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“Says who?” he murmured, pressing his lips along the back of her neck. Fuck, she was far too covered up. He liked that when she was out there, among all those assholes who wanted to look at his girl.
But when it was just the two of them . . . yeah, he wanted all that delicious skin accessible.
“Says everyone.”
“Baby, why do you care what other people say? You should only care about what I want.”
“Oh, I should only care about what you want?” she said with fire in her voice.
He smiled. That’s what he wanted. Some anger rather than despondency.
“Yep. You should only care what I want.”
“Your ego is going to need two postcodes. Ohhh.”
He’d kissed that spot beneath her ear. A spot where she obviously liked being kissed.
“All that matters is you and me. I don’t care whatever anyone else says or thinks unless it hurts you. So if anyone says anything that hurts you, tell me, and I’ll take care of it.”
“Maxim.” Her whole body softened. “You can’t do that.”
“Course I can.” And he would.
He’d do anything to take care of her.
14
“I’m not yours.” This time, it was said quietly, with regret.
“Maybe you don’t realize it yet, but you are.”
“Darn it, Maxim!” She stomped her foot.
Oh, that was cute. He was determined to make her do it again.
“I am not!”
“I took care of you while you were sick, let you sit on my lap while you had a panic attack, made you soup, carried you in my arms, picked you up from work, stopped to help you in the rain, and rescued you from that asshole down there.”
“That doesn’t make me your girl.”
“It does if I want you as my girl. And if you want it too.”
“Glad you added on that second part. Stalker.”
He laughed. “I’m not a stalker. But I could be if you wanted.”
“Maxim!” She tried to move away, her hands slipping from where they rested against the wall.
“Uh-uh, you can’t move your hands, remember? Now you’ve just added to your punishment.”
“You’re not going to punish me.”
“Course I am. You were naughty.”
“How was I naughty?”
“You said bad things about yourself. That’s not allowed. My girl doesn’t say those sorts of things about herself.”
“It’s like talking to a brick wall. I talk, and I talk, and nothing changes.”
“It’s good you’re learning that now, baby.”
“Are you like this with all the women you try to coax into bed with you?” she asked dryly.
He stiffened. “Is that what you think this is? Just sex?”
“Well . . . I mean, why would it be anything else? That’s what . . . I mean . . . you’ve been with a lot of different women on those gossip sites, Maxim.”
He closed his eyes. Yep, this is what he deserved. He finally found a woman who he wanted to spend time with and she was fighting him. Something was holding her back . . . and part of that was his past. His reputation.
“I don’t . . . I can’t be another notch on your bedpost. I’m sorry. It’s just . . . I know I should fall on my knees in gratitude that someone like you wants someone like me, but I don’t have it in me to do that.”
Oh, fuck no.
He turned her and pressed her to the wall, being as careful with her as he could when he was in this state.
“You should get down on your knees and thank me for being interested in you?” he repeated in a low voice.
She winced. “Well, yeah.”
“Baby, there’s something you need to get into your head really quickly before I lose my mind.”
“What is it?”
“I am the one who would be on my knees if you agreed to be mine. Thanking you.”
Her mouth dropped open. “What? No!”
“Yeah, and you know how I’d show you my fucking gratitude?”
She shook her head, struck mute for once.
“By spreading your legs and eating you out until you came on my tongue at least three times.”
“Maxim.”
“I could do that right now.”
“Maxim.”
“But I want to wait so I can show you just how lucky I would be to get a gorgeous, sweet, smart, sassy girl like you.”
“Maxim.” A tear dripped down her cheek.
“Don’t break, baby.” He wiped that tear away.
“I will, though. If I let you close and then I have to leave you, or you leave me . . . I’ll break.”
“So it’s better not to try?” Was that it? Was she scared of being hurt?
She looked away. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“I don’t think so. I believe you should live every moment to the fullest because you never know when you will breathe your last breath.”
She sucked in her breath, moving her gaze back to his. Those brown eyes were filled with pain, hunger, and loneliness.
“Rainbow, this is not about sex.” He ran a finger down her soft, smooth cheek.
