‘Flynn, I have guests downstairs. People are here to celebrate my birthday. This is not a conversation for now.’ Though it strikes me as kind of freaky that it appears he’s been thinking the same things.
‘And some people are here to try to fuck you.’
‘Yes, you!’
‘Not just me, babe.’
‘Who—Tate? Are you talking about Tate?’
‘Come on, Chastity. I might be the lowly secretary, but even I can see him for what he is.’
‘And what exactly is he?’ I retort, my hand suddenly finding my hip.
‘A smarmy, smug, fucking chancer. The kind that would be out of your life before your undies even hit the deck.’
He might be right, but I’m not going to admit it.
‘He’s not a threat to you. Currently,you’rethe only threat to you,’ I say, pointing one black polished nail in his chest.
‘Why’s that?’ he counters, leaning into my nail. Leaning into it, then lifting it to catch between his teeth.
‘Because it’s the twenty-first century,’ I whisper hiss. I want to shout, but I don’t want people to hear. ‘And you’re behaving like an arse.’
‘No, I’m behaving like a boyfriend. You’re just not used to the difference.’
I shake my head. ‘Boyfriend is such a pathetic title. What? Are we teenagers?’
‘I want to be more than your boyfriend,’ he whispers, stepping into me. ‘I mean it, Chastity. I want so much more, starting with a baby.’
‘You nutcase!’ I place my hand on his chest and push.
‘Yes,’ he retorts, covering my hand with his own. ‘I know you want to.’
‘We’re not talking about bringing home a puppy. What happens if this thing doesn’t work between us? What then?’
‘We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it. But I don’t think we will.’
‘Flynn, all we do is argue and fight!’
‘What’s wrong with that? I love fighting with you. And I’ll fight for you.’
His words and the sincerity in his tone, coupled with the look of intensity on his face blows me away. But only for a minute. Right about now maybe a cold wave of reality should sweep through the room, but I’m glad when it doesn’t. What I get instead is the kind of belly licking warmth you feel when someone tells you they love you.
‘You’re saying,’ I begin, the words slightly choked. ‘You’d give me a child, even if I don’t want to be with you?’
‘I’m not that selfless, babe. I want a promise from you. A promise that you’ll at least try to love me back. It’s been the best thing ever, falling in love with you. Fathering our child wouldn’t be a consolation prize.’
Who would’ve thought it? Flynn Phillips has the soul of a poet.
‘Don’t play with me.’
Like a slow burning fire, Flynn’s smile is slow to grow, but he doesn’t answer. And I’m not sure who reaches for the other first; all I know is we come together in that instant. I’ve never felt this kind of connection, this kind of need as I push him into the room, our mouths fused together and our fingers grasping. My hands shake with desperation as I fumble with his belt.
‘I can’t believe we’re doing this. I can’t believe we’re doing this now.’
‘You’ve got your hand around my cock,’ Flynn rasps. ‘Feels pretty fuckin’ real to me. But maybe you need convincing.’
In an instant, he spins me around, and I catch myself on my hands on the desk against the adjacent wall.
