Page 30 of Taken With You

He raised a brow, and I chuckled, pulling down the plates so he could finish our meal.

We ate in the kitchen, both of us sitting at the counter as we laughed and talked about our days.

It was nice. Normal. But I couldn’t let it become routine. Just in case things got too comfortable. If they did, I feared we’d both end up hurting. But if we kept things as they were, nothing permanent, and ordinary enough that it didn’t feel weird, I figured that was an excellent middle ground.

Not that I knew if we were actually on the right side of the line we’d drawn.

“So we going for the cheesecake now? Or are we going to watch that movie we talked about? Or are you thinking about being my dessert?”

I shook my head, taking his plate and bringing it to the sink.

“How about we do dinner and cheesecake?”

He frowned, leaning forward to kiss me on my forehead.

“Anything you want, babe. You feeling okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine. Just a little tired, I think.”

He looked at me then, reaching around to knead my butt. I loved when he did that. He was always so gentle, but constantly touching me.

I hadn’t known he’d be like this. Oh, I’d had a feeling that Beckham would be possessive, but I hadn’t known he would be so sweet. There was a huge difference between the way he was with me and how Coby had been.

I really needed to stop comparing them. There was no comparison. “Do you want me to head home?” he asked, frowning as he studied my face. I shook my head.

“No, let’s watch the movie. I’m not caught up on all the Avengers yet.”

“Then I feel like I’ve failed you.”

“You know, I think that’s exactly what Dillon said when I mentioned it at the bar.”

“Well, Dillon’s the one who made sure I watched them in the correct order, not chronological, but how they were released theatrically as intended by the original filmmakers.”

“Please don’t get on another Avengers rant,” I said, shaking my head even as I laughed.

“Hey, it’s been like three, maybe four days since I went on a rant about the Avengers.”

“More like three or four minutes.”

He smiled. “Okay, honey, whatever you say.”

I raised a brow. “Really?”

“Hey, I called you honey. It’s better than cupcake.”

“No, it’s really not. Just call me Meadow.”

“I like calling you everything.”

He looked at me then, and I swallowed hard. Then I took a few steps back, feeling afraid.

So damned scared.

He had to stop looking at me like that. Needed to stop treating me like I was so precious. Because it felt too good. It felt like forever, and that was something I couldn’t give him. Or myself.

He was so good, so sweet. But he didn’t have my past. Didn’t have the connections I did. What happened when Coby got out of jail, or someone from his club figured out exactly where I was? What would happen to Beckham then? Being with me wasn’t good for him. I had to make it easy for him to walk away. I had to make it simple. For him? For me? I didn’t know. But I at least had to try.

“Come on, let’s watch that movie, and then we’ll have dessert. Even if it’s only our own.” I winked as I said it, and he groaned, then gave my ass a squeeze before slapping it.