Page 83 of Passion and Payback

“Hey,” he said, and when I glanced over, I saw him smiling. “Loafing around?”

“No, that’s this one,” I said, pointing to Clem. “But yes, I’m being lazy. I realized there wasn’t much to do after getting chased out of the café.”

He laughed. “You were attracting too much attention.”

“I was sitting there.”

“Looking incredibly good. I’m pretty sure those girls were sizing you up like a slab of beef at a meat market.”

“You severely overestimate how I look.”

“Or maybe I can see what you can’t, ever consider that?”

“Nope.”

“I’m half hard looking at you right now, so you can consider that.”

I couldn’t twist around to see properly with Clem on my lap, but I certainly made a good effort. “Seriously?”

“I’m exaggerating slightly, though your interest in my possible boner has its attention,” he said with a laugh, crossing his arms.

“Tease,” I grumbled, turning back to open my phone. While I had been spending my nights in his bed, that bed had been absent of anything sexual. Again, I wasn’t going to push or insist, but it would have been nice to know what was holding him back, if only so I could help somehow. “What do you want to do about dinner?”

“Would you believe I’m not all that hungry?”

“Probably because you nibble on snacks all day.”

“Probably,” he chuckled, and I could hear rustling as he messed with something. “Would you still want me if I got fat?”

I shook my head. “With anyone else, I’d think you were trying to trap me. But yes, I would still want you even if you got fat. Though, if I’m honest, I might stick you on a treadmill and dangle one of those pastries in front of your face.”

“I love that your response isn’t just that you’d want me, but you’d force me to exercise.”

“Getting fat is bad for your health.”

“You’re so sweet.”

“I have my moments.”

“So, I’ve been thinking,” he said, standing behind the couch, leaning over. “All week.”

“Have you now?” I asked, keeping my voice neutral but wondering if we were about to move on to the next step. Hopefully, the next one would involve me doing more than sitting in some random ass café wondering if he was safe.

“Well, I’m pretty sure you’ve noticed the lack of, um, well, sex.”

“I have noticed but didn’t want to bring it up. I figured you’d talk about it when you were ready.”

“True, though you are allowed to have your own opinions...and bring it up. I keep saying you don’t?—”

“Have to treat you like you’re made of glass,” I finished. “But I’m not going to push when it comes to that subject, you know that.”

“Yeah, yeah, stubborn as ever,” he said, leaning forward so his arms dangled over my shoulders. “So, I should start by saying that I appreciate you being so understanding and letting me sort things out.”

“You sound so begrudging when you say that.”

“Because I am.”

I grinned. “Poor thing.”

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