Page 69 of Sweet Deception

"That's a longer story. I'll have to tell you another night when we aren't both exhausted." I kiss the side of her head to soften my denial. "Night, Angel."

"Night, Luca."

I feel guilt at the disappointment in her voice and despite how tired I am, I'm unable to relax until she falls asleep first, so I continue to stroke her hair until her breathing evens out. Only then do I succumb to sleep.

Chapter twenty-nine

Kylie

Something's going on with Luca. Ever since he was called away two weeks ago, we've barely spent any time together. Hell, we don't spend any time together. He's relegated me to his bed at night and that's it. I don't know why I'm surprised. This is exactly what I expected when I signed on to be a sugar baby. It's just … that first week didn't feel like a contract. Our connection was immediate, and he hasn't once made me feel like he just wants me for sex. Even though we only spend nights in his bed and nothing more, he's sweet to me and he behaves as if he can't get enough of me when we're together.

I'm so confused.

At first, I assumed he was busy with the new hotel, and perhaps that's the case. I can see where revamping a hotel can be time consuming. Not to mention all the other properties he has to maintain. Really, if I think about it, this is probably why he says he doesn't want a relationship. How can you manage one when you're so busy all the time?

Why does my gut tell me it's more than that? Am I just fooling myself?

Sighing, I lean my chin on my hand. This is where my heart and mind battle with each other, and I need to face the truth.

And the truth fucking hurts.

I have to consider the possibility that he really only sees me as a sugar baby and nothing more. Maybe I really am just a body to satisfy him.

I'm so stupid. Why am I such a girl? We have one incredible first week together and I convince myself he's falling for me. Why do women do this to themselves? This is exactly why he said he hires a sugar baby. I hate that I needed the reminder. It's disappointing, but I have only myself to blame when I knew what this was from the start.

"Why do you look like you want to murder those flowers?" Talia and I both slept in this morning. She was out with her sugar daddy all night while I spent my free night studying.

"Because they're beautiful and it was sweet of Luca to send them to me."

Case in point, why I'm confused.

I received them yesterday afternoon. He apologized for being pulled away again and promised to make it up to me. Another reason my emotions are all over the place.

Talia frowns at me over her shoulder. "You need to make that make sense."

I twist in my chair and face her, needing to see her reaction to this conversation. "Have you …" I bite my lip, contemplating the best way to approach this.

Talia presses the start button on the coffeemaker before turning around to lean against the counter, folding her arms on her chest and giving me her full attention.

Ugh. Okay, here goes.

Taking a deep breath, I blurt it out. "Have you ever fallen in love with any of your sugar daddies?"

Talia's eyes go big as she drops her arms and straightens. "Please tell me you're joking." She puts her hand up. "Wait." She turns, pours coffee into her mug and then comes and sits at the kitchen table with me. She adjusts herself to face me while putting one foot under her other leg and leans sideways on the tabletop, cradling her mug.

We stare at each other. I can tell she's trying to figure out how to approach this, and all I want to do is cry.

Talia sighs.

I turn my gaze to my plate to pick at the food I can't bring myself to eat.

"Do you want to know why I never invited you to do this before?"

I snap my gaze back to hers. "I … never really thought about it."

"Because you're not built for this. You're too soft." She says gently.

When I frown, she smiles.

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