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Her biggest problem was that she wanted to mix a lot of pleasure with Avel. She remembered how amazing it felt to have his arms wrapped around her. Her heart throbbed uncomfortably as she realized she’d never feel that again.
“So, that’s it?” Avel scowled at her. “You want to pay me off and be done with this?”
Holly’s forehead wrinkled. “I thought that’s what you’d want. You get your money back straightaway. I won’t owe you anything. I’ll even pay the interest you were supposed to get.”
“Screw the interest.” Avel’s voice rumbled in his chest.
“Oh! No, I’m happy to pay back everything.” He was acting like she’d just told him she had no money. This wasn’t the reaction she’d expected.
“You think my money isn’t good enough for you? Like you’re tainted by having something of mine.”
Holly’s mouth fell open. “No, that’s not it. I just—”
“You haven’t even heard my offer.”
She sat back in her seat. “I thought you’d be happy that you’d get your money back. It’s a great deal. But what do you want to offer me?”
Avel shoved his plate to the side and leaned across the table. “I was going to offer to cancel your debt.”
Holly blinked at him rapidly. “Why would you do that?”
He looked away. “So you can get on with your business without debt hanging over your head. One less stress in your life. You get rid of the debt and me at the same time.”
Holly swallowed. Why didn’t Avel want his money back? That’s what he did. He was a moneylender. They never let a debt slip through their fingers.
“That’s a generous offer. Does that mean you want to buy into my business?” Holly licked her lips. “It is your start-up capital. If that’s the case, I don’t need a business partner. I’m doing this on my own.”
He snorted. “I don’t want shares in some lousy baking store.”
Her eyes narrowed. “It’s chocolate, and they aren’t lousy.”
Avel reached across the table as if to take her hand but then sat back. “I came up with this offer because I thought it would help you get a problem out of your life.”
“I don’t consider you a problem,” Holly said. “You’re misunderstanding me again.” Why did he have to make this so hard? Just when she thought she was getting somewhere with Avel, he threw up another roadblock. It was like he wanted to ruin this relationship before it got off the ground. No, she mentally corrected herself. They had a friendship, but it felt like a lousy one.
She should let him go completely, cut all ties. If only her heart didn’t ache at the thought of never seeing Avel again or never feeling his mouth cover hers. She hated herself for feeling so weak, all because of a strong pair of arms and some whispered promises laced with chocolate.
“You haven’t heard all of my offer,” Avel said.
“I thought the offer was that you cancel the debt,” Holly said. “And you’re not interested in my business, so you don’t want to get involved with that. What else is there?”
His eyes glittered. “You can’t see that guy again.”
Holly tilted her head. “Eric! I already said I’m not into him.”
“Yeah, but I’ve seen guys like him and how they operate. He’ll wear you down, make you think he’s changed, and get back in your life. You don’t need that.”
Avel didn’t have a right to tell her who she dated, not that she’d go there with Eric. “I didn’t engineer that meeting. I had no clue he’d rescue us.”
“Lucky break for you.”
Lucky break! What an idiot. Holly’s fury spilled out. “You can’t offer to cancel the loan but say it’s conditional on me not seeing somebody. You can’t run my life, especially since you’ve made it clear you don’t want to be a part of it.”
“How do I know you won’t change your mind?” Avel huffed. “You have history together. And some women do anything for a guy in uniform.”
“Not if the guy wearing the uniform is a jerk-off,” Holly said. “I spent a long time hiding and thinking I was worthless because of him. I’m moving past that and not letting him back in my life. But what if I do change my mind and believe he’s different? Oh no, I can’t because you’ve laid down the rules about who I see.”
Avel scowled at her. “It’s not like that. I want—”
