Page 110 of Cherry Auction

“I worked fucking hard to be able to carry myownload.” The tear falls down my cheek. “Believe me, DBT therapy is some tough fucking shit.” But at least I finally proved toherthat I can handle hard things. Well, she believes ita littlemore anyway.

Domhnall pulls me fiercely into his arms. “I fucking hate that you had to go through that,” he whispers in my ear.

I laugh into his chest. “You and her will get along fine. She’s just as protective as you. More, maybe.”

He pulls back from me, shaking his head. “Not possible.”

I smile. “I’ll let you two fight it out when youmeet her.”

He frowns. “What about you? How do you feel about me meeting her?”

I sigh and reach for the bread again, pulling all the way away from him. “I talked it through with my therapist.A lot.And here’s the deal. This is a fucking complex situation, right? So it’s all about communication. If you want to take this on—if you want to takemeon, then you get to join the communication train. We’ve all got to talk. A lot. And just remember, at my core, it’s alwaysme. But she’s…” I roll my eyes. “Feistier. More stubborn.”

“More stubborn thanyou?”

I smack him on the shoulder.

Then I grin at him and shake my head, because I know exactly what will happen when theydofinally meet. Especially since she likes to come out at night. I nibble at the bread and give him a sly, alluring look. “And Jesus is she one kinky bitch.”

EPILOGUE II

DOMHNALL

We barely make it to the hotel room before I tear all Anna’s clothes off again.

She seems sure of what will happen when I meet this alter of hers, but all I know is that I want the girl I’ve loved since I was seventeen, in any way, shape, or form she comes in.

I push her against the door and snatch both of her wrists, slamming them to the door beside her head.

She grins back at me as I press my groin against hers to pin her there.

“Were you hard all throughout dinner?”

“Of course I fuckingwas.”

Her grin gets bigger.

Fuck, I’ve missed her. This year without her has been one of the hardest years of my life, and that’s fucking saying something.

“What do you feel right now?” I ask.

“Uh… your big dick.”

I chuckle. “Not that. I mean your feelings. I’m trying to check in. How are you feeling? Like if you had to name the feeling?”

Her eyebrows pop to her hairline. “Who are you and what have you done with Domhnall Callaghan?”

“Ha ha,” I say deadpan. “You aren’t the only one who’s been in therapy. I still think feelings are fecking annoying as shit but apparently they’re important. So name your feelings.”

“You first,” she says stubbornly, even though she’s the one still pinned against the door.

“Fine.” I look up at the ceiling, thinking about that stupid fucking feelings wheel my therapist is always having me look at to name my feelings from. It’s always more helpful to have the damn thing in front of me. But I’m definitely in the yellow or orange section. I’ve stared at that damn wheel enough, I’ve got a lot of the feeling words memorized so I can pick out the ones I need.

“Okay, I’m happy. Excited. Enthusiastic.” I smile down at her and massage the pulse point on her wrist with my thumb. “Curious. Impatient.Aroused.” I always particularly likedthat one, especially now that I get to do something about it more than stare at stolen pictures of Anna.

Her eyebrows bunch as she looks up at me. “How are you so good at this?”

“Come on, don’t tell me they haven’t busted out the feelings wheel in your therapy sessions?”

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