“I heard you share.”
He doesn’t flinch.
“We have.”
Silence.
I snatch my hand away and cross my arms. “Care to elaborate?”
“Nope. And if you heard about that, it’s not because we said a thing about it.”
“Wow, that’s some arrogance talking.”
He runs a hand through his golden strands. “It’s the truth.”
“Is that why I’m here?”
His jaw ticks. “You’re adding insult to injury by acting this way.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, should I be offended you think I’m a fucking sleazeball for taking part?”
I only glare as he steps forward crowding me, his eyes lit with temper.
“You have a thing for Dominic. You can deny it all you want, but I’ve seen it, I’ve felt it, and I’m not standing in the way of that, and claiming you as mine is not going to do either of us any good. The truth is, seeing it only makes me want you more. And I do get off on it, and I won’t fucking apologize for it. Just like I won’t make you apologize for your attraction to him. I told you when we first hooked up, I don’t do things in the traditional way, neither does Dominic. Giving you the choice is more of a reflection on how I respect and feel about you and what you want, and it’s much better than denying to myself that I’ve seen you eye fuck him, more than once.”
I gape at him, completely blown away by his brutal honesty.
“Step outside that brainwashing for a few seconds and be honest with yourself. That’s all I’m asking. Just be truthful. In your heart of hearts, if you didn’t have to choose, would you?”
I’m still stunned as he leans in, invading my senses.
“I-I-I’m…I’m with you,” I stutter out, hating the fact that he’s drawn all these conclusions. His superpower of reading people and anticipating what they want has just blown up in my face. I feel nothing but guilty as he inches closer.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he drawls, “but completely mistaken if you think I want anything more from you than you are willing to give.” His finger runs from my chin to my neck. “I’m not trying to manipulate you into a goddamn thing. And today, when I picked you up, I wasn’t thinking about you sinking onto anyone else’s cock but mine and without an audience.” His flecked eyes light up. “But it makes me so fucking hard that you’re thinking about it.” He brushes my lips with his. “But the choice is always, always, up to you.”
I stand fish mouthed and utterly speechless. He curses and reads my expression. “Let’s just table this, okay? You were pure sunshine when I picked you up and the last thing I want to do with you today is argue. Let’s just try and have fun.”
I’m still stunned stupid, reeling, as he tugs on my hand and I jerk it away.
“Are you kidding me? You just told me…” I gape at him. “I thought we…would…”
He turns back and I can only conclude he sees the warring hurt and confusion in my eyes, my expression. “You catchin’ feelings for me, Pup?”
All I can do is give him the same honesty. “Yes, of course I am. We… I was hoping… I don’t know.”
“That’s right, we don’t, so let’s not go around getting offended and slinging drama where it isn’t needed. You want to trust me, but you’re not letting yourself, and there’s nothing I can do about that. I can tell you every day you’re safe with me, but unless you believe it, it’s pointless. And for the record, I caught feelings the minute I laid eyes on you.” I go slack as he brushes a finger over my lips. “You’re beautiful, intelligent, kind-hearted, sensitive, and more,” he drops his forehead to my shoulder and groans, “and pissed off.”
Initial shock aside, I decide to try and be completely honest with myself, to give myself the freedom to try and see things his way. There is a lot of truth to his words, but I expect to see hurt in his eyes, and I don’t. It disappoints me and, in a way, wounds me. I was hoping at this point he would be possessive when it comes to me, but that’s not what I’m feeling from him. “I just don’t want to feel…”
He lifts his head. “Used? Degraded? That’s you doing it. That’s you, baby. Not me.” He leans in. “Any judgment being passed right now is yours and yours alone.” He’s still holding onto my hand and slowly lifts it, kissing the pads of my fingers one by one. “When we started spending time together, I didn’t expect…” his eyes pierce me deep, “I have been and will be monogamous with you, Cecelia, easily, if that’s what you truly want. I have half a mind to lock you up and throw away the key with only me behind the door because of the way I think you’re starting to feel. But there’s the other side of it, and I don’t want to hold you back, because liberation can be a beautiful thing. And you deserve to have whatever you want.” He leans in, whispering kisses along the hollow of my neck, his lips trailing over my rapidly heating skin. He grips my hair, his breath warm in my ear. “It’s okay to want his dick, baby, I’ll watch it go inside you and fucking love the view, and the savage it’ll make me.”