Page 66 of Enough

Jaden held her with a pensive stare.

“What?” she said.

“You’re not paying me back, AND, you’re taking my money. Now hush woman. I’ll hear nothing else about it.”

“I don’t feel comfortable taking your money, Jaden.”

Jaden was almost at a loss for words. “I think that’s the first time I’ve heard that coming from a woman.”

Claudia snickered. “Well I’m sure I’m not the type of woman you’re accustomed to.”

That much was true, he thought.

“I can’t take your money. We’re friends, and friends pay each other back.”

“What if we were more than friends, then would you need to pay me back?”

Claudia peered at him her heart racing. “We’re not, so what’s the point in imagining?”

“Chérie,” Jaden gave her complete eye contact. “We are more than friends.”

Claudia’s gaze fell from his eyes to his moist lips and back up again.

“I’m making you my girlfriend. Now you can’t give the money back.”

Claudia gasped a sultry laughing escaping her. “Excuse me,” she feigned offense. “You can’t just make me your girlfriend. You have to ask, and besides, who says I’m not seeing someone already?”

Jaden’s jaw clenched, and his pupils darkened. Surely, she wouldn’t be in a relationship with someone the way they’d made love the last few days. Images of Claudia with someone else attacked Jaden’s mind and steam poured from his ears. Claudia watched him intently, and if she didn’t know any better, she would’ve sworn she’d seen him transform right in front of her eyes.

“Baby…”

“Are you seeing anyone, Claudia?”

A few seconds ticked by. “I have other male friends, but no, I’m not seeing anyone exclusively.”

“We’ll you are now, and we’ll make sure to get rid of those friends.”

Claudia’s eyes widened, at the same time her heart soared. Before she could respond Jaden spoke again. “Will you be my girlfriend, Claudia?”

Claudia folded her arms regardless of the fact she was secretly in love with him. She needed to put up a tough front. If there was anything she learned growing up in Chicago, it was not to give in too quickly.

“You look like you want to put up a fight,” Jaden said. “Maybe I should rephrase my words. Would you be interested in being in a relationship with me, chérie?”

Claudia’s heart warmed, and she forced herself not to shout hell yeah. Instead, she thought about her life and still considered herself a nobody when compared to the women he’d dated before.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course, I am.” He pulled her closer. “I want to be with you. Tell me you want to be with me, too.”

Claudia was apprehensive. Things like this didn’t happen to her. She wasn’t the girl that got the guy at the end of the day. She held back from pinching herself to save herself the embarrassment.

Her unresponsiveness twisted Jaden’s gut. “There’s someone else, isn’t there?”

“No,” she quickly spoke up. “It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

A smile crossed her lips, “Nothing,” she dipped her head low then looked back into his eyes. “I’d love to be your,” she paused, “girlfriend, Jaden.”

---