Page 222 of If Our Hearts Collide

“That’s the incentive you threw my way, isn’t it? You allow me to be your bodyguard without any fight, and your sexual appetite gets satisfied.”

I huff out a breath. “Your cock better be worth the wait.”

“And your sassy mouth better be glad I don’t put a ball gag in it.”

Well, that silenced me.

From his tone, I don’t think Collins is joking—even in the slightest. Now that the secret’s out that he has been a part-time employee at Limit-X, I’d be lying if my ass cheeks weren’t a tad bit intimidated.

He’s probably had a lot of practice wielding the whip.

I mentally shudder. I can’t do whips.

Stretching out over the bed, I try to reach the bottom drawer of his nightstand.

Collins chuckles. “You can’t even wait until I leave the room to start snooping?”

“I need to examine the size of the ball gag to determine whether my sass is worth the consequence.”

“You are going to be so much fun to tame. But don’t worry, I want you to keep that zesty spirit about you. It just makes this all extra fun.” There’s amusement in his timbre.

Ignoring his commentary, I stick with my focus. “I can only imagine the armory of sex toys you have stored in your bottom nightstand drawer. Who needs a store when I can shop here for free? You can learn a lot about a man by what he has hidden.”

“There are none, Pen.”

Sitting up, I bring my knees to my chest. “So, you just use the good, old-fashioned hand, eh?”

His lips curl up into a smirk. “You really do have a very active imagination.”

“It’s overactive most days.”

“No doubt.”

“Prefer hotel rooms?”

He sighs. “I prefer public places with rules set so both parties know what to expect.”

I make a face. “Seems clinical.”

“It’s logical,” he counters. “At least for men like me.”

“What does that mean?”

“I treat arrangements for what they are—a way to satisfy sexual urges for both parties.”

“A business…”

“Sure, but without any money exchanged.”

“Got it.”

“It’ll be best if you try not to attach strings to fleeting things, like emotions. Things will end between us. It’s inevitable—finite. The more we both accept that fact, the better in the end.”

I think about his answer for a moment. I’ve always known Collins to be a man who valued his privacy. However, going through life specifically looking for an emotionally detached relationship seems…

Lonely?

And here I sit, about to embark on a similar journey. It makes me cringe inside, because I’m probably just a number in his list of clients. No one special…

---