Page 11 of Obsessed with my Guardian

She shrugs but doesn’t stop moving up and down the machine. “A boy?”

I drum my fingers on the machine. “Yes. Someone you’re seeing. Jason or Jack or something.”

Her eyes light up. “Jayden!”

Annoyance crawls under my skin. “Yes. That. Is that true?”

“Well, I’ve known him since junior high. So we’ve been talking, and I asked him to come over tonight and hang out. Maybe play some games or something.”

Come over? I ball my fingers into a fist. I don’t like any of this. She’s now moving faster, up and down the steps, like talking about it burst an energy bubble inside her. Could she be doing this to piss me off?

Yes.

Could she be meeting a guy simply because she’s attracted to him?

Also yes.

She swipes on the screen in front of her, adjusting the difficulty level. “He’s a nice guy. He was part of the wrestling team. Anyway, we’re going to play some games and eat. I asked Mrs. Wilson to prepare something light and fun.”

Her words swim in my brain.

Wrestling team. Play games. Light and fun.

So this guy is attractive, and they’re going to have sex tonight and then laugh. Has she ever had sex before? I doubt it. I know she went on a couple of dates years ago because of comments her dad made, but in the past year since his illness, I haven’t seen anyone but female friends coming by to cheer her up.

I put my hands in my pockets, shaking my head. “Eloise… you need to be careful.” I’m trying hard to convince myself that my concern is for her and has zero to do with the overwhelming sense of jealousy taking over me like an entity.

She waves me off. “Oh, Mrs. Wilson already told me that. Don’t worry, I’m covered.”

I nearly choke on nothing and reach for her bottle of water. I take a drink without asking and put it back in the holder. The suffocating sensation still looms. “You’re not thinking about having sex with this kid, are you?” A hint of anxiety filters into my voice.

“Why do you care?”

“Listen, if this is a way for you to get back at me…”

She laughs. It’s not a dramatic laugh, but light and infectious. Genuine. “I’m sorry to break the news to you, but the world doesn’t revolve around you, Reed. Here’s the deal. I’m considering taking over the gym, but I’d like to take a few classes in the fall. As hard as it may be to believe, I don’t want to go to college as a virgin. That will only add to my anxiety of doing new things.”

I take a step back, pondering. Having sex for the first time shouldn’t be a chore she crosses off her list. My first time was with a girl I knew from school, and it wasn’t that romantic. Rationally, I know it’s not my business what Eloise does with her body. It hasn’t been my business since the day she turned eighteen. But that doesn’t stop me from caring. “Look, I get it. But you shouldn’t be on a ticking time bomb. You have the whole summer to figure it out.”

She flicks her hand. “Who says I don’t have the whole summer? Losing my virginity is just the beginning.”

I clear my throat. The idea of her sleeping with one dude is bad enough. I shake my head, willing the image away. “Listen, Eloise—”

“I appreciate you caring, but my mind is set,” she cuts across me, running her fingers through her sultry auburn hair and retying her ponytail.

Sighing, I pop my knuckles.Fuck.The annoyance turns into frustration and a dark, hot emotion brews in my chest. Jealousy. I can’t lose her. Doesn’t matter that the thought of her and me is wrong; I’m not ready to let her go. I have to… buy some time.

“I need to meet this guy,” I say determinedly.

“Why?”

“Because I promised your dad to watch out for you. So if you bring someone to your house, someone you want to be intimate with, well… I need to meet him.” I assured Eloise’s father many times that she’d be in good hands when he asked me if I could be her guardian. I doubt he imagined her having sex would be one of my worries. “Besides, you are an heiress. You could have people who want to take advantage of you.”

Eloise flicks a button, and the stair master comes to a swift halt. She grabs the small towel hanging from the handle, glaring at me. “So again, you’re telling me I bring nothing to the table except for money,” she says with a hint of sadness.

“No.” An urge to hug her zaps through me, but I immediately shut it down. Crap, I didn’t mean to offend her. Any sane man would be lucky to have her… but I selfishly don’t want any of them within five feet of her. I clear my throat. “You bring plenty. But listen, can I meet him? Iamyour guardian.”

A flick of amusement crosses her eyes. “Not anymore.”

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