Page 98 of Body Shot

“I just explained it all to you!”

I shake my head, trying to make sense of it. Yes, I understand her commitment. I don’t just understand it, Iadmireit. I support her in it. I want her to succeed as much as she does. But that doesn’t mean she can’t have a life. I thought I’d shown her the importance of balance.

Maybe not.

Maybe I’mnotsuch a good influence. Huh. Like my parents always told me.

I frown. “How much was the grant for?”

“Ten million dollars.”

“Bah. I’ll write you a fucking check for that.”

She scowls, shaking her head. “This is serious, Beck.”

“I’m serious. I’m dead fucking serious.” I lean forward. “It’ll take me a few days, but I’ll get you that money.”

She gapes at me. “What are you talking about?”

“Okay, listen. I never told you this, but I have money.”

She continues to stare at me.

“I told you about my family.”

“Yes . . . ”

“My grandpa left me money when he died. I invested it and it’s done pretty well. I can easily give you ten million dollars.”

She stares, her jaw nearly on her lap. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“I’m not kidding. Come on, Hayden. Take the money. Take some pressure off yourself. Let yourself live life a little. There’s no reason we can’t keep seeing each other.”

I feel like I’m begging, but dammit, I have no shame when it comes to her. I haven’t known her long, but there’s no fucking way I’m letting her shut me out of her life. We’re good together. Yeah, there’s intense sexual chemistry, but it’s more than that.

She jumps to her feet, her hands in fists, her body stiff. “I can’t take ten million dollars from you!” she shrieks. “Are you insane?”

I frown and stand too. “No, I’m not insane. I’m trying to help here.”

Her look of incredulity is almost funny. Maybe I should have dropped this knowledge on her a little sooner. But whatever. I try one of my most charming smiles. “Come on, baby. It’s all good.”

“It’snotgood!” She unfists her hands and splays her fingers out in front of her. “I can’t believe this! First, I still don’t know if you’re making up some far-fetched story, but if you’re not, I can’t believe you never told me this, and Jesus Christ, Beck, you can’t just give away ten million dollars! And I can’t take it! Just so we can continue having crazy jungle sex in more positions than I knew existed.”

Any other time I would have laughed at that, but her wrath is so genuine I don’t even crack a smile.

“That makes me feel like an extremely high-priced prostitute,” she snaps. “Ten million dollars, wow!”

Now anger rises in me in a hot surge. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. That’s ridiculous.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “I’m ridiculous?”

“No.” I let out an exasperated growl.

“Just go, Beck. Please.”

“No.” Annoyance sharpens my voice. “Calm down, Hayden, Jesus—”

“Calm down?”

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