Page 107 of Every Bit As Perfect
He rubbed a palm over his face.“I was so fucking scared.”
My eyebrows shot up.“Scared?Why scared?”
“No one knew where you were!”
I snorted.“Daire, I’m thirty-six years old.There are plenty of times no one knows where I am.”
“If you’re hiking, someone should always know where you are.”
I waved him away.“I know these hills, Daire.I’ve been climbing these hills since I was a toddler.”
“Harley.”
His voice held a warning that captured my attention and widened my eyes.
“Not on the bluffs.Not on the trails.Anywhere else, yes.But when you need to escape, at least tell me or someone else where you’re going.”
“Daire…”
He leveled me with a harsh glare.“That’s non-negotiable.”A hint of panic lit his gaze.“I can’t… I need to know you’re safe.I can’t lose you.”
“Is this about your dad?”I asked softly.
He shook his head then nodded.“Yes.No.I don’t know, but I can’t handle not knowing if you’re safe or not.Can you just give me this?Not go off into the wilderness without anyone knowing?It doesn’t have to be me.”
He was rattled.“I’m sorry.I’ll let you know from now on.”
His eyelids fluttered shut and the lines in his face eased.“Thank you.Now let’s talk about subspace, sub-drop, and Hunter.”
“Ew.I can’t say I like that combination.”
He slanted me a glance.
I popped another chocolate in my mouth and grimaced.
A begrudging chuckle escaped his mouth then he grew serious.Taking my free hand in his, he brought the back of it to his lips and murmured against it, “I love you, Harley.I don’t ever want to lose you.”
“You love me?”I asked softly.
“Surely you feel it?”he countered.
I nodded.“And how do I feel about you?”
“You love me too.Even if you don’t know it.Yet.”
I laughed and twisted to plant my ass on his lap.“Believe me.I know it.I love you.How could I not?”
Turned out, after telling him that, we didn’t talk about anything.
32
Moments
Neverinmylifecould I have imagined what it would be to give myself to a man the way I gave myself to Daire.
First, I fulfilled a certain fantasy of his that involved wearing my red power lipstick and nothing else.
After which, he turned his attention to me.
