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“Number three?” I shake my head because I’m being obtuse. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Then pick one or two because you’re not leaving. You would miss me.”
God, I would, and that’s the best reason of all to leave.
He moves to the small dresser and pulls out a Cornell sweatshirt and a pair of sweats with a draw string at the waist. “I know you feel like you’re cursed, but you are not, Ivy Jensen. You are going through a rough patch, but the end of that dark tunnel is coming up fast. Don’t make a U-turn and stay in the dark.”
He leans forward and kisses my forehead, the gesture making my heart squeeze.
“I…I’ve given you every reason to push me away.”
He winks. “And still I didn’t. And that’s why you should seriously consider door number three.” He sobers. “I can handle your damage. All this drama, it doesn’t scare me off at all. The truth is my life was a little boring until you showed up.” He walks to the door. “Now wash the pretty gross rainwater off and find your appetite, woman. I do not know what to do with an appetite-less Ivy. I’m used to being able to manipulate you with food.”
I stand there and realize just how much trouble I’m in.
Chapter Fourteen
The water goes cold far too soon and I turn it off, wondering if I should try to sneak out. It’s not that I think Heath would ever try to make me do something I don’t want to do. It’s simply the fact that door number three is so tempting.
I don’t know if I can walk out there and eat pizza and watch dumb videos with him and not end up entwined with that gorgeous man who seems to understand me in a way no one else does.
Who seems to fit with me. I spent the time in the shower going over all the ways he could be saying these things to manipulate me. I’ve had every bad scenario play out through my head in the last fifteen minutes.
He just wants the money and he’s right. He owns the majority of the company so he can use me and lose me whenever he wants.
He’s upset that I don’t want to use his app as the main focus of our business plan, and he thinks he can use sex to manipulate me. He thinks if he pleases me in bed, I’ll do whatever he wants.
He’s been sent in by someone who hates me to humiliate me.
As I stand at the mirror and accept that I am completely paranoid, I also think about the one scenario I usually don’t consider.
He’s a good thing.
He’s being honest and he cares about me and wants to take this thing between us to the next level. He’s dumb and thinks it can work, and maybe he’s so dumb he’s smart and I’m the dumb one and if I just let it, it could work.
I use his very utilitarian hair dryer and then braid my hair because if I don’t put a million pounds of product on it, it kind of goes in all different directions. He has neither flat iron nor curling iron. He’s iron free, so this is my only choice.
He was right about the clothes. I’m lost in them, and that weirdly does something for me. I like wearing his clothes. It’s like he’s hugging me.
I am not this girl. I am not.
I never once put on Nick’s clothes and cuddled with him. I’m not the girl who moons over some guy and sits around writing our names on notepads like it’s some plea to the universe that we end up together. I hadn’t done it in school. I hadn’t done it as a young adult.
Maybe you didn’t do it because most guys suck and he’s the right one.
I don’t believe in the right one.
And still I open the door and step outside with no real thought to leaving.
He looks up from his computer. He’s got glasses on. He wears these blue light blockers when he’s working that make him look super nerdy and adorable, and I’m freaking done for.
“I found an entire profile made up of nothing but dogs doing stupid things,” he announces. “That should put you in a happier mood.”
I’m not watching videos with this man. It’s been a day, and all the good parts of it revolved around him. He’s told me what he wants. I tried to talk him out of it but he’s still here, and he’s far too tempting for me to walk away from.
I move into his space and see the minute he realizes I’ve changed my mind. His expression goes from amused to slightly predatory in a heartbeat, and he turns his chair so I can straddle him. It’s a bold move, but I’m going all in.
