Page 101 of Must Have Been Love

Skyler bites down a smile.

“And as her only male relative,” Jesse continues, ignoring my interjection, “it’s inherent upon me to make this very, very clear. If you ever hurt this woman,” he says, looking at her. “If you so much as harm a damn hair on her head, I’ll make sure you regret it. Understood?”

My lips twitch. When I look at Skyler’s hers are doing the same. But I also appreciate the guts it takes to talk to me like that.

“Understood,” I manage to say with a straight face.

“Good.” He nods. “You can go.”

I don’t point out that I’d like to see him stop me. Mostly because I’m kind of impressed. It’s almost rubbed the edge of my annoyance.

“Ready?” I ask her.

She nods and I take her hand, barely stopping to let her grab her purse as I march us out of the bar.

“What’s got you all resting-bastard-face?” she asks me as I open the door to my car. I help her in and walk to the other side, climbing into the driver’s seat.

“I got a call from my attorney,” I tell her, closing the driver’s door.

“What kind of call?” she asks, frowning.

I start the engine up. “One where he told me that Ayda’s grandparents’ lawyer sent them a letter before action. They didn’t like my refusal to their request for her to stay with them every summer. So they want to take me to court.”

“Oh.” Skyler frowns. “They want her to stay with them in England?”

“Yes.” I’m so pissed I want to fucking hit something. I thought telling them no to their request would be the end of it, not that they’d take me to court again. “I gave them an inch and they took a fucking mile. I wish I’d never agreed to let them see her at all.” I put the car into drive and pull out of the space, my fingers so tight on the wheel my knuckles are white.

Skyler shifts in her seat. The movement makes her shirt collar gape open. I can see the swell of her breasts from the corner of my eye.

I put my foot on the gas, turning the corner onto the country road, deciding that we’re not going to the hotel or the cottages. I’m taking her home. To my bed. I need her with me tonight.

“They’ll lose though, won’t they?” she asks. “Like they did before?”

“Probably.” I grit my teeth. “I won the case fair and square in London. But now they’re petitioning the state court here. Grandparents have more rights in the US than they do in the UK.”

She puts her hand on my thigh, like she’s trying to soothe me.

“Listen, I don’t want to think about it right now. I just needed you to understand why I’m in a bad mood.” I swing into the driveway that leads up to the Captain’s House. The turret is lit up by the moon, giving it an almost eerie feeling. If she’s wondering why I’ve brought her to my home, she wisely doesn’t ask.

“I understand,” she says softly. “And thank you for being so sweet to Jesse earlier.”

I pull into my usual space, next to the steps that lead up to my front door. “I wasn’t sweet.”

“You were,” she says. “You didn’t call him an asshole, you didn’t punch him…”

“I don’t punch people.”

“I know.” She bites down a smile. “But thank you anyway.”

I turn off the engine and let out a long breath. The annoyance is slowly seeping away. She’s still in her seat, looking at me with those big, brown eyes of hers.

“I like the way you look at me,” I say, my voice thick.

“That’s good,” she breathes. “Because I like looking at you.”

I turn to her, reaching for her, pulling her against me even though there’s no room in this car. “Can I take you to my bed and show you exactly how pissed off I am?” I ask her.

Her lips curl into a smile. “I thought you’d never ask.”

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