Page 22 of Hire A Cuddler

“When I first saw you, you were with Victor. As soon as you left, I pulled him aside and demanded to know everything about you.”

Her eyes are wide. “And he just told you?”

I think back to that day, and I remember grabbing him by his collar. “I was pretty convincing. Anyway, when I found out that he was a cuddler and that you were a client, I knew I couldn’t just approach you off the street. I couldn’t take the chance that you would tell me no.”

She throws her hands up. “So you lied to me.”

And I have no other bigger regret. “Yes, I lied to you. And I promise that I’ll never do it again.”

She searches my face, and there’s no doubt she sees the sincerity there. I regret lying to her.

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Do you think you ever would have told me the truth?”

I angle my body toward hers. “Of course I would. What kind of future would we have if you didn’t know who I was? I know I messed up, and after I came to your fashion show, I planned to come clean. I was going to tell you at our next appointment.”

She tilts her head, and it’s obvious she doesn’t know whether to believe me or not. It makes me sick to know that I’ve ruined our relationship. She’s going to question everything I say and wonder if I’m telling the truth, but I’m never going to lie to her again. “I’m sorry. I truly am sorry. I know what I did was wrong. I betrayed your trust, and it’s going to take me a long time to earn it back, but I want you to know that I’m not giving up. Not on us.”

She takes a deep breath and finally nods her head. “Okay, I forgive you.”

There’s no way it’s that easy. “You forgive me? Just like that?”

She smiles, but it’s not the big smile I’m used to seeing on her. “I don’t hold grudges, King. And you promised you wouldn’t lie again.”

When she uses my nickname, I start to have some hope that everything is going to be okay. It’s not just words that she forgives me; maybe she can actually do it. “I won’t lie to you, Haven.”

“But…” she starts, and my stomach sinks. “I think it’s best if we just stay friends.”

I’m shaking my head and insisting, “That’s not going to work for me, peaches.”

“King, please, it’s just—”

I shake my head and scoot closer to her. This would be so much easier if I could touch her. If I could hold her in my arms and show her how I feel about her, but that’s not possible. Not yet. All I can do is try and explain and hope she doesn’t force me out the door. “I don’t want to be your friend… I want to be your husband.”

She starts to laugh, but I don’t even crack a smile. I’m serious… and somehow I’m going to convince her that she wants to be my wife.

13

HAVEN

I waitfor him to say, “Ha! Just kidding” or something to that effect. When he sits next to me, looking at me with those big brown eyes of his, almost pleadingly, I shake my head. “You’re funny, King.”

There’s an almost hopeful glint in his eyes. “I’m not joking, peaches. I want you to be my wife.”

I jump up from my seat and back away, putting some much-needed distance between us. “Stop that. Stop it right now, King. This isn’t funny.”

He slowly gets up and follows me. “I’m not trying to be funny. I’m serious.”

I shake my head, waving my hands in front of me. “Well, it’s crazy talk, and I don’t want to hear it.”

He comes toward me, and I swear I can’t think straight when he’s this close. He pulls papers out of his pocket and unfolds them. “Hear me out.”

My eyes about pop out of my head. “You had papers drawn up? Are you missing the part where I said we could be friends? I’m not marrying you.”

It’s almost like the gold flecks of his eyes are sparkling at me. Why does he have to be so handsome? This isn’t fair. “You know we can’t just be friends. You have to feel this between us, peaches.”

I start to stutter. “But… uh… we can’t….”

“We can.”

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