Page 59 of Nuclear Option (Owens Protective Services)

“Would you just let me finish! And what’s with that weird picture of you with a mustache?”

His armor slipped, and he crossed the room to me. “Who showed you that?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I retorted. “The point is, these are things I don’t know about you.”

“I’ll put together a damn portfolio for you,” he snapped.

“What is it with you people? Don’t you know you can’t create relationships off paper?”

“Yes, you can literally create any relationship you want on paper,” he argued.

“But that’s not the way I do it,” I yelled. “I’m not like you. I need time to get to know you. I haven’t had a boyfriend in years, let alone a functioning relationship. This is the first time that I’ve felt safe enough to even let someone in, but instead of you allowing me time to adjust, you’re just marching in and taking over.”

“Because that’s what I do,” he said, grabbing me by the arm and hauling me to him. “I get that you need time to wrap your mind around this, but I don’t, and I’m not going to pretend that I don’t feel this way about you.”

“And what way is that?” I asked, still not quite certain what that was. “Are you saying you love me?”

“I…”

I waited for his response. I could see the confusion over the question flickering in his eyes. I pried his hand off my arm and took a step back.

“This is the problem, Cash. This is all based on lust and adrenaline. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you.”

“I know what I feel,” he ground out. “You don’t get to tell me that.”

“I’m not, but I just asked you and you couldn’t tell me,” I pointed out.

“Would you believe me if I said I was in love with you?”

“No!” I tossed up my hand in frustration. “It’s too soon.”

“And that’s why I can’t tell you what I really feel.”

“What are you talking about?”

I swallowed hard as he stalked up to me, pressing his hand over my chest. “You don’t trust me and my instincts. Maybe part of you does, but not all of you. You’re so terrified of getting hurt, or that someone else will, that you can’t admit what you know is happening between us. Maybe it’s not love yet, but it’s strong. I’ve known it from the moment I met you that there was something different happening between us. I don’t need to get to know you more to know how this ends.”

“And how’s that?” I asked quietly.

“In my bed and my arms for the rest of my life.”

And then his lips crashed down on mine and I forgot all the reasons I was trying to stall him. Maybe I wasn’t sure if this was love or something that would last, but I did trust him. That would have to be enough for now. When he broke the kiss, he stared at me with such intensity that I had to look away. He lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him.

“Are we clear now?”

I gave a slight nod.

“Good, let’s go take care of business.”

He turned and yanked the door open. Fox and Rae tumbled inside, punching at each other as they scrambled to get up.

“Hey, boss. The door was squeaking,” Rae said. “Had to check it out.”

“Right, the squeaky door,” Fox nodded. “It had a sort of…musical tune. I thought I recognized it and…came over here to sing along.”

Jones snorted and walked away. “It’s about time, Cash.”

19

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