Another shake of the head. “I feel stupid.”
“You look beautiful.” At that, I opened my eyes to find his lips thin, and when his brow creased, he ran his thumb over my wrist, and revealed, “Problem is, I won’t be the only guy who notices.”
My eyes narrowed on him.
What was he talking about?
“You’re taking this rather well,” I said cautiously.
“I’m...” He cleared his throat roughly, as if he were trying to eject the irritation he felt. “I’m working on my anger issues.”
Oh. My heart began to swell. Sweetheart.
My face softened along with my voice. “I can change.”
Those perpetually hooded eyes ran down the length of me and he let out a long exhale. “You bought that dress for me, so you’re gonna wear that dress, and I’m gonna shut the fuck up about it because you look hot and I’m hungry.” He tugged on my wrist, pulling me back to the car. “Come meet my baby.”
My lips pursed.
Oh my God.
Are you jealous of a car?
Maybe.
The sleek black sports car was so shiny, so new, that my brows arched. “She looks expensive.”
“She was,” was all I got back.
I stepped toward it, running light fingers across the exterior, and when I got to the back of the car, I read out loud, “Maserati.” I didn’t know a lot about cars, but I knew this brand was one of those brands guys lost their damn minds over. My face solemn, I smiled a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “How expensive?”
At that, he reached up to scratch his brow. “I’m starved.”
Yep.
Very expensive.
I rolled my eyes but allowed him to open the passenger side door for me, and when I slid inside, I had to admit. The cool leather interior was gorgeous. And when Twitch got into the driver side, I faced him, smiling. “Okay, I’ll concede. It’s nice.”
“Yeah,” he agreed quietly, reversing out of the driveway. “For two hundred thou, it fuckin’ should be.”
My eyes bugged out. “What?” And when his eyes laughed, I sputtered, “Y-you are freaking insane.”
“I got money, baby.” He put the car in drive and shrugged before looking at me meaningfully, his tone almost accusing. “You stopped cashing the checks.”
The checks.
The checks he’d been sending every month for the past six years.
My heart caught in my throat, but I swallowed past the lump. “I have enough money, Twitch. Enough to last a few lifetimes. I don’t need any more.”
Reaching over, he took my hand in his, placing it on the gear stick, and his hand came to rest on mine. When we changed gears, we did it together. He kept his eyes on the road. “Can’t ever have too much money.”
“Yes, you can. Besides,” I told him truthfully, “I would have given it all up to have you with me.”
His face on the road, I watched his expression turn grave, and when he spoke, he did it quietly. “I know.”
We arrived in the city soon enough and, as luck would have it, got a spot right in front of the Italian restaurant. Twitch walked around and opened the passenger door for me, offering me his hand, and when I took it, stepping out, he locked the car with a click of a button and put his hand to my lower back, guiding me into the eatery.
It felt nice to be out together, just us two. I sometimes wondered if we’d ever get time alone between school runs and work and being parents. I definitely felt selfish wanting Twitch to myself, but I couldn’t help it. I craved him, desired his attention on a level that was borderline unhealthy.
Being seated quickly, the young woman who brought our menus basically swallowed her tongue when she introduced herself as our server. She blinked wide-eyed at the tattooed god across from me and stumbled over her words. “Hello, I’m.... My name is.... I’m Adela, and I’m your.... I’ll be servicing you.” Her cheeks flamed. “I mean, I’ll be your server today.” Her lips parted as she looked down at my handsome companion, and she squeaked out, “Would you like to hear today’s specials?”
Twitch narrowed his eyes on her. “No.”
“Okay,” she breathed before turning and disappearing.
“Well.” I looked down at the menu, speaking quietly. “You certainly got her attention.”
“I don’t want her attention,” he replied just as quietly, and when I peeked up at him, his eyes scanned the menu. A short moment later, he looked up at me through his lowered gaze. “Yours is enough.”
Ah, shit.
My goddamn heart.
“Maybe I wanted to hear the specials,” I grumbled and watched his eyes smile.
“Want me to call her back?”
“No,” I sighed then tried not to laugh. “She looked like she was on the verge of a stroke,” I ended on a chuckle.
He watched me closely, a smile tugging at his lips before his expression turned solemn, and when he spoke, the words wrapped around my throat, choking me. “Wanna get hitched?”
I blinked at him as the menu fell from my hands. “What?” Confusion hit me as his question settled over my shoulders like a warm scarf. I swallowed hard and my mouth parted before my brows furrowed, and I asked, “Today?”
His lips pursed. “Why not?”
Umm, what?
My heart was racing and I found it hard to breathe. “I never know if you’re being serious or not, and this is one of those times I need to know—” The words came out breathy. “—if you’re being serious or not.”
“When it comes to you, baby, I’m always serious.” He searched my face a moment, before stating, “I’m not a hard man to please. I don’t want much in life. I’m not askin’ for a lot, angel.”
“What...” The question came out on an exhale. “What are you asking for?”
No messing around. I needed him to lay it out for me.
He thought about it, his face serious. “I want my ring on your finger. Want you to take my name. Wanna wake up with my arms around you and my cock buried deep inside that pretty pussy every fuckin’ morning.”
Oh, shit. I wanted that too.
But then he went on, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly as his soft brown eyes held me fast. “I want you to want me, and I want you to show me that every chance you get. I want loyalty. I want complete and utter devotion. No bullshit. I want to share everything with you. Everything, baby. No secrets.”
My mouth parted as I let out a sharp breath.
‘Cause that didn’t sound alarming.
No.
Not at all.
He watched for my reaction. “I want you to give yourself to me selflessly, and I want you to do that because you know that no matter how far I take it, how uncomfortable I make you, you trust me to know your limits, that you trust me to keep you safe. I want you to feel how much I want you too, and I’m working on my greed, but I’m a selfish man by nature.” He finished with, “I want it all.”
I waited a moment before I responded, and sarcasm oozed out of my statement as I widened my eyes and worked on breathing steadily. “Not asking much?”
At that, he let out a rough chuckle, and when he smiled that crooked smile I loved so much, I melted inside. His smile softened, as he uttered, “Said it yourself, baby. You’re my ride or die.”
My heart expanded three whole sizes.
Twitch was crazy.
Crazy beautiful.
And all of what he wanted, I wanted too. But this was too much, too fast.
“I...” the words were whisper-soft. “I don’t know, honey. It’s only been two and a half months, and we’ve barely even—”
He pulled out a black velvet ring box and set it on the table between us.
“—oh my God.” I sounded strangled. “You bought a ring, you cocky bastard.” I forced out a humorless laugh and my knee bounced under the table. “Nope.” I shook my head. “Nuh uh.” My gaze was heavy on the little box taunting me in the center of the table. “No.” But as I said this, I reached for the ring box and pulled it in front of me, staring down at it unblinking.
And when I opened it, my brows furrowed in disappointment.