Page 14 of Garnish with a Candy Cane
How the hell she’s not offended I don’t understand. All I understand is her laugh, her exquisite face, strands of her long hair that have fallen from her bun swaying from amusement as she lifts her face to the ceiling from the absurdity of our situation. “Bossy. Controlling. Possessive. You’re the epitome of the red warning flags of who not to go out with. You’re like a case study of those stalker, obsessive psychos that makes me think soon I’m going to be tied up in your basement.”
I nod at the thought. Actually that’s not a bad idea. The image of her sprawled out on my bed and at my mercy inundates my head and I can barely think straight.
“Duke!”
Must be a damn mind reader. Irritation strains in her voice almost as much as the pressure in my pants from her being so damn glorious. I have to get her and myself under control. I hold out my hand to her. “Come on, let’s go home. Dinner’s going to be ready soon and I know Merry doesn’t want to eat alone.”
The frown I hate lines her forehead again. “Nana’s eating dinner at your house?”
“Don’t worry my chef is an excellent cook.”
She stares at me as all the pieces click together like Legos. A slight yet visible tremble takes over her petite frame.
“You’ve kidnapped my grandmother?”
Genuine fear swells in her huge emerald eyes, and she steps back from me letting the fives flutter to the floor. I knew she would be upset. People don’t like change. But I never imagined her to be afraid. “Not kidnapped. Just invited her over to eat supper so she can see where she’s going to live.”
“At your house?”
Again, she seems frightened. I have a nice place so I’m not sure why she’s so incensed. Actually a huge, luxurious place with room for us, our kids, and Nana. Maybe even a dog or two.
“Can I see her? Please?”
Cedric confirmed she didn’t cry earlier but she sure seems like she’s going to sob now. Her lip quivers as much as her body while she begs.
“I promise I’ll do anything you want if you don’t hurt her.”
What in the fucking hell? I don’t hurt women, especially sweet old ladies who think it’s Christmas twenty-four/seven. “You think I’m threatening you? That I’m blackmailing you?”
“I know who you are. What your kind of people do…”
Shit, this is hilarious even though I shouldn’t be amused that she’s insulting me. “And what exactly kind of people am I?”
Her head shakes furiously, and she looks ready to bolt, her shoulders pulsing up and down as if needs to break into a run. Except I hold the reason she stays. “Say it Duchess.”
“M-mafia type people.” She swallows hard and touches her throat in a comforting motion. “You’re a mob boss.”
So damn cute with her hesitant murmur. At least she’s not unaware of who I am and what I do. That resolves that issue. “And as such, I can have anything I want. And what I want is you and your grandmother taken care of.”
“L-living with you?”
I didn’t think it was possible to squeak and whisper simultaneously but I guess it is from her question. She finally understands. “Yes, living with me in my house with a housekeeper and nurse and nanny and whatever else either of you need.”
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”
The irony is so bad it almost hurts. Every other woman I’ve been with would give anything to be with me, to have an offer like this and she’s fucking insulted. “I want to make your life better.”
“You want me to move out of my apartment and move my grandma out of her nursing home for no reason except that you want to make my life better?”
She poses her explanation like a question but there isn’t any uncertainty. “Yes. You’ll be safe and together. She’ll have constant care and then you won’t have to work.”
“I’m quitting my jobs now too?”
Now she’s really exasperated. Throwing her little hands into the air as she spins away from me. She can say and do anything she wants – except walk away from me. “Stop duchess.”
She pauses yet doesn’t turn around. Tempting me more than she realizes with her sexy acts of defiance. “No running away allowed unless you want to see what I do after I chase you down.”
The shiver rolling through her body proves she indeed does want to see. But I restrain myself because I want to talk first and then fuck. Get all the argument and bullshit out of the way so we can have fun.
