Page 126 of Delayed Penalty

“You do?”

She nods. “Yeah, I really do. I don’t know when it happened exactly or how or why, but I do. I love you even though I’m not supposed to. Even though it’s not what we agreed on. Even though I’ll probably screw this up somehow too.”

I pinch her side lightly. “Stop that. You’re not going to screw this up. If anything, I probably will.”

She pinches me back. “Youstop that. You won’t screw it up.”

“Uh, hello? Do you remember why you’re sitting on the floor of George’s eating two dozen cookies?”

“It wasnottwo dozen. It was only like six cookies…or nine. I don’t know. I lost count.” She shrugs, then twists her lips. “Whydidyou bring another nanny over?”

“For you.”

“Come again?”

“For you,” I repeat. “You start school next month, remember? I told you I was going to take care of things when it came to Flora. That includes getting a new nanny so you can focus on school and follow your dream.”

She stares down at me, her mouth slightly ajar. She blinks. Then again. And again.

“You fired me so I can go to school?”

“I didn’tfireyou. I was just hoping you’d take on a different position. A promotion, if you will.”

“A promotion? From live-in nanny to what?”

“Live-ingirlfriend. Like officially. I figured you could move into my room.”

“You…” She shakes her head. “You want me to move into your room? To be your official girlfriend? After everyone already knows I was your nanny first?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s… That’s ridiculous! They’re going to know, Hayes.”

“So? Do you think I give a shit what they think? I don’t, Quinn. I don’t care because I love you. I fucking love you, okay? I’ve never done that before. I’ve never loved someone. I’ve never cared enough to love someone because why should I? People are shitty. But you… You’re not. You’re everything I didn’t know I needed. You’re smart, and you’re funny, and you’re so good to Flora. You wear stupid earrings that drive me nuts, and you eat way too much fucking butterscotch, but you have a big heart and an even bigger ass, and I just love you, okay? I’m just madly fucking in love with you. Can’t you believe that?”

A slow smile curves her lips.

“What?” I ask softly, not sure I want to know the answer when she’s looking at me like she is.

“You just somehow managed to insult meandcompliment mybig asswhile also telling me you’re madly in love with me.”

“I’m…sorry?”

“Don’t be. It was perfectly you. It’s what I love about you.” She sucks in a deep breath. “I think I might have fallen for you when you came over to my apartment and forced me to eat pizza.”

“When I found yourboxof sex toys, you mean?”

“If I remember correctly, you’re quite fond of those sex toys.”

I smirk, remembering the last time we played withthem when I fucked her from behind while torturing her clit with a wand. She was so spent afterward I had to carry her to the shower and wash her myself.

“Anyway,” she says, “you barged into my apartment and helped me pack. You yelled at me for inviting strangers into my house, then you fed me pizza and I was so confused. I couldn’t understand how you could be such a jerk one minute, then sweet as hell the next. But then I realized that’s just who you are. You act like you don’t care, but you do. You probably care way more than anyone else. You care about Flora, you care about me, you care for your teammates. You’re a good guy with a big heart that you hide behind this façade. You let everyone think you’re just an immature, irresponsible moron, but you’re not. You had a shit life. You were dealt horrible parents and possibly an even worse brother, and yet, you still made something of yourself. Yeah, you’ve made some mistakes along the way, but who hasn’t? All through that, you’ve owned up to it. You’ve never shied away or pretended to be anything other than who you are, and it’s admirable, really. You’re justyou, and that’s what I love so much. Well, that and the way you whisper honey in my ear when you’re deep inside me.”

I laugh, loving that she had to ruin her speech like I ruined mine. That’s who we are. We’re both messes, and that’s why we work so well together.

I slide my hand around the nape of her neck, pulling her to me and brushing my lips against hers in a soft kiss.

“I love you, Quinn Penelope Benson.”

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