“Did you honestly expect me to just lie there shouting for help while you were hurt on the floor? Oh please, sir,” I said, doing my best ridiculous impression of my mother when she laid her Southern accent on thick. “Save me.Absolutely not. I might have trashed your couch, by the way.”
Brooks laughed. “Okay, it does hurt,” he said and tapped his nose. “Ouch.”
I sighed. “We can’t do this again.”
Brooks’ chin jutted stubbornly. “I’m not going to sit around and worry about—”
“You listen to me, you stubborn bastard.” I poked him on the chest, and he grunted. “I couldn’t get to you. I had to watch while you didn’t wake up like you did the last time. It won’t happen again. You want me to relax? That’s not very fucking relaxing!”
“I’d rather live my life.”
Closing my eyes, I prayed for strength, and then I glared. “And I happen to know quick-release ties exist. I work at the Courtesan, sir. You don’t have to use rope like that, and whatever big jollies you get out of doing up the knots by hand are going to have to be sidelined if you want me to agree to this at all.” I was shocked at myself, but I meant every word. “Or if you must, someone will have to be in the room with us. Actually in the room.” My face heated and I cleared my throat.
Brooks damned near pouted. “But with the quick-release you can get away.”
He surprised a laugh out of me. “You’ll just have to trust me not to run, then, won’t you?”
He smirked and cupped my cheek. “I suppose that’s fair.”
Leaning forward, I pressed my lips to the corner of Brooks’ mouth. “I have to be able to take care of you, too, or this won’t work. Not… not like your mother wants to take care of you. I like that you’re….” I lowered my voice to a whisper. “I like that you’re in charge of me, but I have to at least be able to get to you if you’re hurt.”
The irritated grunt he let out had me biting my lip. “No. You don’t take care of me. I hate the idea of that with you. I take care of you,” he growled out.
“I’ve never had a relationship, but I’m pretty sure caring goes both ways when it’s a good one. I care, Brooks. I can’t see you hurt with no way to help.” I bent and buried my face against his neck, pressing my lips to the smooth skin near the juncture of his shoulder, and the smell of blood on his skin reminded me of all that could have gone seriously wrong.
He wrapped his arms around me. “That’s fair. Okay. I do trust you, Darcy. I promise. I just wanted to give you the best experience while I had you.”
Nodding, I unclenched, maybe for the first time in over an hour. “We’ll work it out. But you have to let me arrange certain things in the future, then. I promise it will help me relax to verify with Levi ahead of time that he is, at the very least, awake.”
Brooks chuckled. “I wasn’t sure you’d agree to anything beyond this week, and here you are talking about our future.”
Shivers raced up and down my spine, and I kissed the pulse that jumped under my lips where they were pressed against his neck. “I haven’t agreed to anything more than this week yet.”
“But you’re thinking about it.” Brooks ran his hand up the nape of my neck, and I leaned back. He drew me in for a kiss that had my toes curling.
“You’re a bloody mess,” I murmured, but I found it didn’t put me off the way it should have because it was Brooks, and I wanted his lips on me more than anything else in the world. Nothing made me feel better than he did.
