“Because you’re too close. I need some distance. I have to be able to think straight. And I can’t with you standing there looking like you want to fuck me.”
I barked out a laugh. “Whoa. That’s not what this is about.”
“And feeling like I want you to,” she added, stepping closer to me. “I could get lost in this feeling. I need to figure out if it’s just because I need some or because I just want you.”
“Which do you prefer?”
Demi searched my eyes. “I prefer not to fuck this up. You’re too important to me to act impulsively.”
Demi rested her forehead on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She was right. This was too important to fuck up. Although I knew what I wanted, I needed her to be sure of me. “Okay, baby.”
She glanced up at me, a guarded look in her eyes. “You just called me baby.”
I brushed my lips over her brow, then her lips. “Because you are my baby.”
Demi frowned. “When did this change for you?”
“It hasn’t,” I admitted. “You’ve been my baby since the day you came to the house, muddy and wet and crying. I knew then that I would always do everything I could to protect you. I knew I would fight every damn body for you.”
She smiled. “I know that. But that’s what you do for your sisters.”
I brushed my thumb down the column of her neck and her eyes fluttered closed. “Yes, but I don’t want to see them naked.”
“Stop.” She laughed. “Seriously… have you always felt this way? And if so, why didn’t you tell me?”
“That part is a little harder to explain.”
“Please try,” she whispered.
“What I will say is… I would never do anything that would place our relationship in jeopardy. And I would never come to you if I wasn’t sure of my feelings. You’rethatimportant to me.”
“It’s not just a sex thing?”
It sounded like a trick question. Because I absolutely wanted her on my dick and in my bed. But I didn’tjustwant to have sex with her. “I think it’s pretty obvious I want that. You’re already my family, you’re my friend, and I want you to be my lover.” I pushed a strand of hair from her face. “I just want you, even the parts that you think are too ugly to share. I want everything.”
A tear fell from her eyes, and I brushed it away. “Duke… You don’t commit. You’re also a flirt. I don’t want to kill anybody.”
“I’ve never had someone I wanted to commit to,” I told her honestly. “And I’ve been feeling pretty murderous around you too.”
Demi cracked up. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you jealous.”
“I’ve neverbeenjealous—untilYoung’Uns Weekend.”
“Tristan?”
“Oh yeah. I wanted to fuck him up.”
“I love that about you.” She hugged me. “You always make me feel safe.”
“If you need some time, I’ll give it to you. But I want you to come to me when you’re ready to have a conversation. It doesn’t matter if you tell me to fuck off. I just want to hear it from you.”
“You say that now, but…”
“Have I ever lied to you?”
She shook her head. “Never,” she croaked. “Please don’t start.”
I pulled back, cradling her face in my palms. I placed a gentle kiss to her mouth. “I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk.”
