Page 53 of Coveted By Cupid

“It was a big oversight on my part. Scalpel mentioned you’d probably be asleep most of the day, and I got my workout in while you rested. I should have skipped the weight room today to make sure I was here in case you woke up early. You have every right to be upset with my absence.”

My woman squirms on my lap, ducking her face from my view, like she’s uncomfortable having a heart-to-heart. I get it—it’s new for me, too. But I’m willing to plow through the discomfort as long as it gets us on the right path for our relationship to be strong.

When she says nothing, I continue. “I made a call last night to move you in here with me. No woman of mine is going to remain in a building with a busted lock on the complex main entrance and a flimsy apartment door that doesn’t even have a deadbolt.”

Releasing her wrists, I take her beautiful face in my hands, tilting her face toward me. I want to see her hazel eyes take in everything I tell her, to let my words hit home.

“Whoever those men were, I would not give them a chance to come back and finish what they started. You’re too precious to me to leave you in a compromising position.”

Something shifts in Vanessa’s demeanor. Her posture relaxes and her eyes soften, growing misty. “Cupid,” she murmurs sweetly in a hushed tone.

“While I took care of you, I had my crew pack your things, clear out your apartment, and move your stuff here. Don’t worry. Your bike is here—I wouldn’t claim you and not your baby, too. It’s in the garage, out of sight from whoever may watch you. My VP asked his ole lady—Marlene—to organize everything. She handled your personal stuff, too. No way in hell was I going to be okay with any of those assholes—brothers or not—packing up your panties.”

Vanessa’s face flushes bright red, probably realizing what else I’m hinting at. It’s fricken adorable.

“Did Marlene put my, um, thing in your nightstand?”

It takes all my willpower not to burst out laughing. Instead, I smirk—I can’t help it. “You found it already, did you? And the answer is no. I took care of transporting your super-suction, battery-operated boyfriend.”

She smacks me in the chest, realizing I’m teasing her. “Asshole.”

“Your asshole,” I correct, grinning.

She rolls her eyes, fighting to hide a smile from me. But I see it. I see everything she does.

“Fine,” she says, feigning indifference. “My asshole.”

My smile stretches, pulling my skin tight from lack of using the muscles. I seem to smile a lot these days, thanks to Vanessa.

“You have no idea how ridiculously happy that makes me hearing you say that.”

Vanessa bites her bottom lip, looking nervous. “I’m not used to this.”

“Not used to what?” I ask, eager to learn everything about her.

She waves a hand at me. “This. I’m not used to a person taking care of me. The last person to give a damn about me was my grandpa, and he’s been gone since last summer. Even while he was alive, I was independent. My grandpa always respected my need for space, letting me grow. It wasn’t until after he was gone that I learned he had prostate cancer and had been battling it for years. I realize now he was preparing me for a world where he wasn’t in it.”

Vanessa pauses, her mouth slightly parted like she realizes something. She looks at me with those gorgeous hazel eyes of hers and says, “I’ve never told anyone that before.”

This is big. My woman has shared something incredibly personal with me—only me.

“Thank you for sharing it with me. Your grandpa was a wise man. I would’ve loved to have met him. Although I’m sure he wouldn’t have been too fond of me. He probably thought no one was good enough for you—it’s how I would be in his shoes.”

She hesitates before admitting, “Actually, I think he would have liked you a lot. He would have related to you.”

“He was a bike man like me,” I surmise, nodding.

“Yes, but that’s not what I’m referring to.”

I cock my head at her, waiting for her to explain.

“My grandpa knew my grandma was the one for him the first time he met her. He fell head over heels and did everything he could to woo her.”

My ears perk up with interest. “How long did it take him to win her over?”

Vanessa puckers her lips. “I’m not telling you. You’re going to use it against me.”

“Why? Wait. It happened fast, didn’t it?”