Page 95 of Are You Going to Love Me

“Down here watching,” Eden hummed, crossing her legs on her couch.

He chose to circle back to that comment once he got back. “You home?”

“Yeah. Your house is big and lonely for one person. Plus, I had some brand deals come through this morning, so I needed to film.”

He groaned, realizing that circling back to her previous comment was only going to have her dancing in her head more and more. “Eden. Baby.”

“Hm?” she sweetly buzzed. “What?”

“You doing that shit again,” he stated. “Stop doin’ that. Minimizing your role and what you want.”

“Max, I’m being real. You’re about to take off. Like, I don’t think you get how fuckin’ big you’re about to be. And I’m okay with not being included in those plans or hanging off at your side. I understand that sometimes there won’t be room for me.”

“Too late for that, E,” he rumbled. “You’ve weaved yourself all into my plans, so if I’m taking off, we taking off. That’s how this shit is going to work. There will always be room for you. Heard me?”

“Heard you.”

“We gon’ talk about it again?”

“Nope,” Eden said, making the motion to zip her lips.

“E, I’m not going to drop you,” he assured.

“I hear you.”

“Uh huh. Why you leave the house for real?”

Eden shrugged. “I might’ve missed you. Might’ve been a little lonely. Might’ve gotten into my head.”

His brow rose. “Might. Let me help you out. I miss you. Can’t wait to get back so I can sleep.”

“I’d like that,” Eden hummed. “I can’t sleep either. The teddy bear is nice, but it just doesn’t cut it. I’m getting used to the real thing.”

“Then stop trying to sabotage it because this shit is new and it’s scaring you. It’s scaring me too, but I don’t run. And rule number one...”

“Ain’t no runnin’,” she crooned. “Hang up before I have flashbacks.”

A grin covered Maximus’ face, exposing his perfect smile as he laughed. “Mmhmm been in the apartment playing with my shit, huh?”

Eden covered her face and laughed. “I mean a rose once or twice.”

“Once or twice? The look on your face means you been wearing that muhfucka out,” Maximus joked.

“You get on my nerves,” Eden giggled. “Stay out of my business, Max.”

“That’s my business, you had it all in my face. Does it still work? It don’t have shit on me.”

“It’s a close second.”

Maximus quieted his laughter for a moment. “Eden, I need you to just say what it is, baby. You want me home, you need me home, you miss me, say that shit.”

“Uh uh. I’m not demanding nothing from a man that ain’t mine for real,” she sassed with a roll of her eyes. “On that note, I'm going to sleep.”

“When I knock, let me in.”

“I’ll think about it, Maximus. I might be busy again.”

“You like playing games. I got some prizes for your stubborn ass.”

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