“No, not really.”
“Good, ’cause I’ll speak to him.” He paused. “So what is it? You don’t think we’re good together?”
“Yes, no, I mean it’s not that.”
“So what?” He frowned. “Tell me.”
“Fear, I guess.”
“Fear?”
“Yeah, I got hurt bad. I don’t want that to happen again.”
“I ain’t gonna hurt you.” He pulled her closer and wrapped one of his legs over hers. “I just wanna see you happy.”
“I am happy when I’m with you.”
“So come live with me, this could be the start of something great, a proper me and you.”
“I don’t know, I—”
He cupped her chin and kissed her. “I won’t let your fear stop us from having a chance, Belle. You should know that right now.”
She swallowed. His strength surrounded her. His eyes flashed with truth, or at least she hoped that was what it was.
“Say yes,” he whispered. “’Cause if you don’t, I’ll have to put you over my knee and spank your sexy ass until it’s raw.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Do you really want to find out?” He waggled his one undamaged eyebrow.
She touched his cheek. “I do want to be with you. The thought of going back to Phoenix alone is unbearable.”
“So don’t. Stick with me.”
Fear had stuck in her throat like a ball of cotton wool. Again, she swallowed, and this time she forced it down. “Okay, I will … but…”
“No buts.”
“But … you dick me around, and I’ll have Rigor come get me and he won’t be happy.”
“I ain’t ever seen your brother happy, so what’s the difference?”
She tweaked his nipple.
“Ow!”
“You know what I mean,” she said.
“Yeah, I do.” He rubbed his nipple. “But I won’t dick you around so it’s not an issue.” He paused. “I haven’t felt like this for a fucking long time. I don’t wanna use the L-word and send you running for the hills but … you know.”
The L-word.
Her heart flipped. “What’s the L-word?”
“Haha, don’t play dumb with me.” He squeezed her buttock and kept his hand full of her flesh. “Just say you’ll come and stay and we’ll fuck like rabbits day and night.”
“Well, there’s an offer I can’t refuse.” She grinned.