Page 95 of Wild Blades

“It wasn’t a question.”

A flash of humor dances across her face. “Okay, well, I have a question.”

“Ask away.” I push my other hand behind my head. I can’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed. Everything with Kali feels easy and natural. As if we’ve been chatting like this our entire lives.

“Were you jealous last night when you thought I was out on a date?”

“Yes,” I answer immediately.

My answer seems to amuse her and, grinning down at me, she says, “I have another question.”

“Okay.”

Smooth skin over high cheekbones, she sucks her cheeks in a little, and I feel like she’s gathering all of her courage before she asks, “Where do you see this going?”

“This, as in us?” I’m glad she asked. It’s something I thought about when I woke up and watched her sleeping for longer than I care to admit before I jumped out of bed this morning.

“As in, is it a onetime thing, or, more, or…” Her words trail off and I can tell by the way she’s biting her lip, which I’ve only seen her do a couple of times, she’s nervous.

“Can I ask you something first?”

“Yes,” she replies.

Worry rises in my gut. “Realistically, can you see yourself dating me?” Opening her mouth to butt in, I quickly place my forefinger on her lips to stop her. “Let me finish. Seriously, Kali,the paps will have a field day about our age difference. They will intrude on your life again, which I know you’re not keen on, and it could get out of hand rapidly. Can you seriously see yourself dating an asshole like me? I have more emotional baggage than Air Canada can handle.” It’s not just that. “There’s your business. We’d have to tell Marcus and Savanna from people operations.” I’m actually very concerned about that after Britney got the sack after sleeping with me.Will they fire Kali? Fuck, I can’t even think about that. I don’t want her to lose her contract or damage her reputation. And I am not being transferred. No fucking way.

“There’s the fans,” I add. Supportive as they can be, some of them can be outspoken if they take a dislike to you. I can almost hear the derogatory chants now, and I don’t want that for her. They’ll call her a cradle robber, and me a cougar hunter. Although, it would be funny because it’s not true. “You’ve changed your career so you can semi-slip out of the limelight. If you date me, you’ll be smack bang in the middle of it again. Fully. No hiding. And they’ll question every fucking reason we’re together. Publicity stunt, age difference, fake relationship. You’re beautiful, smart, and successful, whereas I have been a huge dumbass and used people’s faces as punching bags to get me through the last year.”

I’m quiet for a moment to let what I've said register, then I lay everything else out on the table. “But know this, Kali. If we date, I will worship you every day of every week, of every month, of every year. I earn my own money and don’t need yours. I’ll buy you flowers for no reason other than I want to, shower you with gifts, cook meals when you’re tired after a long day, and wash your invisible car.” I make her giggle, her eyes turning watery at my declaration.

“I’m self-sufficient, and independent. I’m career driven, although when you met me, you may not have felt that, but I’m learning from my mistakes.”

Removing my hand from the back of my head, I grip her waist and sit up. Legs on either side of me, her shins resting on the floor, we sit face to face, and I continue because I’d given this a lot of thought before I showed up at her house last night and again this morning. “I never want you to think you have to change. The age gap makes no difference to me. I want to discover everything about you, not the shit the media publishes. I want to get to know you, the real you, warts and all. Not that you have any.” She giggles again and I savor it as it’s a sound I’ve become addicted to.

“I will never stop you doing what you love, what you want, or stop you from spending time with friends or family. I will treat you like a queen. I have never fucked about with girls. I don’t cheat.”

I leave no stone left unturned. “I want this, us.” I let those words hang in the air between us as it feels good to finally admit it. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks, but maybe we should keep us on the down low for the next few weeks before going public. I want to enjoy this time getting to know you and vice versa before a circus of paparazzi camps out everywhere we go.”

It’s a lot to take in, but we can’t take our relationship any further if either of us has doubts. I’m not fucking around here either. If I’m doing this, I’m all in.

“So, after all that I’ve said, I’ll ask you again, Kali. Realistically, can you see yourself dating me?”

“You’ll wash my invisible car?”

Genuinely amused, I burst out laughing. “I’ll even vacuum it out for you.”

“Every Sunday without fail?”

“I promise.”

“Then count me in.”

I think my heart just exploded inside my chest. My future looks sunnier with her in it.

“Yeah?” I ask, disbelieving her slightly.

Wiggling in my lap, she presses her bare pussy against my boxers and my cock twitches in response. “I agree with everything you just said.”

She rocks back and forth, her little whimpers making all the blood rush to the end of my dick.

---