Page 58 of Let Me Love You

I need to woman up and tell him it was only physical. I can’t handle emotions right now. Maybe not ever. But I can possibly have a sex-only relationship with Victor—if he agrees. People do “friends with benefits” every day, so I should be able to handle it, too. I’m a grown-ass woman.

But there’s not just me and my feelings to consider.

I sigh. As I suspected would happen from the beginning, Summer always looks at Victor with hearts in her eyes. If she was never threatened, I wouldn’t have accepted his offer. Now, she’ll be the most heartbroken out of all of us.

“Earth to Serenity,” Harmony says, pulling me from my thoughts. “You’ve been staring at the clothes in your closet for five minutes without moving.”

I flinch. “Sorry. I was lost in thought.”

“I saw Victor with Sully downstairs. And your man”—she wiggles her eyebrows when I glare over at her—“just told me that the clinic called to schedule you for your first volunteer shift on Monday.” She steps up beside me and pulls me in for a hug. Her arms wrap around mine so I can’t embrace her back. “I’m so happy you can still follow your calling in taking care of people.”

Victor’s big mouth is going to make it so I can’t tell anyone my good news.

“I literally just hung up with them thirty minutes ago. I can’t believe he already told you.”

She releases me, and her face turns serious. “You should’ve seen how proud he was when he spoke of you. I think he’s falling in love.”

“No,” I say harsher than intended. “Absolutely not.”

“Then maybe you need to tell—”

I shoot her a glare, and her words fall off. “I need to finish getting ready. Can I have some privacy?”

A soft knock sounds. Harmony’s hesitant eyes meet mine. “I bet that’s him now.”

Ignoring her look, I go to the door. My breath hitches as I take him in. He’s wearing khakis and a button-up shirt. No tie. His shirt isn’t tucked in. And he has on these brown boots that somehow make me press my thighs together. This is the most “normal” I’ve ever seen him.

Victor’s lips hitch up in a tentative smile when I meet his gaze. “Do you like what you see?”

Harmony slips past us, but neither of us looks at her. “I’ll go hang out with Summer so you two can talk.”

Talk? That’s absolutely the last thing I want to do right now.

Victor shifts, and his shirt tightens around his lean muscles, like it’s another layer of his skin. Even though I know I shouldn’t, I’m not a strong enough woman to resist checking him out.

Giving in to the physical urges was a mistake. Now, I can picture pulling him inside my room and stripping off his clothes. I bite my lip. I shouldn’t be thinking about this. If we continue down a physical path, it will lead to carnage.

He glances side to side, probably checking to make sure we have privacy. “If you don’t stop looking at me like that, I’m coming inside your room and locking this door.”

“Only if you agree anything we do is just sex,” I say breathlessly, finally voicing what I haven’t been able to until now. “It’s all I can handle.” My voice comes out softer than intended, and I want to kick myself for sounding so pathetic.

I know I shouldn’t agree to anything physical again, yet I can’t resist. I also know proposing such a thing to a man like Victor—who deserves everything—is an asshole move.

His gaze softens, and something I can’t quite pinpoint crosses his face. Maybe longing? “I’ll worship your body whenever you allow me to.”

I nod, fire already igniting to life within my veins. On these rare occasions, it can be just us. No outside pressure. No strings attached. Only two people making each other feel good.

I drop my gaze and look down at my clasped fingers. I can still back out. I should. I need to. But none of those words come out. Instead, I ask, “Can I take care of you today?”

He takes two steps forward and closes the door behind him before locking it, like he promised, and I shiver.

I’ve ached for his hands on me again no matter how much I’ll deny it. “Have you thought about me since the hotel?”

He nods and steps in closer. “Have you gotten off since I made you come?” Victor’s voice deepens. “Or have you been a good girl?”

I look up at him from under my eyelashes. “I’ve been good.”

He closes the space between us, and I hold my ground even though I have the urge to back up. “I love when you’re a good girl.”