Page 92 of Violent Little Thing

I’d watched her accidentally lean back too far several times and throw her hands up in the air as if she expected to fall, only for it to not fall.

But if you pushed it, like I did in that moment, she leaned all the way back, giving me access to her mouth.

She inhaled swiftly, her eyes wide, as I leaned in for the kiss.

She groaned, her hands going to either side of my face, then dropped them to her lap.

I pulled away to look into her eyes just as she said, “Okay, you can fuck me on your office desk.”

I grinned. “Can I now?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “Now that I own more of the company, you can’t fire me. It’s in the bylaws, I think.”

“Why would I fire you?”

She looked vulnerable for a short second as she said, “Because you get tired of me? Because I say or do something that pisses you off? Because you find someone better? Because you realize that I’m nothing like your wife, and never will be?”

I dropped down to my haunches so that she was face to face with me and trapped her in using my arms as a cage.

“First off,” I said. “You’re the first person in years that has made me feel like a person and not a monster. Second, I’ll never get pissed off enough to leave. You could shoot me in the foot, and I’ll still be here…after I get back from the hospital. I won’t find anyone better, because I don’t think it’s possible to accomplish. You’re the best woman that I’ve ever met, like I’ve already said. And as for what you said about being nothing like my wife…that’s a good thing. I’ll love Lauri for eternity. She was my first love. My first everything. But she wasn’t my last. She wouldn’t want me to be unhappy. She would want me to find someone that makes me want to get up in the morning. Someone that makes me laugh. Someone that makes me feel. And that’s you, Charleigh. I haven’t felt anything like what you make me feel. I’m obsessed with you. I was just thinking that I wanted to chain you to my side. Does that sound like a man that’ll get tired of you? Because I won’t. I didn’t have this kind of need until there was you.”

Her shoulders slumped. “I think I’m in love with you.”

She covered her mouth, almost as if she was expecting me to contradict her.

But all I could do was grin. “I’m a little bit broken inside, but each day that you’re here, you heal a part of me that I didn’t realize was broken. In answer…I love you, too.”

She sniffled. “You mean that?”

I leaned forward and gathered her into my arms, hugging her so tightly that she couldn’t get her hands out from between us until I let up slightly.

As I did, she slapped her hands against my cheeks and said, “I have some questions.”

“I have some answers,” I teased.

She smiled, though it was sad. “Do you want kids?”

My heart panged.

But even still, it didn’t hurt enough to say no.

“I want them. Eventually,” I admitted. “Maybe when we’re married, though. So I know you’re not going anywhere.”

She snorted. “I’m in no rush.”

“Good.”

“As for getting married, I don’t like a lot of pomp. As you know, I don’t like wasting money. We may be rich now, but I’ll never spend that money. I’ll buy the essentials, but I’m not going to go out to eat. I’m never going to be okay with a new car. I certainly don’t buy clothes from the store. I only shop secondhand.” She paused. “Also, I’m a big couponer.”

I rolled my eyes. “You don’t get rich by spending your money, honey.”

She snorted.

“And…I kind of hate the Condors.”

I grinned. “I know.”

“I don’t really want anything to do with them. I’ll work with the Cowgirls…I’ll go to the occasional game. I’ll work in the office with you for both teams. But I don’t want to watch games. I don’t want to really have much of anything to do with the team if I don’t have to.”