Page 96 of The Elusive Billionaire
I nod in agreement. “And every time you’ve challenged me since.”
Her sigh reverberates through her like the last ripples of a wave on a stilling lake. “Just because you want to fuck me doesn’t mean you want me, all of me. We can’t make it through a wedding without fighting—that can’t be the kind of life you want.”
“There you go again, making assumptions about what I want.” I ache to reach out and touch her, but the arch of her spine reminds me of a feral cat, so I give her space. “I like fighting with you. I love making up with you. I enjoy that you challenge me, even if it irritates the hell out of me. What’s so wrong about that?”
“Are you a masochist?” she fires back, still retreating.
“Only for you.”
“Did someone hit you in the head with a golf club and not tell me?” She scans the room, clocking the exits.
I smile, big and predatory. “No, but I do like taking care of you.”
“Why?” Her thumb makes its way to her teeth. She’s going to chew on that disgusting nail again, but I refrain from tugging it from her lips…this time.
“Why do I like taking care of you?”
She nods.
“Because I don’t think you let anyone else do it.”
“So you like the challenge?”
“I like you.”
“You’re giving me whiplash, Patch.” She’s using that stupid nickname as a shield, but it’s growing on me, and my skin buzzes with warmth every time I hear it. “How can you go from hating me a month ago to liking me today?”
“That’s just it, sweetheart.” I move in, pressing my torso into hers, cupping her chin in my hand, and tilting it up until her gaze finds mine. “It didn’t happen overnight. It happened with each sharp lash of your tongue. With every stolen moment when our friends were in the other room. It happened between barbed-wire-laced words and gentle caresses.”
“What did?” Her voice rattles as though she’s trying to suppress a tsunami of emotion.
“Us. I can’t pinpoint the exact moment we went from you and me to us, but we did, and it happened when all those fine lines between love and hate built a bridge from me to you.”
“You…” Her lip trembles, and I wrap my arms around her, holding her tightly against my bare chest.
“I’m going to tell you something I’ve never told another soul.” God, this is going to hurt.
She stiffens in my arms. It’s as though I can feel her walls rebuilding brick by brick.
“My biggest fear is ending up alone.” Blood rushes in my ears as I admit that.
Savvy’s arms are locked around my waist, and she squeezes me hard. Almost as though she can’t believe what I just admitted.
Truthfully, I can’t either.
“Why—why did you tell me that?”
“Because I realized something else today. You might be the only person I know who has more trust issues than I do, and I’m afraid if I don’t take the first step, you’ll never open the door to your heart. Luckily for both of us, I’m okay with being a pushy bastard and breaking the lock you hold so tightly.”
She frowns up at me. “Are you sure you didn’t hit your head?”
Laughter bubbles out of me. “I’m sure. But I will also try to be patient while you wrap your head around us.”
“You? Patient?” Her scoff lights my fire.
There is nothing I love more than bantering with this woman.
“Yes, I’lltryto be patient,” I reply.
