AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I told you, baby. Your being here made me all better.” I kissed her lips then fed her a slice of green bell pepper. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
She bit her lip then shrugged. “I’m free until Thursday, when I have to fly to Chicago for a photo shoot with a regular client.”
“I’m not scheduled to get in the studio until next Monday. Let’s take a mini vacation to Mexico,” I suggested. “We can leave tonight and come back Wednesday evening.”
“I don’t know. You’re just getting over something,” she murmured, leaning back against the counter where she’d been crafting our sandwiches.
I stepped between her legs. “Let’s be spontaneous. You deserve a break after all the hard work you did putting my party together. Let me spoil you with this trip.”
She cocked her head to the side, causing her hair to fall over her shoulder. “I want to, but…”
I pushed her hair out of my way and kissed her neck. “Don’t say no. We can even enjoy more fun like we had Friday night.” I sank my teeth into her shoulder and felt her shudder as a breathy little moan left her lips. My cock was rock hard, pulsing against her belly, aching for a release I had to deny him. “Tell me you aren’t tempted, baby.”
“I’m very, very tempted,” she moaned. “But…”
I groaned at her continued hesitation. “Please, Dimples. I want to go away with you. Just you and me. No one to bother us. No one to stop me if I kiss you.” I lowered my voice. “Or if I lick you.”
She trembled but shook her head. “There’s no one to stop you now,” she said with a tight smile. “You can spoil me and kiss me and lick me all you want right here.”
I gave her a pout. “You don’t want to go
to Mexico with me?”
“I didn’t say that.” She turned around, going back to finishing our sandwiches, but her shoulders were tense. “I’m just not up to traveling right now when I’ll have to do it again on Thursday. I need to look rested for the photo shoot, or the client will be upset and find someone else to be the face of their products.”
“Do you want me to beg?” I teased, trying to lighten the mood now that I could sense hers had shifted.
She huffed angrily and turned to face me once again. “Why are you pushing this? I said I don’t want to go.”
I was pushing because if we were in Mexico while Cannon moved in, I wouldn’t have to explain why he was living with me. At least not yet. I would get a few more days to prove to her just how much I loved her, that my loyalty was with her and only her, before I had to face the possible reality of her leaving me.
Guilt churned in my stomach, and I knew I just needed to come clean, but the fear of her walking away was enough to make me clamp my jaw shut.
Her chin trembled when I remained silent, and she stepped away from me. “Cannon was home when I got back this morning.”
Fuck.
I knew what was coming. That asshole hadn’t kept his mouth shut, hadn’t given me the time I needed to explain things to Shaw. I should have known he would do something to cause trouble.
“Are you still going to stand there and act like you didn’t pick my brother over me yet again?” she whispered.
I reached for her, and she let me pull her against me. “Baby, I didn’t. I swear. He had me between a rock and a hard place.”
Her brow scrunched up. “Because of Dana?”
Surprise had me blinking down at her. “You know about her?”
“Kayla told me this morning.” She pressed her forehead to my chest. “I know you have a past. You don’t have to be scared that I’ll hold it against you.”
Relief made my knees feel shaky. “You mean you don’t care?”
Her head lifted. “I’m not going to lie and say I’m not a little jealous. But Kayla explained that Dana was going through some stuff at the time. I know Dana’s not going to try to steal you away from me.”
“Baby, you don’t know how glad I am you’re not pissed. And you don’t ever have to worry about anyone stealing me away from you. I’m yours. Now and always.” I kissed her forehead, releasing the pent-up breath I’d been holding all day. “I swear to you, I wasn’t picking Cannon over you. It was just bad luck that he showed up right when Dana was here with her girlfriend. I begged him to keep his mouth shut about the threesome, and his price for silence was to move in here.”
Shaw pulled back. “Wait… What did you just say?”
I opened my mouth, only to snap it shut, not sure what I’d just said that had her so pale all of a sudden. “He was blackmailing me, baby.”
