Page 49 of Burning Love
“Considering he went seventeen years without knowing of your existence and not paying child support, he might have felt it wasn’t much.”
“Hehadfelt that way. He’s given me a lot.”
Jace wouldn’t say his father bought him his first truck when he started to work for the family business. Or set up a retirement fund for him and dumped a shit ton of money in it and called it back support his mother never received. There was no arguing.
His father was a stand-up guy and hated that his mother had struggled for all those years on her own.
The illusion of a deadbeat dad his mother put in his head for years had been shattered, leaving him with mounting anger toward her. He’d never have the chance to get it off his chest.
“Good for him. And whatever is going through your mind or causing you to be the way you are, just remember you came from him too.”
“I’ll never forget it.”
She got back up on her knees. “Jace. I’m not looking at where you came from, just like you say you aren’t with me.”
“I don’t just say it, but mean it.”
“I’m not letting my mind circle the wagons while I guess the next step. I know what I want. You’ve been clear where you stand. I’m good with that for now. When I’m not good with it anymore, you’ll be the first to know and the ball will be in your court.”
“Meaning if you want more and I don’t give it, you’ll move on?”
“Yes. I’m not playing games. I’m a big girl. Just tell me you’ll always be honest with me, and I’ll respect that.”
“I’ll never lie to you, Talia. I’ll never cheat, play games, nothing. You’ll always get the truth out of me when it comes to us.”
He wouldn’t add he’d give the truth about everything in his life. He didn’t know how much he’d tell her but knew he’d already confessed more to her than he had any other woman he’d spent time with.
“That is good enough for me,” she said. “Take me to your room if you want.”
He stood up. “Oh, I want. I want a lot and have for weeks.”
She laughed. “Me too. I had to come to terms with it on my own.”
He wasn’t sure what she meant by that but knew it wasn’t the time to ask.
She wrapped her legs around his hips and he took his stairs two at a time to get to his room.
Her legs slid down when he got close to his bed, but her arms stayed around him.
“Tell me what you want?”
“I want you to make me burn,” she said, rubbing against him.
“That’s a given.” He pulled her navy T-shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor.
She did the same to him, his shirt off and landing next to hers.
“Oh boy. I’ve been dreaming of this and nothing could have prepared me. You are in some seriously good shape.”
“So are you.”
His hand went to the button on her jeans shorts, undid them and let them drop down. They were barely covering her anyway, but she was left standing there in a pair of cotton panties that matched her bra.
He should have figured she’d be girly enough to do that.
“Do you like my set?” she asked. “I put it on for you.”
“I do. Do you always match?”
