“I’m good. I hope the cat gym works out for you.”
She nods, arms crossed over her chest. “How much do I owe you for it?”
“Don’t worry about it. I got some pictures I can use for other clients, so it was worth it.”
She presses her lips together hard, her expression morphing into something like anger. Why the hell is she angry?
“I guess you got what you wanted then,” she says. “Sex in exchange for a cat gym? Seems like a fair trade.”
I stare at her, shocked and furious. “Don’t put that on me, Amelia. You’re the one who’s made it very clear you want me to leave.”
Her expression morphs again, this time to confusion. “How did I make it clear?”
“You’ve barely talked to me since we got out of bed, and then you disappeared into your room for fifteen minutes to put on a sweater. It’s fine. All you wanted was a cat gym and sex. I get it.”
“It doesn’t seem like you get it,” she says. “You seem mad.”
I cross my arms over my chest and pull in a deep breath. I do not want to be the kind of guy who yells at a woman. “I’m not mad. You have a right to want a one-night stand and nothing more. Next time, just ask me to leave when you’re done with me. You don’t have to pretend to want to spend time with me.”
She folds her arms back over her chest, her hands disappearing into the long sleeves of her sweater. “What if I want more than just a one-night stand?”
“What?”
Her cheeks go pink, and I don’t think it’s from the cold. “I don’t know how to do this, and I’m obviously terrible at it. I really like you, Deacon. The sex was amazing, and I’d like to do it again sometime soon, but I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m not even looking for regular date nights.”
That’s disappointing, but at least she’s not kicking me out. “What exactly do you want?”
“I want you to stay tonight,” she says. “I have a busy, complicated schedule, so I can’t make any promises about when or even if I can see you again. It’s not fair to you and I can’t even ask—”
“Ask,” I say, because I think I know where she’s going with this, and I’m not at all opposed to the idea.
She stares up at the dark night sky for a long moment before she lowers her chin and meets my eyes, hers determined. “In a perfect world, I’d love to be able to just call you up for sex whenever I have the time and the energy. I can’t offer more than that, and it’s not fair—”
“Okay.” I’d be an idiot to say anything else, even if I suspect I’m very likely to fall for this woman. “I’m in.”
“That’s what Ellery said you’d say.” I’m not even sure she realizes she said that aloud. She sounds surprised.
“That’s what you were doing in your room,” I say. “You were on the phone talking about me.”
Her cheeks go beet red. “I’m sorry. She’s my best friend and—”
I take a step toward her, thrilled that this night is moving back in the direction I’ve been hoping for. “What did you say about me?”
Her brows rise, and finally, finally, she smiles. “That you’re very good in bed and—”
“I have the most beautiful cock you’ve ever seen, and I made you come more times in a row than any man ever has?”
Her eyes heat, the light from the tiki torches surrounding her in a golden glow. “I don’t kiss and tell to that level of detail. I was asking her if it made me a horrible person to want to use you for sex, and she said—”
“That I’d be honored to be used for sex? That being a woman’s sex slave is one of my favorite fantasies? That I’ll build you ten cat gyms for the opportunity?”
She pauses, studying me. “You’re teasing me.”
“Nope. I’m dead serious. I think you underestimate how addicted I am to your body.” To everything about her if I’m being totally honest, but there’s no need to bare my entire soul to her this early in the relationship.
She jumps and I catch her as she wraps her legs around my waist and presses her lips to mine.
The pizza is long cold by the time we get around to eating it.
