Page 37 of Another Round
“Wait.” My hand pauses on the way to my mouth with a bite once the stupid thing she says sinks in. “Hold up. What the hell kind of name is ‘Talon’?”
Her giggle blows along with the wind from my question. “I know, right? But it’s LA. When you’ve got kids named after foods, colors, directions, it’s really not that weird.”
Another reason why I hate that place. “No, it’s weird.”
“Okay, I guess it is.”
She carefully stacks cheese slices on crackers. One for her and one for me, smiling her sweet smile when I accept mine with a kiss on her cheek. Leaning over Gus’s back while he lies between us, hoping for more treats to come his way.
“Anyway, it wasn’t romantic the way he hoped it would be with my bodyguards standing around watching but not watching, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I can see where that would ruin the mood.”
Explains too why she’s so inexperienced for someone so stunningly gorgeous. Never had the chance to fuck anyone else being under constant watch by her father’s men, for which I’ve never been more grateful for Nick’s overprotective nature.
“That’s my Dad for you.”
She takes a long sip. Diluting her irritation with alcohol while my agitation grows. Rare guilt concentrating in my conscience from our deception against the man. I’ve held off as long as I could, but the time has come to discuss the duplicity we have to end. That I’m perpetrating day after day with each text to him that everything’s fine. When between her and I, everything’s actually perfect. But between him and I, everything’s horribly wrong. “Speaking of your father, we need to tell him about us trouble. I respect him too much not to tell him I’m in love with his daughter.”
Pink circles her cheeks from my declaration, but her sweet blush doesn’t negate the fact we should be forthright with him. ThatIshould be honest with him since I’m the one who fucked up. “He and your mum deserve better than us sneaking around behind their backs.”
Putting her empty drink next to my half full glass, she sighs and rubs across the green silky fabric covering her bent legs, tucked gracefully to the side. “I know but I’m not ready yet. He’s going to freak out and force me to come home. I might never see you again.”
Now it’s my turn to set down my plate from her agonized whisper. A few blueberries tumble off from my haste, but I have to reiterate what I’ve told her before and eliminate any doubt. I cup her cheek and turn her to face me. “Never happening. I don’t care how mad he is at me. I will fight for you. We will be together.”
“You’ll fight for me?”
“Fuck yes. You know I will.”
She does know. Her head bobbing up and down furiously as she leans in and presses her lips to mine. Her mouth even more lush and decadent than normal from the wine. “I’ll fight for you too.”
Gus fights for the food he mistakenly thinks we’ve abandoned. Vacuuming up everything on our dishes in our distraction. I can’t even be mad. I’ll let him enjoy the treasure he’s found while I enjoy mine.
“Can we at least wait until my internship is over? I’ve been working really hard and want to finish it with a good reputation. It’s unfair to ghost on them.” She tugs on my shirt with her plea. The frown I hate crossing her face. “Then we can enjoy the rest of the summer together too.”
Telling her no is almost impossible. With only a month left, not much will actually change. Besides, she is doing a good job—a great fucking job actually. For both them and her father. Focused and engaged at SBI and not once doing anything to put herself in danger. She’s really risen to the challenge Nick and I both set for her. Although I know it’s wrong and I’ll probably regret it, I nod in agreement. And, get rewarded with her flying over the dog to hug me. Peppering my face with kisses that quickly turn more urgent and dangerous. I need to get her home. For so much more than my pie.
As much as I hate stopping, I pull back from her embrace. Needing to get her, and more importantly myself, under control. I still need to protect her and can’t do that if I’m distracted by my obsession with fucking her. “Okay, trouble settle down or you’ll spill my drink.”
“Too late.”
Her carefree laugh surrounds us as she lures Gus away from trying to lap up the liquid by waving her plate of goodies in front of his snout. I pour her another glass once he settles down to gobble up the fruit. Maybe not the romantic afternoon we planned but still damn near perfect. Just like she is.
“I’m sorry we have to stay in tonight.”
She pulls the sparkling, jingling bracelets she likes to wear off her wrist and lays them on top of the dresser. Such a simple act but I like the familiarity of her stuff here. Like it belongs. Like she belongs.
“I’m not. You know I hate small talk.” While she slips on her favorite striped socks, I toss my wallet in the drawer and look over at Gus, hunkered down on his bed with the weird but seemingly helpful vest we bought him this afternoon after he freaked out from the boys shooting off bottle rockets by the fountain. Which always cracks me up how kids can’t wait until it’s dark to really enjoy the colors. “And people.”
The playful smile slides off her face from my insinuation of the person I hate the most. She warned me Josh might be at the party, and if he was, I’d probably have to beat his arse for thinking about her, let alone looking at her. Which is so unlike me to be this territorial I almost don’t recognize myself. Yet I can’t deny the truth of what she does to me. Only she awakens the irrational beast inside me that I didn’t even know existed until I met her.
“You don’t have to be jealous. I don’t want him. I never wanted him.”
Guilt from the time he came here to meet her weighs in her voice. No need for any remorse from either of us. Despite the fact I hate that bloke, he did me the best favor he ever could without even realizing it. I finally admitted my feelings to myself and to her because of him. “I know and if we did see him at Lauren’s I would’ve been on my best behavior.”
The grin returns from my lie. There’s no such thing as best behavior when it comes to another man wanting her. I’d be unable to control myself around her with him nearby. Almost as much as I’m struggling now with her lips skimming my cheek as she heads back to the kitchen. Excited yet anxious about her—well my—pie. Even if the dessert tastes like the bottom of my boot, I will inhale every bite.
She finger-combs her long hair to the side so the strands don’t fall in her face when she bends over to slide out the tray. Silky waves that sway across her shoulder when she tugs on the oven mitts and tips forward. Wild and loose instead of the sleek style she normally wears to work. Mesmerizing me with her sweet femininity and gorgeous arse straining against the little pink shorts she wears at home. The perfect combination of grace and temptation.
