“It’s not?” Now she was confused. “What do you want from me?”

Carson didn’t answer right away. Instead, he continued to eat his food. Willow tried to eat hers, but her nerves were eating her up.

She was nearly done, and once she put the last piece of steak to her lips, she placed the knife and fork down and waited.

“I want it all with you, Willow,” he said.

“You want all what?” she asked, not exactly following.

He took a sip of his wine. “I want to fuck you. I want to come home, to find you doing some mundane shit, either cleaning or, I don’t know, sewing, and I want to make love to you. I want to take you out dancing and hold you in my arms. I want to watch movies with you, and above all else, I want to get you pregnant. I want you to have my children and to stay by my side for our lifetime. I want to devote my life to yours, Willow. That is what I want, and that is what I’m offering you.”

She didn’t expect that. “Are you joking?”

“I’m being serious, and soon you’ll realize that I don’t say shit I don’t mean.”

Willow didn’t know what to believe. “But … you don’t settle down. You use people.”

“I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but they shouldn’t be telling you my business, and I don’t appreciate it. They don’t know me.”

“Why me?” Willow asked.

“Why not?” Carson asked.

“I’m just … me.” She frowned. There had to be some mistake. Had to be. There was no way he could want her, no way at all.

She nibbled her lip, not understanding what was happening. Her heart beat against her chest. She’d been expecting the worst and instead had gotten an answer that surprised her.

“Talk to me,” he said.

“I … I don’t know what to say.”

Carson reached out and captured her hand within his. She couldn’t look away. His hands were much larger than hers. During cooking, he’d rolled up his sleeves and she saw the ink on his arms.

She really didn’t know who this man was, or what he was capable of, and yet, he wanted to spend his life with her. It made no sense.

“What if you get bored?” she asked.

“I won’t.”

“How do you even know that? You’re talking about forever and we barely know each other.”

“I’ve watched you for awhile, Willow. I know what I want and my mind is made up. You will be mine.”

She hated that she was thrilled with those words. Why? It made no sense to her, but she couldn’t argue with him. Did she even want to? He was right here, in the moment, talking about forever, and the truth was, that was all she wanted.

Was it wrong to want to fall into his words, to trust them? She had been alone for six months. Everyone she had ever loved had left her in some way. What was going to happen when he did as well?

****

Willow nibbled her lip, and he found it impossible to not want those lips to be wrapped around his dick. They looked so plump and fuckable.

She suddenly got to her feet and reached for their plates.

“I’ll do the dishes.”

“I have a cleaning crew who will come and do that.”

“No, no, I would like to do them.” She nodded to herself as she was already walking away.