Page 128 of Defiant Beta

“Thanks,” I say as I take a seat on a stool at the kitchen island.

He cracks eggs into a bowl. “For?”

“The clothes. That’s what I was looking for you to say. And to apologize for telling you to fuck off last night.”

“Did you mean it?” He lifts his head to look at me.

“Last night?” I consider my state of mind last night, and nod. “Yeah. Why?”

Suddenly, he’s close, eggs forgotten. I nearly tip myself off my stool, I’m that surprised. One large hand at the back of my neck and the other on my stool keeps me from cracking my head open on the kitchen floor.

He stares into my face, his expression so fierce that for a second, I’m afraid. “Neverapologize for telling someone invading your space to fuck off.”

Oh.

“Even you?”

“Especiallyme. I never…”

I wait a second, then clear my throat. “You never what?”

“Want to scare you or…”

“Or?” My God, this man is infuriating.

“Hurt you. Not again.” It’s almost a whisper, but he’s breathing hard. So am I when I realize two inches separate his mouth from mine.

Randomly, I remember him asking if I had a boyfriend. “I don’t.”

He blinks at me, confused. “Don’t what?”

“Have a boyfriend. There was a guy. A while ago, but that was before I made my whole life about saving my sister.”

Something shifts between us. Something monumental.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Why did you ask?”

Another stretch of charged silence weaves around us.

“I needed to know you were free.”

“Why?”

He licks his lips, hesitating.

“I will smack you over the head with a frying pan if you’re vague about this,” I warn him, poking a finger at his chest foremphasis. “I know you were making me breakfast with it, but I’ll do it.”

Laughter briefly lights up his eyes. “I can’t stop thinking about you. Or wanting you.”

I stop breathing.

He continues, “It would be wrong to do those things if you belong to someone else.”

Now I’m the one hesitating.

His eyes search mine. “Della?”

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