Page 41 of Prince Charming

“Yep.”

“It’s not right. I can’t take all this from you.”

“Cook me dinner, make it fair.” But then he added. “We’ll stop for groceries.”

“You want me to cook a meal with the food you also buy?”

He was a goddamn genius. “Yep.” Marianna’s scowl didn’t agree.

“Tag.” She sighed, leaning her shoulder into his chest.

Did she realize she’d been doing that more lately?Yeah, baby, use my body.

“Never said being my friend would be fair, darlin’.”

“You are very sweet.”Shoot him fucking now, “but insufferable. Does anyone tell you no?” Yeah, plenty. He didn’t like hearing it from Marianna, though.

He’d never known what a glutton for punishment he was until she came into his life. Now he sought any contact with her to get a fix, even if he had to become her best fucking friend for life.

She thought he was her savior. Some fuckingPrince. When in reality, he was a nasty bastard who dreamed about painting her in his come, having her smell like him all day so she was sticky and turned on by hisfilthy need.

Fuck him. He was screwed. Because he couldn’t stay away from her.

Wanted to help her more than he wanted to help anyone else.

Tag wasn’t altruistic.

Nor did he want paying back, but if she wanted to climb all over him, he wouldn’t refuse.

Every shy smile she sent his way made his stomach swoop.

It was a currency a man like him didn’t know he wanted. He’d be the most productive pervert there was if he spent every day watching her go through her daily routine.

Dark hair, begging for his fist wrapped around it, cascaded down her back as they waited for the kid to ring up their purchases. Inching closer into his space, he could swear she was seeking comfort from him. Tag touched her hip, reassuring her that everything was fine.

She needed a phone. How the fuck had she lasted this long without one? And the tablet would make video chatting easier for her as soon as he got the internet hooked up at her apartment.

He shared that news once he got her in the truck.

“No. Absolutely not. I won’t let you.”

Wasn’t she getting it yet? Tag did whatever the fuck he wanted.

“Don’t you wanna be able to Facetime with your kids whenever you want to?”

The question hesitated her, witnessing the pain and longing firsthand. He shouldn’t use her heart against her to get his own way. While he pulled out into traffic, he watched her nibble on her full lower lip. Sitting so properly; he wondered what she’d look like if he dirtied her up, got her riled enough she lost her temper and flung a hissy fit.

Would he need to calm her down, to handle her passion with his two hands?

Damn, he had to scrub that image from his mind, or he’d scare her with the way his erection filled the cab of his truck.

“I do, but it’s my responsibility. I can’t keep taking things from you when I’m unable to pay you back.”

“Not asking for payment, darlin’.”

“I know you aren’t, but it doesn’t make it right to take things from you, Tag.”

She sounded so deflated; he turned to her at a stop sign. “Listen, Marianna. You gotta get it out of your head that you need to pay me back. I don’t want it, or expect it. If I’m doing shit for you, let me. I want to.”

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