Page 206 of Romeo

Ma Belle: I didn’t ask you to be good

Me: I’m aware.

Ma Belle: Then stop

Me: Nice try, Cher.

Ma Belle: You want me

Me: You know damn well I do.

Ma Belle: I like hearing you say it

Me: I noticed you’ve gotten a lot bolder since that kiss.

Ma Belle: Maybe now I know I wasn’t imagining it.

Me: Imagining what?

Ma Belle: The way you look at me.

Me: You weren’t imagining a fucking thing.

Ma Belle: Good

Me: There’s that brave girl again.

Ma Belle: You liked me better when I was confused?

Me: Hell no. I like knowing you want me.

Ma Belle: But you’re still going to make me wait

Me: A little.

Ma Belle: You’re annoying

Me: And you’re trying to talk me out of having a conscience.

Ma Belle: Is it working?

Me: More than I’m comfortable admitting.

Ma Belle: Good

Me: Keep that up, Ma Belle.

Ma Belle: Or what?

Me: See—that right there is exactly why I need the conscience.

I set the phone on the table and rubbed a hand over my mouth.

She was going to kill me.

For months, I’d been careful because Fiona needed time to understand what existed between us without me deciding it for her. Apparently, all that patience had created a new problem. Now that she knew exactly how much I wanted her, she’d decided to test how far she could push before all that restraint disappeared.

The answer was not very fucking far.