My insides went molten, sending a jab of lust through me. “You’re pretty confident there, mister.”

“I always get what I want.”

“And what do you want?” I challenged, finding that spark within myself once again as we bantered.

“To lay you down in your bed and make you come.”

His words melted me while bringing up all of my fears, despite the fact that I was trying to man up here. “After all of my dating mishaps, I don’t trust myself to make the right decisions about men.”

“Then trust your body.” He curled a strong hand around my wrist, drawing me closer. “What does it tell you?”

My pulse spiked, my breathing became labored, and my ni**les hardened into points. Instead of making me feel cheap and used, Braydon made me feel vital and cherished. He could read my body so well, he seemed to know my hidden desires without me needing to voice them, but I realized I didn’t know much of what he desired.

“What do you like?” I murmured.

“I like an aggressive girl who goes after what she wants, when she wants it.”

Normally I was that way. But not so much with him. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe because he was so confident and sure that my body chose to submit to him rather than compete for control. I wanted to hand him the reins and let him take over. And I hadn’t felt that way about a man, well . . . ever. I pushed him off me and Braydon frowned slightly as he sat up. But when I took his hand and tugged him to my bedroom, his sexy, playful smile was back in full force and my insides did a little flip-flop.

We settled on the bed and Braydon pulled me close, kissing my neck and the ticklish spot behind my ear. I let out a soft moan. “You’re so sexual,” he breathed against my skin.

“I’m sorry?”

His mouth lifted in a smile as he chuckled softly. “It’s one of the things I love about you.”

Hearing Braydon mention the word love in relation to me wasn’t healthy. I had to reel my brain in from barraging me with images of us dashing off into the sunset, me in a white poufy dress. “What is?” I asked.

“You’re such a firecracker. So sassy, intelligent, and confident. You don’t take any shit. But then when we’re together, you turn yourself over to me fully. When I’m buried deep inside you, you submit to me completely.”

I dropped my head and blushed. Oops. Maybe I was too obvious in my growing feelings for him.

“It’s incredibly sexy, kitten. Trust me.”

I did trust him. I trusted him with my body. I knew he’d make sure I was satisfied. I just didn’t trust him with my heart. But that feeling of mistrust had practically been conditioned into me from an early age. After years of infidelity, my dad had finally left my mom for his secretary. It had shown me that I needed to pick my mate carefully. I wouldn’t end up bitter and broken like my mother, thanks to an ass**le disguised as Mr. Right. The jury was still out on the delicious man in front of me and I needed to play this game of cat and mouse carefully.

7

“God, you skinny bitch, you’re so tan,” I said enviously to Emmy. I was helping her shop for a new sofa, which was why we were currently in New Jersey, courtesy of Ben and Emmy’s driver, at a megahuge furniture store.

She laughed at me and headed past the sectional sofas. “Of course I’m tan; we were on a tropical island for nearly a month. I swear, I don’t know how I lost weight on our honeymoon though. I ate very well—trust me.” She paused to look down critically at a bright orange couch, chewing on her lip. “We did go hiking and surfing, and we had plenty of sex.” She whispered the last part.

“Sex is a great workout,” I agreed. We continued roaming the rows upon rows of couches and love seats. “Any of these standing out to you?”

“What do you think about something like this?” Emmy stood back, admiring a steely gray modern-looking sofa.

It suited her and Ben’s style perfectly. Simple yet classy. “I think that would look great in your place.”

Her smile fell when she checked the price tag. “Never mind.”

I reached down and flipped the tag over to see the price myself. “Emmy,” I chastised her. “It’s not that expensive. You forget you’re in a different income bracket now.”

She picked at her fingernails, deciding what to do. After a few moments of thinking it over, she realized I was right. It was as if she were realizing, for the first time, that her life had really changed. She was no longer a single girl in the city struggling to make ends meet. For a moment, the thought struck me with a pang of sadness. I hated the idea that Emmy and I were changing, and the possibility of us growing apart because of our differences. I vowed then and there that I wouldn’t let that happen. I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I think you should get it, sweetie.”

She nodded, fixing her mouth in a smile. “Yeah, I think I will. And maybe those matching chairs.” She pointed to two armchairs with a geometric pattern that contained splashes of gray and mustard yellow. They were funky and the perfect complement to the solid-colored sofa.

“Definitely,” I confirmed. “And these.” I grabbed a couple of fluffy pillows in a pretty deep plum shade.

Emmy smiled and followed me to the front to check out. “So what’s new with you?”

My secret affair with Braydon had been at the tip of my tongue all day, and I wondered if now was the time to come clean. I summoned my courage while Emmy ordered the couch and chairs and arranged delivery. “I’ve been seeing someone,” I finally said.