Page 19 of Let Me Say It Again

“It’s not about caring. It’s human nature to want to be someone others aspire to be. If you deny that, then you’re kidding yourself.”

Shaking my head, I swallowed. “What is this, the worst first date ever? You have horrible talking points.”

“We’re almost done,” the photographer shouted.

Someone heard my prayers.

“Don’t move,” he warned, snapping more pictures.

New thing: I hated being photographed.

Chapter Eight

Reddington

I’d left Alistair—my chauffeur—downstairs as I went to be a gentleman and pick Jade up at her door so the guests of honor could show up to their engagement party together. I wouldn’t consider myself a prince by any fucking means, but this seemed like a fiancé thing to do.

I inhaled and immediately regretted it, smelling something reminiscent of week-old milk. Ignoring the urge to cover my nose with my hand, I walked up the few carpeted steps and found Jade’s apartment.Great.Now all I had to do was knock on her door, retrieve her, and lead the way back to the car. Or just outside in general where I could suck in air and not feel like I’d walked into my high school lacrosse team’s locker room. Good times, piss-poor odor, though.

Rapping on the door, I cleared my throat and stuffed a hand in my pocket, ready to get this ring out of my possession and onto the finger of my supposed-soon-to-be wife. I didn’t know how men walked around with this shit in their pocket for longer than they needed to. Just knowing it was in there would have been enough to make me propose to my girl already. Who the hell bought a ring to keep in their pocket?

Holy crap. What was taking Jade so long to get to the door? I’d seen the apartments in New York, and they weren’t big, that was for sure. That meant less distance, right? Unless she was on the toilet, I honestly didn’t understand what was—

The door swung open, and Jade was standing there, her hair hanging down in waves and her face makeup-free. “You’re early.”

She was wearing a white hoodie and light blue, baggy tattered jeans that were so long they dragged on the floor. Clearly, she wasn’t in the least bit ready. “No, I’m not.” I picked up my wrist and raised it for her to see my watch for the time. I didn’t need to look at it to know that I was on time. She was late. “I’m beginning to think you being late is a habit.”

She scowled, rolling her eyes dramatically. “I hate your clocks.” She ushered me in, and I stepped in as she started unzipping her jeans. “With you, I’m always late.”

There was no way she was going to step out of her jeans here, was she? No, that would be like crossing a line or something. But she wasn’t moving. I swallowed hard as my eyes roamed to her ass as she turned around. I should have looked away. Yeah, that was what I was going to do—look away. Now. Before she caught me staring. “Um, how long do you think it’s going to take for you to get ready?”

Maybe she’d go faster if I helped her. Okay, that sounded weird. Not to mention, I wasn’t the type to help a girl get into clothes, if you followed me.

She didn’t answer, only slipped out of her jeans and kicked them in front of the couch. And there it was. The very reason I should’ve looked away. I didn’t, though, because I was perverted. That wasn’t true. I was wildly attracted to this woman, that was the problem. I didn’t have that kind of restraint when it came to Jade.

The delicious curve of her ass drew my attention like a moth to a flame. Her thong-clad ass was perfectly round, and I didn’t need to get any closer to know that it was the ideal size for my hand to cup a cheek and squeeze or playfully slap as I watchedher take my cock like a good girl. Not that Jade screamedgood girl. Honestly, she gave off brat vibes more than anything else.

“Don’t know. Depends,” she answered, tossing me a wink over her shoulder before strutting toward a hallway. “Figured I sort of owed you one since we’ll probably be late for the party.”

I cleared my throat. “What?” I stood dumbfounded in front of the door.

“We both know you checked out my ass, so you’re welcome,” she said, her voice raised so I could hear her between rooms.

I pulled on the back of my neck and walked over to the couch and sat manspread, placing my elbows on my knees. “I didn’t look.” Hopefully that was believable.

“Yeah, right.” All right, apparently she wasn’t buying it.Smart woman.

Trying to change the topic, I asked, “Are you getting ready?”

“No. I’m playing with myself in here. When you hear me moan, you know I’m close to being done.”

Goddamn it, this woman was going to be the death of me. If I had to spend too much time with her, I had a feeling she was going to put me in an early grave. I scrubbed a hand down my face, scratching my chin as it came into contact with where I’d shaved before coming here. “Why are you always late?”

“My life isn’t run by a clock. I like to do things when I want, not because I’m committed to a time of day.”

A loud thud sounded followed by a “Son of a bitch,” so I cocked my head toward the hallway. Not that I would be able to make out what was going on in there, but still.

“You okay?” I hollered, hoping whatever it was wouldn’t make us even later.

---