Page 21 of His to Claim

“What do you mean why?”

“If you like me and I like you then who cares what they think?”

“I care,” he states stubbornly, and I make a face.

“So if I offered to get down on my knees and suck your dick right now, you’d say no? Because of my brothers?”

“Jesus, Carlotta.” He shoves a hand through his thick, dark hair and looks away. But I didn’t miss the flash of desire that crossed his face first. “Don’t say stuff like that.”

“I’m just trying to understand how my brothers figure into this. Because, Archer, I am a twenty-five year old woman who can make her own decisions. Especially when it comes to my sexual partners. Or, lack thereof,” I can’t help but add in a low voice.

His head snaps back over. “What do you mean ‘lack thereof’? Dry spell?”

“More like the Sahara Desert,” I admit.

He crosses his arm over his chest, studying me closely. “How long has it been?”

I swallow past my nerves and blurt out, “Oh, about twenty-five years.”

Tilting his head as though he’s not quite sure he heard me right, his mouth opens then closes. I guess words escape him and I can feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

“Humiliating, I know,” I say, focusing on the macaroni and stirring it much too vigorously.

“Carlotta?”

I slant him a look, suddenly feeling shy. “Hmm?”

“Are you telling me you’re a virgin?”

“God, don’t make me say it.” I roll my eyes and set the spoon down with a clink. “Yes, okay. Men avoid me like the plague. Well, except for one, but it was barely a relationship, and he just ended up breaking my heart.”

I turn off the fire, take the pot over to the sink and dump the noodles in a strainer.

“What happened?” he asks quietly.

I shake the strainer, watching the steam rise, then turn and dump them back in the pot. “Cheese, please.”

Archer opens the packet, moves up beside me, and sprinkles it over the hot macaroni noodles. He drops the empty envelope on the counter and he’s so close, I can hear him breathing. Can feel the warmth of his body which is practically touching mine.

“What happened, sweetheart?” he asks again, his voice low.

I stir the orange powder and the noodles and let out a soft sigh. “There was a guy—Rendall—and we dated for a few months. I kept holding back, though, and couldn’t fully trust him. Something didn’t feel right. But, I thought maybe I was just being silly. The second I decide I’m going to sleep with him, I discover he’s cheating.”

“Rendall was a damn idiot.”

“You can say that again.”

“A total jackass.”

“I broke up with him and that was that. Sahara Desert,” I emphasize with a sad shake of my head.

Archer takes the pan and divides the mac and cheese into the two bowls on the table. We sit down and I scoop up a spoonful and eat it. Not the most appetizing meal, but I’m hungry and grateful there’s something to eat. I can feel Archer watching me and I finally look up at him.

“What?” I ask softly.

“I’m glad you didn’t sleep with that idiot.”

“Rendall.”

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