Page 124 of Intolerable Bishop

“Yes,” I said. I’d shaved off a whole second. That was fucking huge. All my extra training this summer had paid off. I jerked as someone clapped and looked over at the bleachers, relaxing as I spotted Ren. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“I figured you do it to me enough. Why not a little payback?” She smiled.

“You’re funny. Wanna go for a little swim?”

“No, not even in the slightest. I did want to see you before you left on your trip, though.” I narrowed my gaze at her. “Myles said you were heading off on a business trip. He didn’t mention where, so whatever secret mission you’re on, it’s still safe,” she said and stood.

“It is a business trip. I just hate how he tells you every fucking thing,” I said, pushing myself up and out of the pool. I stripped off my cap and shook out my hair. Wandering over to my towel, I grabbed it and wiped off as she picked up a small black bag.

“That is how a relationship works, Nash.”

I turned to look at her. “And that is just another reason why I don’t do them. So, what is so urgent that you crawled out of bed with Myles to come see me before the sun is up?”

She chewed on her bottom lip, and it drew my attention to the bruises made by my father. Before I killed him, I would cut off his hands and hang them around his neck.

“If I come closer, will you throw me in the pool,” she asked, and I smirked.

“Maybe. We had fun the last time.” She cocked a brow at me, making me laugh. “As long as you don’t plan on pissing me off, you should be fine.”

“So comforting,” she mocked but walked to me and cleared her throat.

“Are you planning on proposing? If so, you better get on your knees and suck my cock first.”

Ren glared. “For fucks sake, I don’t know why I bother.” She turned to walk away, and I grabbed her arm.

“I’m sorry.” She looked up at me. Her eyes were still angry, but all I could picture was her kissing me back yesterday. I squashed that quickly. “I mean it. What did you want to say?”

Sighing, she faced me, and I let go of her arm. “I didn’t get a chance to give you your birthday gift.”

“You got me a gift,” I asked, shocked. “Why?”

“What do you mean why? It was your birthday, why wouldn’t I?” I had many answers to that question, but they would all end up with us fighting again or her feeling sorry for me. I didn’t want either of those to happen.

“I’m just shocked. Didn’t think you even liked me enough to want to give me a gift,” I said, tying my towel around my waist. “Even though you wear my Christmas gift all the time.” Her face screwed up, and she looked down at herself.

“What are you talking about?”

I burst out laughing. “You really don’t know?”

“What?” She patted herself, confusion written all over her face.

Stepping in closer, which was dangerous, she backed up, doing the same little dance one step at a time until she hit the wall. I braced my arm and ran my finger along her neck. Ren shivered under my touch. This was stupid. Thoughts of pulling her down to the tiled floor filled my mind, and I sucked in a steadying breath.

“What are you doing?”

Ignoring her, I tugged the chain out from inside her hoodie and held the charms she always wore in the palm of my hand. I moved them apart so she could see all of them, then lifted the crowned snowflake.

“No…you?” I nodded. “But…I thought…I told Myles I loved the necklace, and he didn’t say anything. I thought he gave it to me.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I wasn’t there for the conversation, but I left this for you last Christmas with my card. I wondered why you never said thank you. Thought you were just so pissed off with me that you decided to ignore it.” She licked her lips, and unable to resist the temptation, I brushed my mouth against hers. “But now that you do know, what do you say, Princess,” I whispered.

“I’m tempted to say fuck you,” she said, and I smiled, loving the sass she continuously fired at me. “But thank you, it’s beautiful. Didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Neither did I,” I admitted and groaned as I pushed back. “My father is right. You should stay away from me. One of these days, I’m not going to be able to resist, Princess. You push a very dangerous button inside of me.” She swallowed, and I looked down at the black bag she was holding. “Is my gift in the bag, or are you my gift? I’ll take a blow job if you are,” I said and laughed as her eyes shifted from unsure and full of the same dangerous lust that was coursing through me to ‘I’m going to kill you’ in a blink. “I’m teasing you.” Stepping back to a safer distance, I crossed my arms.

“Here.” She held out the bag. “But there is one condition, and I’ll tell you after you open it.”

“Mysterious.” Taking the bag, I reached inside and pulled out what seemed to be a necklace box. “If you got me a matching charm, I’m not wearing it.”