Page 5 of Beneath the Scars
He neveractuallysaid he wanted me; he just doesn’t want anyone else to have me. But why? Never once, in all these years, has he given me any indication that he might be interested in me.
What’s changed? Is it my virginity? God, if that’s the case, I’ll punch him. He doesn’t deserve it if that’s all he wants from me.
I have no idea what to do now. I’m too much of a coward to text him.
“Are you okay?” Vivi asks quietly.
I turn my head toward her. She looks so young, cuddled under her blanket.
“I will be. Nothing ever gets me down for long.”
“That’s right. You’re Adalaide freaking Jackson.”
I grin. “Damn right.”
Vivi’s reminder pulls me out of this funk. It’s exactly what I needed to get myself together and push Michael’s change of heart out of my head. I’m not about to crawl on my knees for a man who’s never given me the time of day.
I’m not naive enough to believe he’ll come to me when he’s ready. He’s never done it before, and he’s not about to change his stripes after hasty words said in the dark. If I want to pursue this insane idea of him taking my virginity, I’ll have to push him into action.
I just have to decide if I truly want to.
I know I told him I’ve always imagined it would be him, but I don’t believe for a second that he’ll suddenly want to date mejust because we have sex. He’s never shown a shred of interest in me before now. Whatever this is between us will be purely physical—at least on his end. My heart has already fallen. If I add sex into the mix, I’m pretty sure it’ll be broken in no time.
Can I accept that outcome if it means I finally get to find out what it would be like to have Michael in my bed?
Chapter 3
Michael
Iscrub my palms over my face with a groan.
Sleep has never come easily to me, but it’s been even worse since I made that stupid fucking declaration to Adalaide.
I can’t stop picturing her face when she got out of my truck. She looked like a deer in headlights, trying to decide which way to run for safety. Then the memory morphs into a fantasy of her staying in my truck and asking me to fuck her right then and there.
I slept formaybefour hours last night. Not great when I need to be sharp on shift today.
Thankfully, the bullpen is quiet this morning. The other deputies must be out on calls or doing something for the chief. I’ve been staring at this report all morning, trying to get it finished up. One of our frequent callers believed someone was trying to break into her house. It was a fucking raccoon. While it was a hilarious diversion at the time, I’m now facing the consequences. Just because nothing serious happened doesn’t mean I get out of writing the report.
I push through the fatigue until I can finally click submit, thenI’m shoving out of my rolling chair and grabbing my stuff to head out.
Peeking around the open door of the deputy chief of police’s office, a smile ticks up the side of my mouth.
“Hey, old man. Need some help there?”
Dad’s narrowed gaze turns on me from where he’s frowning at his computer. “Just ’cause you’re my son doesn’t mean I won’t put you on desk duty for a week.”
“Mean. I was only doing my duty as your deputy officer.”
“Little asshole.” Dad’s smile breaks free, and I can’t help but chuckle with him. His dark hair and eyes are a shade lighter than mine, but most people don’t notice. From the moment I was adopted at eight, people have told us he could be my biological father.
I wish it were true. My father was Todd’s opposite in every fucking way possible.
“I was going to get some coffee. You want some?”
“Yes. Mind if I join you? I need a break from staring at this stupid thing.”
“Not at all.”
