Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 47381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 237(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
For the rest of our lives.
But he didn’t say that part. She already had a freaked-out look on her face.
“I don’t understand what’s happening here, Brand.”
“Yeah, you do. You’re just scared. That’s all right. You’ll soon come to trust me.”
“It feels like you’re on a high-speed train, while I’m stumbling along with one shoe on, my pants slipping off, and my shirt buttoned wrong.”
“Am I supposed to understand that?” He’d never allow her to get into that sort of state.
“I’m not feeling well.” Her hand rubbed her temple. “I know you’re upset with me. I messed up that last concert. Then I disappeared when you probably wanted me to hang around so you can yell at me. I just… I needed a break. My best friend thinks—”
“What does your best friend think?” he asked as gently as he could.
Her gaze moved away, shame filling her face. “I don’t really want to tell you.”
He wanted to press her. But his poor girl wasn’t well. And he was meant to be convincing her that he was here to look after her.
“Jolie, will you look at me, please?”
Shock filled her face as she turned to stare at him. “You said please.”
“I say please.”
She frowned. “When? When have you ever said please?”
He huffed out a breath. “We’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you. And your health. I’m going to take care of you, all right? I’ll carry you back to our room and stay with you.”
“What if you get sick, though?”
That was her worry? She was concerned about him? Damn. So sweet. “I’m not going to get sick.”
“Germs don’t know that you’re the great Brand Starr. They don’t discriminate.”
“I rarely get sick. I’ll be fine.”
“I…” She shook her head, then winced.
“Stop doing that,” he demanded.
“What?”
“Making your headache worse. Screw what that nurse said. You need more painkillers. I’m getting her back in here.” He stood, but stilled as she took hold of his hand.
She had initiated touch. Was this the first time? Maybe.
“You really like me?” There was a lost, vulnerable note in her voice. For some reason, it seemed that she just couldn’t wrap her head around him wanting her.
And he didn’t think it was because she was ill and having trouble focusing.
Or that it was even fully about him. He might have a slight reputation. Probably didn’t help that he’d never been in a long-term relationship.
No, he thought her disbelief mostly stemmed from her view of herself.
Something he would need to work on. She didn’t see how gorgeous she was.
How sweet and kind.
He wanted all that sweetness to be his.
“I more than like you. I’m fast becoming obsessed with you. Do you think I’d chase after someone I didn’t fully want?”
Wonder filled her face. “I don’t think you’d do anything you didn’t want to do.”
“So, you’ll let me take care of you?”
“I’m not sure it’s the best way to start a relationship,” she muttered.
He grinned.
“Why does that make you smile?” she asked suspiciously.
“You said the R word.” Leaning down, he brushed his lips over her forehead.
“You shouldn’t come that close to me,” she muttered. “I probably stink. And I’m sick. This really is a bad idea.”
“Sometimes the best things in life start out as a bad idea.”
CHAPTER 9
Someone had changed the sheets on her bed.
She could kiss them.
If she wasn’t filled with germs, she might well have. She still couldn’t believe that Brand was here.
That he wanted her.
Jolie knew the smart thing would have been to send him away. Tell him that she didn’t want him.
But she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t lie. She couldn’t live her life wondering “what if”.
If he broke her heart—when he broke her heart—she’d deal with it then.
Maybe she was being crazy, and she would have made a different decision if she wasn’t ill. Perhaps she’d just screwed her career. Because touring together if they broke up would be hell. And she knew she’d be the one who was kicked off the tour.
God. What had she done?
Don’t worry. Taking care of you while you’re sick is probably going to put him off, anyway.
Although she found herself hoping that it wouldn’t. She was determined not to ask too much of him. Actually, she should sleep on the couch so he could have the bed. Her suite only had one bed, but the sofa converted into a bed. Brand was huge so it would be better if he slept in the bed.
Holding back a groan, she forced herself out of bed. She grabbed her teddy bear.
She couldn’t believe Brand had seen him. That she’d told him she was a Little.
He hadn’t freaked out or looked at her differently. And he was a Dominant.
But that didn’t mean he had any interest in being a Daddy Dom.
Well, that didn’t matter because she’d just suppress her own needs if she had to.