Page 24 of Daddy's Little Charmer
“Oh? Like what?” she asked suspiciously.
“First, I need to tell you that if at any time you’re not happy, all you have to do is say something to me, and I’ll do everything in my power to change it.”
“As sweet as that sounds, you’re not in charge of my emotions.”
“The thing is, I want to be part of everything.”
Harmony tightened her grip on the napkin in her lap and tipped her head to the side. “Tell me what you mean?”
Christian took a healthy drink from his glass. He couldn’t remember ever being that nervous. “If I … if we made changes that would make it possible for us to be together, would you do it?”
Harmony frowned. “I’m afraid to ask, but what changes?”
“You quit your job and move in with me.”
Harmony’s mouth dropped open. “But … are you kidding me?” she sputtered.
“No, I’m not.”
She bent very close to him. “We only just met, for God’ssake,” she whispered nervously.
Christian bent forward and placed a quick kiss on her lips. “I know that, Baby. But it doesn’t seem to matter.”
She sat back in a daze. “I’ve got so many questions. I just don’t know where to start.”
“The beauty of our situation is we can make whatever changes we need along the way.”
Harmony bit her lip. “When would this happen?”
“You’d go home with me tonight.”
Harmony sucked in a startled breath. “Tonight?” she hissed.
“Yes,” he confirmed and narrowed his eyes.
“But...”
“There are no buts. Do you want to be with me?” he asked her gently.
“Well, yes, but why do we have to move so fast?”
“I can’t promise this, but if you lived in a safer neighborhood, it might have helped me deal with you living apart from me. But I would still worry about you because you wouldn’t be with me. Knowing where you actually live terrifies me. My gut is tied in knots, thinking of you there.”
“What if I said no?”
Christian’s gaze narrowed dangerously. “If you’d rather have Nico and Connor in your apartment with you than be with me...” he said and left it unfinished.
“I—” She stopped suddenly as her plate was set before her.
Christian stared at her as she studied the food in front of her. “Do you not like steak?”
Harmony glanced up at him. “No, I love it. I’ve just never had food like this in front of me. It’s so pretty. With all the parsley and the rose they made out of the radish.”
Christian chuckled and cut into his steak. “Try it,” heencouraged when she continued to sit there staring.
Harmony’s eyes closed, and a moan sounded in her throat at the first taste of meat.
“Oh, my God. It melts in my mouth,” she declared and groaned.
