Page 72 of A Reclusive Heart

Shit.

His little recluse was jealous. He would never do anything that would make her believe for even one moment that he wanted anyone else. She was the only woman that he wanted, but unfortunately, women tended to throw themselves at him, which was going to be a problem. Maybe he should-

“Do you think that you could flirt with her a little? Maybe take her out for coffee?” his little recluse asked, sounding really fucking hopeful.

What. The. Hell?

“You want me to sleep with another woman?” Nick demanded, shocked beyond words. Why in the hell would she even suggest it? Was she out of her fucking mind?

“I don’t want you to sleep with her,” Jamie said with a soft sigh. “I just want you to butter her up a bit and then maybe when she’s putty in your hands, you could ask her about the chocolate?”

“You’re willing to whore me out for chocolate?” Nick demanded, pulling his hand free as he stood up so that he could glare down at the little pain in the ass.

“I was kind of hoping that you’d be willing to use that pretty smile and convince the doctor to let me have chocolate,” Jamie said, shrugging it off like it was no big deal.

It was a big fucking deal!

“Pretty?” Nick spat out in disgust.

“Well, yeah,” she said, shrugging as she gestured lazily in his direction. “You have a very pretty smile.”

“Pretty?” Nick repeated in disgust.

His smile wasn’tpretty. It was charming and passably boyish, but pretty? Hell no. By all rights, he should have stormed out of the room, but he was still too shaken up to leave her side for more than five minutes at a time, so he decided to sit in the chair in the corner and settle on glaring at her.

When she sent him a little wave and a hopeful smile, Nick had to struggle not to smile back. It was difficult, but he managed to do it. Her willingness to whore him out for chocolate pleased him immensely, not because he was fine with her using him, which he was, but because she wasn’t jealous. His shy little recluse knew that he loved her and would never have to worry that he would hurt her.

“I’m not asking, Jamie,” he said firmly.

“But-”

“No.”

“Maybe-”

“No.”

“You won’t even hear me out. I-”

“You’re not having any chocolate until your doctor says so, so let it go,” Nick said, smiling when she released the cutest fucking growl that he’d ever heard.

“Fine. Then, let’s talk about something else,” Jamie grumbled as she settled back against her pillows.

“What would you like to talk about?” Nick asked, deciding that he’d punished her for her traitorous ways long enough. He moved back onto the bed and took her hand in his.

“Any luck on the job front?” she asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

He inwardly winced when he realized that there were a few things that he’d failed to tell her, but in his defense, when she wasn’t passed out, she was drugged out of her fucking mind.

“I’m staying with Rerum Publishing, sweetheart. After you left, we sorted it out and realized that Holly was behind everything, including the complaints,” he said, giving her hand a comforting squeeze.

“Oh,” Jamie said, frowning as she thought that over for a moment. “Do I still have a job?”

“If you want it, it’s yours,” Nick said casually as he silently prayed that she stayed. He loved working with her, but more importantly, he loved being with her.

“Will they still let you handle my books?” she asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Yes,” he said, knowing that J.L. Lewis was the key to his happiness. As long as he worked with J.L. Lewis, he would be able to spend time with the woman that he loved more than anything.

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