Page 70 of Bad Boy Next Door
“Come on.”
I shrugged. My life had been a picnic compared to hers, and I couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t seem trivial. “What do you want to know?”
She cocked her head to the side. “What did you want to be when you were a little boy?”
“I can’t remember.”
“I don’t buy that.” She grinned with mischief. “No way you always wanted to be a bouncer.”
“You’re wrong. When the other boys at school were dreaming of being cowboys and firemen, I was dreaming of being a strip club bouncer. It’s all I ever wanted.”
“Come on, really. You must have had dreams. You must still.”
I shrugged, the warmth twisting into unease in my gut. “Dreams are for chumps. Better to face up to reality. Who you are. What you are.”
She leaned back, studying me. “And what do you think you are?”
“You know who I am. I’m an open book.” I crossed my arms.
“Tell me.” She leaned forward. So close I could touch her again if I unfolded my arms.
“I’m a thug. The muscle man. An enforcer.”
“But who are youreally?” She put a hand on my thigh. “If you could do anything, be anything, what would it be?”
“Who says I don’t like my life?”
“I dunno. I just…” Leaning back, she studied me intently. For a moment I took it as a dare, a staring contest, but I was being a dick. My arms unfurled.
“I’m not sure what I want.” I touched her cheek. “Doing what I do, it was natural, I guess. As soon as I got big, I got put into my role.”
“How’s that?”
“Me, my brothers, we fit together. Actually, it’s kind of perfect how we’re all good at different things. Keagan’s got a brain for planning, Mac can charm anyone, negotiate deals, Dillon fixes stuff, figures things out, how things work, Shane’s agile, fast, brave beyond belief, and I’m the muscle.”
“But you’re more than muscle.”
“You don’t like my muscles?” I leaned toward her.
“Oh, I like them just fine.” She trailed her fingers over my stomach, and my dick woke. “But you’re more than that. Sounds like your brothers decided what you were going to do, who you were going to be. Sounds to me like you let your brothers push you around.”
“It’s not like that.” And even if she was right on some levels, my brothers were there for me. Always. We were a team. Nothing was more important than family.
I grabbed her chair and tugged it toward me, moving her between my spread legs. “No one tells me what to do.”
“Oh, now that’s where you’re wrong.” She slid her hands up my chest to land around my neck. “I’m in charge still, remember?”
“What’s your command?” I growled close to her ear.
“Kiss me, then take me to bed.”
Capturing her lips with mine, I stood and swept her out of the chair and into my arms.
Once in the bedroom, I pulled back my duvet, laid her down gently, and stretched out beside her, pulling the cover over us both. With a sigh, she snuggled against my chest, and I draped an arm over her body, overwhelmed by my instinct to protect her.
I loved that Jade saw more to me than my size, even if I wasn’t sure what she was seeing, but right now, at this moment, my only thoughts were to keep her safe.
