“I’m not afraid.”

“Oh, sure, you’re,” he countered. “You’re terrified, and nowthat I’m fascinated with what your mother mentioned, I might need a protracted conversationwith her. I’ll deal with Jayce on Friday. You are able to do no matter you want as lengthy asyou take a guard with you.”

Her head shook. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Understanding I’mout on a date and I can’t actually do something as a result of I’ve received somebody watchingmy each transfer? Is that your plan? Are you going to maintain a guard on me till Idecide to provide you no matter you need?”

Perhaps he’d been incorrect and there was already a shit ton ofanger in there. What the hell had they talked about? “Nope. The minute Zachsays it’s secure, you’re an impartial girl once more. How about I discover you a womanbodyguard who’ll excessive 5 you while you screw your date for the night?”

Her eyes flared, and he realized he’d made an enormous mistake.“You need to slut disgrace me, Romeo?”

He shook his head. “I’ve by no means as soon as performed that to you, however Ithink you’ve performed it to me. You recognize I’ve in all probability slept with as many ladies asyou have males. That means two, Lou. I do know I’ve dated, however I’ve solely had intercourse withtwo of them. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to reducing that half ofmyself off. If it helps, each single one who is aware of the 2 of us thinks I’msome form of participant, fucking each woman I see apart from the sweetone who loves me.”

“I by no means advised anybody that.”

“However you didn’t defend me, did you?” He didn’t need to dothis. “Lou, I’m sorry. I don’t need to battle.”

“What if I do?” Lou requested between clenched enamel. “You knowwhat else we by no means do, TJ? Moreover have precise intercourse, we by no means battle. As a result of Ialways again down and also you at all times know that I’ll fall in line.”

“Fall in line?” He breathed out a protracted sigh as a result of hisheart ached. “I can’t do that with you. We don’t battle as a result of the very last thing Iwant to do is harm you, and it looks like me being round is hurting you. Ididn’t imply to do this. I do know you don’t imagine me, however I really like you. I really like youso fucking a lot, and I’m going to show it by doing the one factor I can do.”

Her arms crossed over her chest as she watched him with waryeyes. “What’s that? What are you able to probably do that might make issues higher forme?”

His coronary heart ached. “Depart, child. I assumed I might push myuncle to let me on the group and play a protracted sport to persuade you to take achance on us, but when that is what me being shut does to you, it’s time for usto name it.”

Her face flushed. “One battle? I get mad as soon as and also you’rewalking out? Yeah. It’s time for us to name it.”

She turned and went again to her laptop.

He stood there, totally at a loss. TJ took a protracted breath,letting the previous few minutes sink in.

She was afraid and she or he was pushing boundaries, and he’d donethe one factor he shouldn’t have. He’d given in. He’d been so decided not topush her that he hadn’t realized she would possibly have to push him. She would possibly want toshove in opposition to him to see if he would crack.

She didn’t want him to be a freaking martyr on this second.She wanted him to be her Dom.

“Louisa, I advised you to take off your fucking garments. If youaren’t bare in a single minute, we’ll transfer straight to the spanking.”

She turned, her eyes extensive. “What? You mentioned we’re over. Youdon’t get to spank me.”

He wanted to make one thing plain to her. “I had a second ofweakness, however Lou, it is advisable to perceive that it’ll by no means be over betweenus. Should you shove me out, I’ll be ready so that you can come house to me, and itwon’t matter who you’ve been with or what you’ve performed. I shall be standing thereand I’ll greet you with open arms and I’ll spend no matter time we have now leftloving you. Should you don’t, I’ll spend that point lacking you, wishing you werehere with me. You shouldn’t have to decide in the present day. You’ll be able to take what Igive you and discover consolation in it and go proper again to being mad at me. You candate whoever you need to date, and I shall be ready. So take off your clothesor say your secure phrase and I’ll go sit on the sofa till you’re able to gohome.”

Her jaw was a cussed line. “What if I don’t need you in myhouse?”

“Then I’ll sit exterior within the rain the identical approach I did when wewere seventeen and also you wouldn’t go to promenade with me.”

They stood there for a second, gazing one another, thedistance mere ft, but it surely felt like miles to TJ. It felt like there was amountain between them, however he all of the sudden knew he was going to climb it. “I’mhuman, Lou. You assume you’re afraid I’ll depart. I’m afraid you’ll determine outI’m unfit of you. However I’m performed being afraid. You would possibly change your mindsomeday, however I’m going to do every little thing I can to be sure you by no means regretbeing with me and sure, which means while you’re prepared marrying me. Dwelling withme. Having children with me, if you’d like them. Having a bunch of overly anxiousdogs with me. Rising outdated with me. I’ll do something to make that occur, butright now all that issues is the subsequent hour. Let me take all that fear away.Let me prime you.”

When her fingers when to the hem of her shirt, he knew hestill had a shot.

ChapterSixteen

Lou wasn’t even positive what she was doing, however she pulled hershirt over her head and let it fall to the ground.

Each phrase her mom had mentioned, Kala had mentioned…fuck, everyoneover the final twelve years of her life had mentioned about her and TJ was rollingthrough her system. It had at all times been so easy. She liked TJ and he couldn’tlove her again, and everybody knew the universe had by some means wronged her.Unrequited love. She was its sufferer.

However her mom was forcing her to reframe these years, tolook at them by way of a special filter, one the place she wasn’t harmless. Onewhere she did let the folks round her make assumptions about TJ that weren’ttrue.

She couldn’t face that proper now any greater than she couldface the concept that this could be over quickly.

She was caught between eager to imagine him and nonetheless beingthat woman who noticed the world as a knife’s edge she needed to stroll or everythingwould collapse. It was all nonetheless there even supposing she’d hadbeautiful stability for half her life now. These first years had indeliblymarked her, and if she couldn’t recover from them, she would possibly lose the most effective thingthat ever occurred to her.

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