He smirks. “What am I doing, Lana?”
My eyes narrow. “Christian…”
“We’ll have rules,” he says.
“Rules?”
He nods. “Yes. Other than the condition of the key, we’ll have rules.”
I blink and my body gravitates toward him, in both intrigue and the lack of him. “What kind of rules?”
“You can’t have sex with me.”
I guffaw. Loudly. My head tosses back and the belly laughter makes my muscles ache. “You think I can’t control myself? Are you serious?”
He shrugs, half smiling and amused. “Very serious.”
“Fine,” I chuckle. “You can’t kiss me.”
Christian gapes at me. “No.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I’m vetoing.”
I point my finger at him. “You can’t veto that!”
“You could have vetoed my rule if you really wanted to.”
I groan. “You are?—”
“—a genius.”
“—annoying!”
He’s smiling down at me, victorious, and my nostrils are flaring. My fists are curled at my side, lips pressed together, and I’m one stomp of my foot away from looking like a child throwing a tantrum.
Christian smirks as his eyes drop to my lips, his tongue darting out to wet his bottom lip.“Can I kiss you?”
“Ugh!” I walk away from him and sit back at the island to eat breakfast.
“You’re so cute.”
“Don’t talk to me right now,” I grumble and shove my fork through the omelet, smashing against the plate beneath with its points.
I feel my immature anger flicker like a dying out flame, until it’s gone. I must have a problem to enjoy pointless arguing. Notlikebut…feel the things it makes me feel. Not that it isentirelypointless, I don’t know. Maybe it is just more proof that there is something to fight for. Maybe I wasn’t holding onto all this hope for nothing after all.
Despite there being something to fight for, I also have to fight to protect myself. Two fights, and where’s the balance? This won’t work if I don’t let him in, I keep telling myself that.
Christian huffs a soft laugh. “Can I hug you then?”
Frowning, I nod stiffly. The top of the stool twists around until I’m facing him and he’s smiling down at me. In a second, his arms are around my small body and his face is buried in my neck. I wrap my arms around his neck, sitting up taller to reach more of him.
I haven’t been hugged like this in years. There is something so healing about a hug.
“You can only kiss me when I allow it,” I murmur into his neck.
Christian kisses the curve of my neck. “Anywhere?”
