Page 90 of Beautiful Beast

“What?

“Not listening?”

“Sorry, old-timer,” I reply. “I’ll try to do better next time.”

He’s smiling when I climb out of the hot tub and wrap myself in a big, fluffy towel, standing on the patio and soaking in the sight of him for as long as I can.

Just being in the same space as him increases my pulse. When he winks at me, it stops my damn heart.

But I can’t leave like this.

Not again.

I need some truth.

“When are you going to decide you’ve had enough of me?” I ask.

Instead of heading inside, I rest my hands on the edge of the hot tub and stare at him intently.

“It’s not about that, Belle. I’m happy to carry on with you until–”

“Until you meet a hotter girl?”

“Hotter?” He laughs and shakes his head. “No. Not even close, because that wouldn’t be possible. I am not in the market for a girlfriend. But if I were, she’d be older, definitely, and someone who uses words I don’t have to look up on Urban Dictionary.”

“You’re impossible.”

“I can’t be what you want me to be.”

“Then I’ll wait until you can,” I say softly.

“You need to live your life, not wait for me to fix mine.”

“But Adam, I…”

His head snaps up. “Don’t you dare say what I think you’re going to say.”

“You can’t tell me what I can and can’t say,” I return, resisting the urge to stick my tongue out.

“You don’t love me, Belle.” He sounds so resigned and depressed and it kills me.

“I do!”

“Then you haven’t followed our arrangement at all. We really shouldn’t see each other anymore. It’s gone too far.”

“You’re punishing me for loving you?” I demand, noting that he hasn’t confirmed whether or not he loves me back.

It doesn’t matter if it was supposed to happen or not.

It happened.

“No,” he whispers. “I’m saving you.”

Chapter 20

Adam

Therosesarejuststarting to wilt, but new ones are expected like clockwork.

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