Page 143 of The True Garza
“Does that make me a perv then? ’Cause the thoughts I have when I’m ‘caretaking’ are pretty graphic.”
“See, you say stuff like that and then….” I trail off with a miserable groan. “You aren’t in tune with me like you used to be….”
“No?”
“You scold me for being cranky and miserable and mean to the people who care about me, butmyTrue would’ve known—”
“I know why you’re acting out, London.”
“Then why aren’t you giving me what I want? You’ve nevernotgiven me what I want.”
“Because if I touch you like that again….” He trails off on a sigh. “I won’t be able to let you go.”
“How’s taking me to your brother’s wedding reception any different?”
“It’s platonic.”
Is he serious right now?“It’s foreplay! Oh my god, do you know how hard it is to be around you and not jump you? And you take advantage of the fact that Iphysically can’t. I’m so sexually frustrated, it feels like I’m gonna explode.”
“Do you want me to stop coming around?” The insincerity in that question is as palpable as a razor blade. “If it’ll make you feel better….”
Why ask me something he knows he’ll never be able to follow through on? He’s as addicted to being around me as I am to him. I’m certain of that now.
“Sure,” I say. “I’ll just hire a new caretaker who’s young, and hot, with nice muscles, and large palms that can deliver sweet stings to my as—”
The rest of my words collapse when True roughly grips my jaw from behind and tilts my head back so I’m gazing up at him upside down. “Don’t fuck with me.”
“That’sexactlywhat I want to do.” I grin as wide as his grip allows. “But you’re playing hard to get.”
Something flashes in his eyes, and his grip tightens. “Did you fuck him?”
“Is that the real reason you won’t touch me?”
“Answerme.”
“I couldn’t give him what wasn’t mine to give,” I say. “I needed your permission.”
With a strong curse under his breath, he drops his mouth to mine. It’s swift, possessive. And before I can reciprocate, it’s gone, leaving the sting of a bite on my bottom lip.
“You don’t play fair,” I mumble miserably.
“Come to the reception with me.”
“Are you sure the head boss will even want me there? He probably hates me like Trent does for ‘being a pain in the ass.’”
“He’ll like you because I love you.”
“How does he know that?” I tip my head back again and smile up at him. “Did you hold a family meeting confessing to them how much you’re madly, truly, insanely, out-of-breath in love with me?”
He conks my forehead with his knuckles. “They know because they know me.”
“Tell me, then.”
“Tell you what?”
“Tell me what they know.”
He cups my face and lowers his close to mine. “They know that I’m madly, truly, insanely, out-of-breath, irrevocably, inconceivably, ridiculously, unequivocally in love with you, Lonny Bridge.”
