She’s a virgin, which means she’ll forever be mine.
No other man is ever going to touch her, taste her, see her in any sexual scenario whatsoever… except for me, only me.
But the memory of the way she walked out last time is too potent. There’s a difference between going on a date, kissing, being together, and the whole life I want us to share.
Would she run if she knew the full force of my need?
Her answer comes slowly, as she aims those soft eyes at me, her shield of sassiness slipping away completely to show me the real, beautiful Rosie.
“Because that’s not really an answer, is it? Just because I’m me – whatever that means – it doesn’t change the fact I’m nothing like the women you train.”
“Training people is my job,” I snarl, moving closer to her.
I need to be as close to her as possible, always, to feel the heat of her body and to breathe in the perfect scent of her. To taste her womb in the air, tempting me to drive up inside of her and show her how ready she really is, no matter what she says.
“It doesn’t mean I hold the Hollywood ideal of beauty to some gold standard. It’s how I make my money. It’s what studios demand. But you, Rosie, you… with your curves and your cute-as-fuck shortness and your long wavy messy gorgeous hair, you’re who I want. So give me your damn dress size so I can highlight those curves tonight.”
Some of her sassiness returns to her expression, spunky in the extreme. “So you’re saying I’m more attractive than the Hollywood stars you’ve trained?”
“Hell yes,” I growl. “That’s not even a question.”
She raises her hand as I move closer, pawing at my chest. I can feel the lust brimming inside her in the way she grabs hold tightly, digging her fingernails in like there’s a force inside of her as powerful as the one inside of me.
And there is. I can sense it with every nerve of my being.
“Really?”
I loop my arms around her, pressing her close, feeling her heartbeat hammering against me.
“Yes, really. Now stop asking so many questions until you’ve answered mine. What is your dress size?”
She looks up with so much emotion in her eyes.
“I’ll never hurt you,” I tell her gruffly, reading the look there. “I’ll never trick you. I’ll never bully you. Never. Do you understand? I’d fucking eradicate any bastard who made you feel less than what you are – a beautiful, curvy goddamn goddess.”
“A goddess? Don’t you think that’s going a bit far?”
“No, no I don’t.”
“Okay…”
She visibly summons her courage before she gives me her size. I stow away the information for later, my mind spiriting to all the gorgeous clothes I can put her in, my cock giving an urgent twitch at the thought.
“See,” I smirk, bringing my mouth to hers. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
I kiss her hard because there’s no other way to kiss her when there’s so much animal need inside of me. She whimpers and leans against me, and we sink into the kiss.
But I can also sense her holding back a little, perhaps worried I’ll lose control again and put her in an awkward position.
So I pull back, warning myself to wait.
For our date… and what comes after.
“So then,” I say, “now that’s all arranged. Shall we get started?”
A definite look of relief lights her features.
She wants to wait. And I need to respect that, even if I know it’s going to be the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life.
“Sounds good to me,” she replies.
Chapter Fourteen
Rosie
“You’re what?” Sadie’s voice is overflowing with disbelief as she yells down the phone. “Are you serious?”
I sit in the break room, watching as the college students walk by the window. I never entertained the idea of going to college, preferring to work on my art in private… with the goal, eventually, of trying to get some of it out there. But as time went on, the thought became more and more intimidating, until I fell into a sort of stasis where my work is concerned.
It makes me think of what Ryker said, about putting myself out there.
The hope in his voice, his belief, prompts something in me, making me think maybe I can. Maybe I don’t have to hide my work away.
“Rosie?” Sadie says urgently, laughing at the same time. “This isn’t the time to go floating off into daydream land. You just told me you’re going on a date with Ryker. Or am I hearing things?”
“No, that’s what I said.”
I smooth my hand over my belly, imagining for one ridiculous moment that there’s a baby in there, Ryker’s baby, and we’re on our way to a glittering happy-ever-after.
Warning myself to calm down, I focus on Sadie’s voice instead. Just because he wants to go on a date, just because he wants me for more than sex, that doesn’t mean he wants a readymade future the same way I do.