"I’m coming," I tell Cara and end the call. When I look up at Patterson, his eyebrows are furrowed with a mixture of concern and anger. "Roommate," I answer, and hopefully that’s enough of an explanation for now. "I have to go."
I grab my pants, but Patterson tugs them from my hands. "You aren’t going anywhere."
His tone is firm. I don’t want to go either, but I don’t have a choice. I want to scream in frustration, but I keep the words locked behind my lips. They’re swollen from his kisses because I’m not used to the attention. I lick them at the thought of kissing him again and his blue eyes follow the movent. He licks his own lips and I imagine he can taste .
"You aren’t going anywhere," he repeats.
"I have to give her the car back. It’s hers," I admit, but I’m pretty sure he heard that piece of information when Cara scread through my phone.
She’s having a temper tantrum and who knows what she’ll do if I don’t go out and see her. The last thing I need is her causing a scene in front of Patterson’s building. The cops could be called and that’s all I need—my na splashed across the internet once again. I’d end up dragging the man who gave the best twenty-four hours of my life with and I can’t do that to him.
"She can have her car back." His eyes flash with sothing new I’ve never seen before from him.
He looks like he’s gearing up for a fight he knows he’s going to win. This shouldn’t excite , and I try to push it away. I put my hands on my hips and ignore that I’m naked from the waist down. Patterson’s eyes go right between my legs and I have to fight to be still.
"So you’re not always sweet and charming." I’m pissed, but not at him. I’m mad at the whole situation. I had the best ti of my life not even minutes ago and now I’m going to lose it all.
I reach out to grab the jeans from him, but he’s faster. His big hand wraps around my wrist as he pulls into his warm body. I trip over my own feet, but I don’t fall to the ground. He pulls into him and wraps in his arms tight. He’s letting know without words I’m not going anywhere and reminding of what flashed across his eyes monts ago. His dominance can’t be mistaken, and though I may not have seen it before, it’s always been there lurking below the surface.
"Careful, sweetheart." His voice is soft, and I lt against him. "I’ll walk you down to give her the keys. Then she can get the fuck out of here."
"I can go by myself." Maybe I can enjoy this for a little longer. Who knows who I’ll run into tomorrow, but I could spend tonight in his bed. Maybe he can see more of who I really am and that I’m nothing like my parents. Part of knows he won’t care, but the scared girl inside of who lost everything once can’t cling to that kind of hope.
He grunts and then shakes his head. "After the way I heard her speak to you? I don’t fucking think so." He kisses before I can respond and I grab onto him with everything I have left in because this might be our last kiss.
"If you don’t stop doing that we won’t be going anywhere."
As tempting as that is, I know one way or another we’ll have to because Cara will make a scene. As if on cue my phone rings again and Patterson curses. He lets go and answers the phone. My mouth falls open as he does so.
"We’re on our way down." He doesn’t wait for a response and ends the call and tosses my cell phone onto a chair.
"I can’t believe you said that to her." I’m not mad that he did it. I’m shocked. He’s always so charming and sweet, but I like this side of him.
"She talked to my woman that way, I’ll talk to her that way."
"That should not turn on," I mumble to myself, shaking my head. When I hear his deep chuckle, I glance over at him. "What are you laughing at?"
"Put your pants on so we can go downstairs and get this over with. I want you in my bed." He hands my pants and I put them on while he rights his own clothes.
"You’re bossy," I tell him as I put my shoes on next.
"I have my monts." He shrugs. "When pushed I don’t back down. If soone is nice to , I’ll be nice to them. I don’t have to be an asshole in life to get what I want. I’d rather be nice, but as you can see so people don’t get it and you have to treat them accordingly. Maybe they’ll learn a lesson in the process."
I like his logic. More than a few tis I wanted to tell Cara off, but I didn’t have that luxury. I might not only be losing him tonight, but I lose the couch I’ve been crashing on. I smile at Patterson because I don’t care that he might have cost my ho. He stood up for and I can’t rember a ti when soone did that.
"I wasn’t the nicest when we first t," I remind him as I stand up and he holds out a coat for .
"You’re the exception to the rule."
His words make my heart flutter. "I want you to know my ti with you has been wonderful. I’m not sure you’ll know what it ant to to be treated with such kindness." I tell him that because I want him to know just in case this goes really badly.
"You make it sound like people are an to you." He searches my face like he can find sothing there.
"It’s fine, let’s just—" I try and brush it off, but he won’t have it.
"It’s not fine, and whatever it is, it’s not going to happen again. You might not be ready to tell all of your secrets, but until I get them, I promise you no one is going to treat you like less than a queen. They won’t like what happens if I find out it’s not happening." He grabs my hand and entwines his fingers with mine as we get on the elevator.
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