Page 12 of Hard Boss

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Arden snaps and shoves Wilder back when he goes to walk over to me. “Are you fucking stupid? Why in the fuck would you sit there and joke about tricking people into thinking you are messing around just to turn around and dump everything on her at once? Didn’t I fucking tell you not to do that?”

“Arden…”

“Don’t Arden me, asshole. I fucking told you. I told you she struggles. I told you she needs to take things slowly, yet you do that?” she yells at him. Mom and Dad look extremely confused, but seem to understand enough not to ask. “She thinks you are using her, and I don’t blame her. If someone said that shit to me, ya damn right, I’d think they are just looking out for themselves.”

“I didn’t mean-”

“You didn’t think,” Arden interrupts. “She deserves more than you give every other woman you fuck. If you want her, then fucking act like it. Stop acting like a fuck boy for one goddamn second and work on winning her heart first. Ever think of that? Ever think that immediately jumping into bed with someoneis how you ended up with a skank assistant who borderline assaults you every chance she gets?”

“You’re right,” he sighs.

“I know I am,” Arden scoffs, as if that was old news. “Go over there and hug the girl and think with a different head for a change.”

“God, who taught you to be so mean?” Wilder asks with a frown.

“You, dumbass. Go grovel and make up for being an idiot. If you ever make her cry again, I’ll break your fucking arms off and beat you to death with them,” she says, shooing him off.

Wilder sighs and looks at me for a second before walking over and cupping my cheeks. He studies my face for a moment before pulling me against his chest to hug me tightly. He and I both relax when I put my arms around him, accepting his hug. “I’m sorry, Macie,” he says softly.

“It’s fine,” I whisper.

“It’s not.” Wilder pulls back and lifts my chin. “You deserve more than that. I admittedly don’t know how to just… date. Everything has always been sex based because that’s all I know when it comes to relationships.”

“I just don’t want to get hurt,” I say. “I don’t want to end up as the ex-girlfriend who you despise. If I’m honest, I like you so much and have for a long time. Of all people, I can’t get hurtby you. I have to know that when you say you want me, it’s me you’re talking about, not anything I can do for you.”

“I am truly sorry for making you feel that way,” he says. “I should have slowed down and told you my feelings first.”

“Please don’t do that in front of them,” I say, nearly whispering.

“I won’t,” he says with a smile. “Can you forgive me for being dumb?”

“Yeah,” I say. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“It’s okay,” he says as he hugs me. “We can talk more when they leave.”

“Okay,” I say softly.

“Well, I can’t say I’m surprised,” my dad says as he takes me from Wilder and hugs me. “I love you, baby girl.”

“I love you too, Dad,” I say.

“Let’s get everything upstairs and we can leave them alone,” Arden says.

We work on getting all of my belongings up to the guest room, and once the last bag is on my bed, I hug everyone goodbye and disappear into my new room. I make it about an hour into unpacking when I hear the bedroom door open. I have my backto the door, but I can feel him looking at me. “Can I help you?” I ask.

“You are avoiding me,” Wilder remarks.

“Is that a question of a statement?” I ask as I fold the shirt in my hands instead of turning to look at him. When I lay it in the drawer, Wilder leans in from behind me and shuts the drawer before turning me to face him. I take a deep breath and try not to notice how his muscles are hardly contained in his shirt. He has changed into sweatpants and a tight white T-shirt, which has to be the hottest and most tempting thing he wears. I fail miserably because he smirks when he notices how my eyes drag down his body. I close my eyes for a second to try and calm down my dirty thoughts.

“Why are you avoiding me, Macie?” he asks. I try to escape, but he grabs my hips and pushes me back against the dresser and holds me there. “No running. Talk to me.”

“I can’t,” I whisper.

“Start by just looking at me,” he encourages. I force my eyes open, and he smiles. “Good girl. Now… Do you want the long, mushy version, or do you want me to be blunt?”

“Uh… Blunt… but honest. I kinda wanna hear some of the mushy shit too,” I say. “To better understand.”

“Okay,” he says. “Bluntly, I want you. I’ve wanted you for a long time, but I have avoided letting that develop because Ididn’t want to interfere with your friendship with Arden. I finally opened up about six months ago after the shit that Tina does got to me. I told her how I felt but expressed that I wasn’t there yet.”

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