She seems content. I was worried she’d pull away after that first night and let some of her old doubts about me creep in, but that hasn’t happened.
Thank fucking God.I don’t know what I’d do if she pushed me away again.
“So about tomorrow…”
She groans. “I’m going back to Frostbite tomorrow.”
Fuck.I forgot about that. Has it really been two weeks?
I swallow my disappointment at not having her all to myself. “How you feel about that?”
“Awful.”
That opening is all I need. “Then don’t go.”
“I need the money.”
“I’ve got lots,” I murmur. “You can have it. Let me take care of you.”
Her brow arches. “I thought your business was in trouble just a few weeks ago.”
“Back on track now,” I say. It’s not a lie—things really are turning around—but it’s not my income from Handy Heroes that I was referring to. I still have access to my offshore accounts, and there’s more than enough there. For me, Handy Heroes was never about the money. It was about staying busy and productive. Something to keep me from going insane. But now that I have Blake, I’m tempted to just give the entire business to Sandro to run so that I can spend more time with her.
If I tell him that, he’ll never let me hear the end of it.
Blake sits up, settling in beside me with her legs crossed under the sheet. “I can’t take your money.”
“Why not?”
She gestures between us. “This is new. Very new. And we’re both hopped up on endorphins. You’re not thinking straight.”
“Me giving you money is not a big decision.”
She swallows, her crystal-clear blue eyes focused on my face. “I know you’re just being sweet, but I don’t want your money, Rowan. It’s important for me to be able to take care of myself.”
She’s being rational about this, while I’m feeling all kinds of irrational. I don’t want to slow down. I don’t want to be cautious.
I want her to be mine, in every possible way, and I want to provide for her. Yes, because it’ll make her life easier, but also because it makesmefeel good.
“Is it because of Brett?” My knuckle traces the contour of her cheek. “Because he was your boyfriend and the guy who signed your paychecks?”
“Partially,” she admits.
“It wouldn’t be like that.” I don’t want to use my money to control her. I want to help her.
“I know, but—“
“I could give you the money up front, however much you need, no questions asked. It doesn’t make sense for you to keep working at a place you hate if you don’t have to.“
“I’m sorry, but no.” There’s a resolute look in her eyes that tells me she won’t change her mind. “Whenever my mom tookmoney from my dad, that money was never truly hers. It came with strings attached. I know you’re not like him, but I still can’t accept it.”
I concede. For now. “Okay. If this is your last day of freedom, we should do something fun.”
The smile I adore is back. “What do you have in mind?”
“You pick.”
She shrugs. “You’re the fun one.”
