I’m still trying to work out how I’m meant to feel after the way he treated me this morning. One thing I do know is, it made me feel worthless, cheap, and I will absolutely never go there again.
Putting on some pink lipstick and pinching my cheeks because I’m way too lazy to do any sort of makeup this morning, I step outside.
What I see sitting waiting there shocks me.
On my front step, Gunner’s dressed in a suit that probably cost more than most people’s entire wardrobe. And he’s sitting on the dirty step, in said suit, with his head down and his hands clutching at either side.
Gunner doesn’t notice me straight away, so I cough. He spins to the noise and sees me standing behind him. He pushes up, brushing away any dirt from his pants and smirks.
I don’t.
I won’t.
I will not have him near me right now!
“You’re angry,” he states.
Well, hello, Mr. Obvious. It’s been a few hours since I left his apartment and I have tried to think of a single reason why he’d kick me out so harshly after the night we shared.
That type of sex makes you want to fall in love.
Best sex of my fucking life.
“What do you want, Gunner?”
He eyes me up and down.
Oh, shit! It’s so unfair that he has this type of effect on me. A simple damn look, and I want to forgive and forget the way he treated me.
No! That’s not going to happen.
“Why are you dressed like that?”
My hand falls to my hip. “Like what?”
“Like a good girl.”
My mouth opens and closes. “I am a good girl,” I state.
He shakes his head slowly and takes one step, pinching his lip between his teeth as he looks at me. “You and I both know that’s not true. You play the role, but you like to be spanked.” I can feel my cheeks heating as he takes another step closer to me. “I came to apologize. I’m not used to having a woman sleep at my house.”
I cross my arms over my chest in some sort of protective gesture at his words, not believing him. “Well, where do you sleep with all your women?” I roll my eyes.
“Never at my home.” He says it in such a way that my hands fall away from my chest, because for some strange reason I actually believe him. “Can I accompany you?” Gunner offers me his hand.
I look to it, wanting to take it. My heart’s trying to protect itself, however my mind and body have other ideas. He has me under a spell, one I can’t seem to break.
Perhaps the spell should be called ‘hot and cold’ because he’s giving me whiplash.
“No, I’m not ready for that step yet.”
“You’re visiting your parents?” he asks.
Good guess.
“Yes.”
He steps back down a step, and his eyes skirt around before they come back to mine. “Okay, later then?” he asks as if he’s giving me a chance to object. I don’t. “Call me so I can collect you.”
My father’s driver pulls up, gets out of the car and holds open the door. I walk past Gunner, not saying a word. When I’m in the car, I turn around and he isn’t there anymore.
Did I just dream that?
“Hope you’ve been well, miss,” Paul, the driver, asks and I nod my head. “Your father has been asking about you because you didn’t come last week.”
Of course, he has. I didn’t attend my scheduled lunch last week because we had a private function at the café which I couldn’t miss. Papa was not happy. Actually, he was furious, but seemed to calm down a little once I told him how important the function was to me. Papa doesn’t care much about my little café. Unfortunately, he’s more interested in me taking an interest in his business affairs, but more importantly, getting married. So anything to do with the café is regarded as a waste of time as far as he’s concerned.
It doesn’t take long until we pull up at the gated community in Evergreen. My father’s house is the biggest, the best, the most luxurious. And that’s because he owns the property and most of the houses built on the land.
In the community, my father knows everyone. Everyone who lives here has to buy through my father and must also be approved by my father, which means they have to meet the strict guidelines he has set. The community is full of businessmen, tycoons, or just plain arrogant snobs. Most of them pretending to be someone they’re not.
So, when we pull in his driveway, it’s no surprise that a few cars are already here, and my father’s standing out front waiting for me.
Dark hair and worry lines etch his face as he steps out and pulls my door open. He greets me with a hug so big you’d think it’s been months since he last saw me.