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“Not when it comes to you,” he bit out as he pushed her down. Hard. Filling her completely as if verifying his words.
His explosion came quick and furious.
She collapsed on top of him, breathing hard. Their hearts beat out of control, and their bodies were slick from exertion. He wrapped his arms around her delicate rib cage and held her there. She wiggled, and he pulled back to look at her. Her frown confused him. “What?”
“I loved every second of what we just did, but being exclusive is…scary to me. I went that route, and it ended up nearly sucking the life out of me. I don’t want to lose myself again. I can’t.”
“I get that, but—”
Emma cut him off with a hand over his mouth. “No ‘buts’. I need to take baby steps here. Not giant leaps.”
Jason gritted his teeth against the denial that sprang to his lips. She’d been hurt by Damian, and he didn’t want to add to that pain by being a pushy ass. Instead, he nodded his head. Eventually, she would be his, and he wouldn’t be dumb enough to treat her like a doormat either. Normally, he was all about maintaining some sort of emotional distance with a woman, but it was different with Emma. She was different. To hell with distance.
He shifted them so they lay spoon fashion, then pulled her in close. As she cozied her bottom against his groin, Jason smiled. She was becoming comfortable with him. Jason wrapped his arm over her stomach, binding her to him. For the first time he could remember, he wanted something deeper with a woman. He wanted love. He wanted Emma. And he meant to have her. He might have to chase her, but in the end, she’d be his.
Chapter Seven
The next morning when Jason walked through the door of Man-Maid Cleaning Service, his mind was on his night with Emma. It still bothered him that he’d hurt her in high school when he’d turned her down. Damned if he could figure out a way to make her see that he wasn’t that same dumb kid anymore. Their nights together had gone so well, and he wanted something permanent from her. A commitment. He wanted to call her his.
A curse from across the room tore Jason out of his musings. “Damn it,” Jensen muttered as he pounded on the keys of his laptop.
Jason chuckled. “Don’t take it out on the computer.”
Jensen’s head shot up. “It’s about time you got here. It’s been a hell of a day so far.”
Jason snorted. “What happened?” When he reached the side of Jensen’s desk, he shoved at his shoulder and ordered, “Quit banging on it before you damage something.”
Jensen stood and raked a hand through his hair. “I screwed up at the Harrison house. I was supposed to use floor cleaner on their bathroom tile, but I ended up pouring toilet bowl cleaner all over the place instead. Now the computer keeps locking up on me. Whatever I touch today turns to shit.”
As Jason went to the coffeemaker and poured himself a cup, he said, “You and Marquetta have a fight?”
“Well, yeah. How’d you know?”
Jason replaced the pot and crossed the room to his own desk. “You’re always off your game when she’s pissed at you. What’d you do?” he asked as he waited for his own laptop to boot up.
Jensen threw up his hands. “She was all excited about a design she did on a motorcycle the other day, and when I saw it and the customer, I got…jealous.”
Jason scowled. “Marquetta is crazy about you, bro. You owe her an apology.”
“Christ, I know. But when I tried, Marquetta totally shut me down.” Jensen slumped into the chair across from the desk. “I might be sleeping on the couch tonight.”
Jason chuckled, strangely pleased he wasn’t the only one having woman trouble. “Buy her some flowers and make her dinner tonight. Maybe she’ll forgive you.”
Jensen went back to his desk. “Good idea. Thanks,” Jensen said as he turned toward him. “So, how are things with you and Emma?”
Jason sighed. “I’m into her. Big-time.”
Jensen waved a hand in the air. “And?”
“She’s was great. We’re great together. But I’m pretty sure she thinks this is a temporary thing, which isn’t so great.”
Jensen sat back in his chair and folded his hands behind his head. “Did you tell her how you feel?”
Jason gritted his teeth and stared at his computer screen. “No. Not exactly.”
Jensen shook his head. “Emma doesn’t seem like the casual-sex type of woman to me. So quit being a stubborn ass and tell her you care about her.”
“The thing is, she’s smart and sexy and funny and a little sarcastic.” Jason let out a breath. “She’s the whole package.”
