Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“I wouldn’t want you to get sick because of me.”
“I don’t think that’s a thing,” I whisper, my heart beating hard as I try to understand how this guy can be so completely complicated. Hard and soft, sweet and hot, demanding and giving, everything I appreciate and despise in one gorgeous package.
“I think my mom would beg to differ.” He lets his hands fall from my waist then picks up the towel. “Hold up your hair.” I do, and he wraps the towel around my shoulders. Once it’s in place, I let my hair fall and then rest my hands against his warm chest. “Are you hungry or just hung-over?”
“A little of both.”
“Let’s put something in your stomach then get you some Tylenol.” He leans in to kiss my forehead then takes my hand from his chest and walks me to one of the barstools that form a half circle around the kitchen. I take a seat and then watch him as he makes me a plate piled high with eggs and pancakes he pulls out of the oven. He places my plate before me along with a set of silverware then sets out syrup and butter. “Coffee or tea?”
“Tea if you have it.” I stand to wrap the towel around my hair as he turns on an electric kettle on the counter before getting a packet of my favorite tea and a cup. “I feel like you’re always taking care of me.”
“You’re saying that like it’s a bad thing.”
Am I? Maybe. “I’m just not used to anyone but Jamie looking out for me.”
“It’s okay to trust someone besides your brother,” he says, filling the cup with steaming water and placing the teabag inside. “You can trust me.”
“I want to.” I hold his gaze so he knows I really do want that, maybe even more than he does.
He studies me, his eyes searching mine, then clears his throat. “We need to talk.”
My stomach drops, but I straighten in my chair, willing myself to stay strong and to be honest. “Okay.”
“When it comes to you, I don’t know what I’m doing.” The statement is one I’ve heard from him before, and I wonder where he’s going with this. “For a man like me, who’s in control of every aspect of his life, you have sent my life into a tailspin. I don’t know up from down. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I’m always worried about you, thinking about you, hoping you’re sleeping and eating, that you’re safe and happy.”
I want to smile, because I can see he’s annoyed with his own feelings and really doesn’t know how to deal with them. “So… you’re mad at me?”
His brows drag together and his lips turn down at that question. “Mad at you? No. I’m pissed at myself, because I keep doing things that I know will piss you off, but I can’t help it, because at the end of the day, I want to reassure myself that you’re okay.”
“And what is it you think will happen to me if you don’t have control when it comes to me?”
“I don’t know.” He rests his hands on the counter and his knuckles turn white, like he doesn’t like the things his mind comes up with.
“Do you understand that all it does when you overstep is push me away and make me want to rebel?”
“I’m learning that,” he grumbles, not sounding happy about that either.
I get up off my stool and walk around the kitchen to him, and he turns toward me once I’m close. I place my hands on his chest and lean into him. “I don’t want to be controlled, Braxton. That might be something I’m okay with in the bedroom, but when it comes to life, I don’t want someone telling me what to do. I want a partner. I want a man who will listen to what I want and need, someone to share things with.”
“You can share things with me.” He settles his hands on my waist and drags me against him.
“Can I?” I shake my head, trying not to become frustrated, because so far he’s proven I can’t. “You sent my brother to come to the coffee shop where I was meeting Troy, and that was something I didn’t even tell you about.” I feel his hands wrap tight into my shirt at my sides and watch his face get hard.
“He cheated on you. You don’t need to be alone with him.”
“I was in a public place, and I was meeting him to get my stuff—not for a date or to talk about us getting back together. And again, I never told you I was meeting him. You found out, because you used information I didn’t give you.” His jaw tics, and I know I’ve proven my point. Thank God, maybe we can actually get somewhere this time.