Page 203 of Broken Daddy
Sheesh. She very rarely tripped. “I am the epitome of beauty and grace.”
“Beauty, yes,” he said gruffly. “Grace, not so much.”
She ignored the latter part of that, her brain fixating on the beauty part.
“You think I’m beautiful.”
“I do,” he told her firmly. “Thought I’d already made that obvious. I think you’re gorgeous and sweet and I want you to be mine.”
Could she saddle him with her, though? He deserved more. Better. Someone who wasn’t broken, who wasn’t scarred and downtrodden.
Who hadn’t had life beaten out of her.
Because that’s what it felt like . . . it was like she’d been a full, blown-up balloon and now she was deflating.
Bit by bit all of the air was slipping out.
Soon, there’d be nothing left.
Just a wrinkly piece of rubber.
“Hey, where did you go? What are you thinking?” he asked her.
“That I’m a wrinkly piece of rubber.”
“Um. Is that a metaphor for something?” He rubbed his forehead.
“I just . . . I’m used up,” she explained to him. “I’m so tired. There’s nothing . . . I don’t think there’s anything left.”
“I know you’re tired, baby girl.” He ran a finger down her good cheek.
Yeah. Then there was the fact that she wasn’t just broken emotionally but physically too.
“I can see it in your face,” he murmured. “Been running on empty for far too long. That’s why I’m here. You need me to take over, I’m here. Say the word.”
“It’s not fair on you.”
He snorted. “Not fair on me? Nothing I like more than looking after someone special. Having control is very important to me. Especially now.”
“Since May died.”
“Yes. I’m afraid I’m going to be very protective of you.”
“You mean . . . more than you have been?” She gaped at him.
“I’m afraid so.”
“Sheesh. I didn’t think that was possible. She was the love of your life, Hayes.”
“Who says I only get to have one? I might be a bossy, grouchy bastard, but it doesn’t mean that I’m an unlucky one. To have two women in my life that could be mine. I should probably tell you to make me work for you, but I’m not going to. Because I’m a selfish bastard who won’t let you go. No matter what.”
Her mind was whirling.
No matter what.
“Loving you doesn’t mean that I love May any less. Loving May doesn’t mean I love you any less. It just means that I love you both. At different times. In equal ways. I’m fucking this up, aren’t I?”
“No. No, you’re not messing this up at all. If anything, you’re . . . you’re saying something I never thought I would hear. God, I love you so much. I’m not sure when I fell in love with you, if I’m honest. This feels like a dream. One I really don’t want to wake up from.”
