Page 46 of Forgotten Desires

Well, that’s good—I think.

“All right. Do you have any rules?”

Crew runs his hands through his thick hair. “Two rules. One of them is that we don’t lie to each other. We have to be able to trust one another, even if we’re in this for unconventional reasons. I don’t want you to tell me you want something you don’t or the other way. You’ll never have to wonder if I mean what I say because I won’t lie to you.”

“Okay, I can do that.” Honestly, it’ll be nice to not have to question everything, and I hate lying, so this is great. “What’s the second rule?”

“No matter what, Layla comes first,” Crew says with a firm voice I imagine he uses in business.

“I would never ask otherwise.”

He shakes his head. “I didn’t think you would. I just mean that her happiness, her needs, they’ll always be my first priority. I need you to understand that. Whatever we need to do to protect her, keep her safe, and help her recover from whatever hell her mother is putting her through, that’s what we do.”

The way he says ‘we’ makes my chest tighten. I may have only met Layla once, but already she matters to me, it’s why I’m here with a big ole rock on my hand. I move to him, taking his hand in mine. “Of course.”

He smiles hesitantly. “I have one more offer.”

“What’s that?”

“If you change your mind, you’re welcome to use my body in any way you want.”

We both laugh and I drop his hand, rolling my eyes as I do. “Such a man. Now that we have that settled, I need to change into something comfy and try to familiarize myself with my new home. When do you have Layla again?” I ask.

“This weekend. There’s not a chance in hell that Jacqueline will let us have her for the wedding. She’s going to lose her ever-loving mind tomorrow when this all breaks. Are you ready for it?”

“As much as I’ll ever be.”

He lifts my chin up so our eyes meet. “I will never let her hurt you.”

It’s him that I’m worried will hurt me, but I just smile and let him kiss me softly before he walks out.

* * *

“Oh, this is the best news ever!” Celeste, the housekeeper, says as she rushes around the kitchen island to hug me. I unpacked my small bag and then came down to find the kitchen for a cup of tea. “I’m so happy to hear about this! I’ve hoped and prayed that Mr. Knight would find someone. To think, ten years you two were apart and to find each other after all this time.” She dabs at her eyes and then smiles. “Anything you need! Anything! You just ask.”

“Thank you.” I can tell I’m going to absolutely love her. “I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

“Are you telling her how much you love me?” Crew walks in, wearing a pair of basketball shorts slung low on his hips, and his shirt leaves little to the imagination. Dear God. I am pretty sure I’m drooling.

His body is absolutely stunning. I know men aren’t supposed to be beautiful and all that, but he is.

He’s beautiful and hot and . . . we arenotgoing to have sex.

I’m starting to think I’m a damn idiot for that rule.

“Yes, I can’t seem to stop myself,” I say with a sugary sweet lilt.

He chuckles and then slaps me on the ass with his towel that’s draped around his shoulder as he walks past me. “I’m going in the gym, then maybe we can watch a movie on the big screen before bed?”

“A movie? Do you have a theater in here too?”

Celeste giggles. “He does.”

Of course he does.

“Sure, that sounds great. Wait, you’re going to work out?” I ask, looking at the clock. It’s almost eleven at night.

“I didn’t this morning and I need to run and clear my head.”

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