everything?” She feigns a dramatic gasp, clutching her chest. “Is this where you buried the bodies?”

“Plates, to the right of the stove. Silverware in the drawer next to the sink. Glasses in the cabinet next to the sink. And I have a selection of drinks in the fridge, if it’s okay with you, I’ll have a beer.”

“So bossy.” She plants her hands on her hips, and for a moment I wonder if she’s going to sass me, but she grabs everything I ask as I take the food out of the bags.

“Holy granola, did you order one of everything on the menu?”

“Maybe. What can I say?” I shrug. “I like eating with you.”

She sets the table, grabs drinks, then pulls out a chair and slides onto it. “So, how does this work? Do we eat and talk? Do we chit chat then get down to business? I’ve never negotiated a relationship before. In hindsight, probably should have.” She laughs at herself.

“That depends.”

“On what?” She’s heaping rice onto her plate.

“On what it is you feel the need to negotiate.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders roll forward.

“I’m happy to take it day by day, scene by scene and figure our dynamic out between us as we go. But if you feel like you need more structure and boundaries, then we’ll need to look at it for sure.”

She straightens her back. “I need a more structured plan.”

Fucking hell. Her assertiveness speaks straight to my dick, and while she’s pouring food out, my dick’s trying to pierce a hole in my pants. Visions of sweeping the food on the floor and fucking her senseless on the table flicker across my mind. It’d be way too far, too fast, but it’ll happen at some point, and I can’t wait to fuck her when the mood strikes.

I nod, trying to hiss a slow breath out between my teeth. “Okay, and have you given much thought to what that might look like?”

She swallows her bite. “I have.” She nods. “And I think... Well, I think I want sex.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

TALIA

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