“You right… and it’s not you. I just got a lot on my mind right now. I appreciate last night, and everything you do for me and the kids.” He finally swung his head in her direction, but he’d tossed up a shield which reflected to her as an empty stare.
“Why does this sound like you’re leaving a customer review? You really going to sit there and downplay what’s happening between us?”
“I just think we should leave things as they were. You as the chef, helping with the kids until this nanny situation is solved, and?—”
“And then what?” she demanded, eyebrows beetling down. “We just go back to normal, like nothing happened?”
Kong’s silence was loud.
“Fine. If that’s how you want it.” Nodding, Ayla hopped out of the truck.
Even though her feelings were hurt, she wasn’t going to allow him to see it. She’d learned a long time ago how to shove her true emotions down. Hell, she’d mastered the shit. She only felt stupid because she had given him a piece of herself that she had saved for so long, only to have him reject her immediately after. It would have been easy to cry or even go off on him, but what would that solve? She met up with him at the back of his G Wagon, and he handed her his key fob. Without another word, she moved past him. Kong reached for her arm, pulling her toward him and staring down into her gorgeous face.
“I’m not good for you, Lala.” It was the first time he’d called her that, and it warmed her heart. “You damn near fucking perfect… and I come with a lot of baggage.”
She yanked out of his grip.
“That’s the thing, Kong. I never asked you to be perfect, and I damn sure ain’t. Contrary to what you might think… I’m also not stupid.”
“I never said—” His brows squinched together, insulted by her statement. “You got your whole life ahead of you. What happened last night can’t happen again. I’m not doing this to hurt you?—”
“Tuh.” She looked him up and down, stomach tanking at the realization that this man she’d given herself to was exactly like the rest. “Well, you failed. Lucky for you, I don’t set the bar too high for people.” She yanked the driver’s door open to his car and climbed into the seat without another word.
Kong flinched when his door slammed shut. Ayla drove off slowly, leaving him in her parking spot, staring after her and his children. He meant that last part. It was reckless to go there with her, but he couldn’t help himself. He only prayed he hadn’t fucked her up beyond repair after taking such a sacred partof her. Women like Ayla were few and far between. He knew that for a fact. Having the honor to be her first blew his mind. Although he knew he couldn’t be with her, he selfishly didn’t want anyone else to take his spot either.
