Page 12 of Unravel You

“I’m not a…” I thought about Max. And all the times my claws had come out whenever someone as much as looked at him for too long. Even with Derek, I’d spent a great deal of time trying to keep him away from Max. In the end, the two became fast friends in spite of me. “Yeah, okay.”

He chuckled and fixed a strand of hair behind my ear while I watched the cub and the mama head back into the woods. I would have been nervous to let Max wander off so far too.

“A big bear shows up, and you don’t think to get to safety. But I get close and your first instinct is to get away. Don’t run. I need you.” I kissed my neck.

I wasn’t running, more like freaking out. I gripped his wrist while his fingers caressed my temple. “I need you too. I just don’t think that all of this is for me.”

“It’s a small cabin, isn’t it?”

“The cabin is ridiculously perfect. You know what I mean.” I slapped his abdomen with the back of my hand. He caught it and placed it over his heart, regarding me with warm eyes. How was it possible to be so in love with someone is such a short amount of time? I glanced down. In our time together, I’d never told him how insecure I felt. Fairy tales weren’t real. He couldn’t be real. We couldn’t be real. “I’m not what you deserve.” I waved my arm in the general direction of the cabin as proof. He should have more than me. Someone who fits in this magnificent place and in his billionaire, bigger-than-everything life.

“If I’m being honest, you are way more than what I deserve. Your kindness, your love, this family of my own that I now have because of you.” He puffed out a breath. Heat permeated from his white shirt and warmed me to my core. “I love you. Do you understand how my love for you works? I would’ve jumped in front of that bear to save you. In front of anyone to protect you. Valentina, I would die for you.”

“See what I mean? You’re too perfect. You’re all of this, and I’m nothing.” Thenothingcame out as a wisp of air. I hadn’t known it was there, but I felt lighter to finally say it. So now he knew, and he could move on just like his mom wanted.

He cupped my face, his blue gaze determined and full of warning. “Don’t ever say that about yourself. You’re everything to me. You’re everything, period.” He cocked his head and bent down to kiss me.

I’d never get enough of his lips. The soft curve of his tongue exploring and tasting inside my mouth. I placed my hand on his chest. His body was hot to the touch. It made me ache for him, ached to feel his weight on me, his desire for me.

“Say yes,” he whispered. “Let me show the rest of me.”

“Is that your third reason?”

“It is.”

“Then yes.” I sighed.

Chapter4

Talk to Her

Derek

Her gaze dropped to my bare chest. She still didn’t understand what it did to me every time she looked at me that way. I leaned forward to kiss her, but she pushed me back against the door. “You brought me here to talk about the trip. Let’s talk about the trip.”

“Food first.”

“Okay. We don’t have much time left.”

“We have all the time you want. Em already knows we might be late. She’s got Max.” I cupped her face, wishing I could find the exact words to say to ease her mind about meeting my family. They weren’t so bad. Mom might need some convincing, but I had a plan for that.

“Okay.” She shook her head at the spread of food I had on the kitchen counter for us. “You’re unbelievable.”

The chef had already done the hard work—grilling the burger patties, baking fresh buns, and making all the condiments from scratch.

“You just don’t do anything normal, do you?”

“Wait ’til you try these truffle fries. There’s also dessert. Apple pie, I think. Or whatever else you want.” I snaked my free arm around her waist and kissed her neck.

“Oh, it smells amazing.” She wiggled away from my reach and plopped herself on the barstool. “I’m starving.”

Her red cheeks and lips told me she was starving for something else too. So was I, but I’d brought her here to talk about us, away from the hustle and bustle of the office and home. I had to behave, if only for another hour. I glanced down at my watch.

“Is there anything you want to know?”

She ate a fry and moaned. “Omigod. You have to try these.” She picked up a truffle fry off her plate, dipped it in the homemade ketchup, and fed it to me. The sauce dripped down her finger and onto my white shirt.

“I told you.” I wrapped my fingers around her wrist and licked her fingers.

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