Page 110 of Mine

“Don’t let that little voice put words in my mouth. Please,” he said, his lips pressing against my forehead. “Sex and intimacy don’t go hand in hand for me all of the time. I can spank someone and not think anything of it the next day. But one kiss with you and I feel like I’m losing my mind. The last week without you was torture.”

It’d been for me too.

I’dmissedhim.

My hair fell forward as I sat up slightly and studied him. I felt a choice looming, and for once, I was going to choose myself.

Emboldened by what I knew to be true, I decided I was going to choose us.

“I’m going to tell them about us.”

Salt’s eyes widened. “Rosethorn?”

“Yes.” A weight lifted off my chest and I flopped back down onto the pillow, looking up at the ceiling. It felt right. It felt scary, but right. “They’re going to judge me. And I don’t know what will happen. But, we’ll get you signed, and then I’ll tell them.”

“You can keep me a secret?—”

“I don’t want to.”

He propped himself up, his throat bobbing. “I don’t want any of this to hurt you, Pepper. And you have more to lose than me.”

“That’s not true,” I said. “You have a career ahead of you in music. I know that we will be able to help get you to where you want to be. And I want that. It’s why I started Rosethorn to begin with. I can’t sing or play guitar or do anything musically to save my life. But I can help artists live their dreams. I can give them the chance to make beautiful music. And that’s what we’re going to do with you.”

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

“I’m tired of being perfect,” I whispered. “I’m tired of caring what other people think of me. And don’t I deserve to be happy?”

“I think you do.”

I’d been going back and forth a lot about everything, but just saying that I would tell everyone on the team lifted a weight off my shoulders. “Also, I don’t think you’re a whore…”

Salt snorted. “It’s a badge I wear honorably. Although, if you tell everyone about us, it’ll tarnish your reputation. Won’t it?”

“Maybe…” I trailed off as I slid my hand down between us, sucking in a breath as I felt him. “I don’t think I care what they think of me.”

“It’ll just make you more eccentric,” he teased, thrusting his hips. His cock was hard and hot against my palm. “The beautiful rich woman with her pet. Meanwhile, we both know who you get on your knees for.”

My lips tugged. “You have a good point.”

“I always do,” he said. “What should I cook for breakfast?”

My brain short circuited as I looked down at his cock. He was still hard. “I wantyou.”

“You’ll have me later.”

“But you’re…”

“I’m what?”

I knew he was teasing me. I blushed as I tore my gaze from the veins along his cock, taking in his tattoos and muscles and the way he looked at me like I was everything.

“You’re hard,” I whispered.

“And?”

I licked my lips. “Can I help you with it?”

“Not yet.”

---