Page 226 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1
"At least he didn't try to punch me in the face." He smiled at me. "What did your parents say to you after I left?"
I wanted to lighten the mood. "They grounded me."
"Wait, what?" James lowered his eyebrows.
"I'm just kidding. They can't ground me, I'm an adult." I was really glad that my parents hadn't tried to ground me. I'm pretty sure I would have just let them. I felt like a kid around my parents. I probably always would.
"So if they didn't ground you, what did they say?"
What is the best way to phrase this?"They just wanted to make sure you didn't sexually harass me or anything."
"Oh God." He put his forehead down on the top of the steering wheel and started laughing.
I started laughing too.
He sighed and lifted his head back up. "That must have been awkward."
"Well, they didn't actually put it like that." I put my hand on his knee. "I think they phrased it by asking how rapey you were on a scale of one to Michael Jackson."
"What?!"
"Just kidding. They said something like pressuring me, or something."
He put his hand on top of mine and ran his thumb across my knuckles. "I haven't have I? Pressured you?"
"No. James, I love you. I want to be with you. I'm not sure what else I can do to make you believe me."
He lifted up my hand and kissed my palm. "I do believe you. I'm sorry that I lost it in there. It almost felt like I was lecturing your father. I didn't mean to do that."
"Well, you were a professor." I shrugged. "It kind of goes with the territory I think."
"Yeah. I just feel like I kind of threw my money in his face. And that wasn't what I meant to do at all. I feel like a dick."
"He certainly pushed enough of your buttons. James, I don't think my dad is mad at you. He seemed embarrassed about how he acted. Please don't over think this. We told them. It's over. Let's just be happy."
"Just tell me where you want to go." He smiled at me and put his key into the ignition.
"Actually, I think I just want to go home."
"Home?" He raised his eyebrow.
"Mhm."
"Penny Taylor, are you referring to my apartment as home?" He looked so happy.
"It's where I feel most comfortable. And of course, it's where you are. So, yes, I consider it home." I smiled at him.
"You know, I'll take you wherever you want to go. Well, anywhere in the U.S. We really need to get you a passport."
"All I want to do is snuggle up in your bed with you."
"Okay. Home it is."
***
When we pulled up to his apartment building, there were even more news vans parked outside. James seemed to immediately tense. People with microphones jumped out of the vans as his car turned into the parking garage. He sped up to the third floor of the parking garage and pulled his car into an empty spot.
"Maybe we should've gone somewhere else," he said.
