AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I said I would teach you.”
“Then teach me!” she yelled.
“I will not rush,” he said, louder than he meant. “Why are you pushing me?” He stared at her tears, wanting to kill that he’d caused them. “I picked you because we’re a lot alike. You said you didn’t need a man, you didn’t want one. And I believe that still, you can take care of yourself.”
She kept her face down, hugging herself. “You’re right,” she barely said. “I didn’t lie when I said all that, I just didn’t know.”
“What didn’t you know?”
“You,” she said, the ache in her voice killing him while she looked at him with those sparkling eyes. “Turns out I never needed a man till I met you. I mean…I knew it would be a challenge because look at you.”
Look at himhe wondered, confused? “What about me?”
She angled her head like he was playing stupid. “Ethan, you’re more beautiful than any woman I know and you’re a heck of a lot more beautiful than me. And I have done some pretty difficult things in my life,” she assured, “and I figured this would just be another challenge, nothing I couldn't handle.”
God, what did her words mean to her? Asking seemed to only piss her off but he really needed to know if he was going to fix anything.
“I thought I could just…have... biology with you and figure out the rest later, but I was wrong, and I realize that’s on me. You never offered more than biology, I know that. And…you know what?” She looked at him and he held his breath, praying the next thing out of her mouth would clarify things. “I think I needed this, I feel a lot better getting all this off my chest.” She stuck her hand out like she wanted a shake. “Can we start over and pretend like I didn’t have a meltdown over this? As usual, I’ve embarrassed myself with all this…inexperience. Won’t happen again.”
Wow, fuck. The million things needing to be understood sat there. The questions needing asked and answered so he could make sure this didn't happen ever again.There will be time. He considered that, glancing around as a tug-of-war broke out in his body. He regarded her hand, sure of at least one thing. This would not end in a handshake. It was fucking more, and he wanted her to at least know that. “I never sealed our deal.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I owe you a kiss.”
He stared at her, seeing he’d said something wrong. Again.
“You look a-here,” she said carefully, her fierce side returning till she shook with whatever deadly defect he’d just managed. “If there is anything… on God’s green earth that I will never .... ever .... take as a payment from you, it is a God. Damn.Kiss.” Her eyes clenched shut. “Christ almighty, you done turned me into a sinner,” she muttered, shooting off down the pier toward the house.
Ethan stood there, watching her. His dumbfounded shock was one for the books. In all his complex calculations, he somehow managed to predict exactly the wrong things, every time with her.
He made his way back, unable to deny the relief that she wasn’t leaving. But he also knew this bump in the road was far from resolved. The next thing out of his mouth would no doubt be a fatal flaw because that’s how everything was turning out with her. She was off-the-charts pissed about the kiss they’d agreed to for a contract signing. Did she want sex instead now? How would he ever find that out without hanging himself?
Back inside, he gave her space and went to his office. He looked at his phone as he paced, wanting to call Eveque. But he really couldn’t take how fucking funny he’d no doubt find all of this. Wasn’t like he didn’t know there would be bumps in the road, he did know that. He was always creating the path of least resistance, that’s all. And that plan had not changed. He just needed to navigate this.
Fuck it. He found his number and dialed it, back to pacing.
“T-Bit,” Eveque answered, his tone already knowing somehow.
“I could stand having a conversation without being laughed at right now. Do you think you can manage or do I need to call back later?”
“I will do myverybest for you, mon frier,” he offered.
8-Bit took it, having no choice. He paced a couple steps, his brain in a system freeze. He took a breath and closed his eyes, going for a full reboot.
“Take your time.”
“I’m trying to formulate.”
“Oui,” he said, all knowing. “Allow me to give you a shortcut. Thereisno formula.”
He still refused to believe that but didn’t want to argue. “We had an arrangement, right?”
“Oui.”
“Webothagreed.”
“Oui.”
