“Sure.” Sasha crossed the threshold, closing the door behind him. When he turned around, that’s when I saw the package in his hands. Holding it out to me, he explained, “I know you’re not a fan of flowers, so I went in a different direction.”
Cautiously, I reached out to accept whatever gift he’d brought me. The tiniest hint of a smile curved on my lips as I remarked, “I don’t dislike flowers. I just didn’t love the way you went about sending them.”
He shrugged, seemingly unbothered. “Get used to being spoiled, Kitten, because I intend to do so for a very long time.”
I arched an eyebrow. “I promised you one date, remember?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Sasha stuffed his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “We’re soulmates.”
Crazy has entered the chat.
Giving him a noncommittal hum, I slipped the ribbon off the box. Pulling back the lid revealed a set of twelve individually wrapped spheres in various colors.
My brows drew down. “What are these?”
“Bath bombs.”
“What?” My eyes snapped up to meet his.
Head cocking to the side, he surveyed me. “Are you telling me you don’t know what bath bombs are?”
Heat rose to my cheeks. Why did it feel like I was supposed to know?
“Um—” I began, trying to figure out how to fake my way through this.
Sasha let out a low whistle. “Damn, baby. Have you never been pampered before?”
Swallowing around the lump in my throat, I dropped my gaze to the floor, shaking my head and whispering, “No.”
“That’s going to change. Starting right this minute, you hear me?” When his hands covered mine on the box, I jumped, and he immediately pulled back. “Shit, I’m sorry.”
Trembling from head to toe, I gave him the least convincing “I’m fine” in the history of the world.
It became clear in that moment that my trauma was too much for a man like Sasha. I’d only drag him down.
“Listen.” I sighed. “This was a nice idea, but I don’t think I’m up for it.”
There was a rustling of fabric, and before I knew it, the giant man was crouched before me, putting himself directly in my line of sight. Concern lit up his bright blue eyes, and my heart twisted. No one had ever looked at me like that before—not my father, not my brother, not my cousins. They were too concerned with themselves to ever care too much about me.
But this man?
The one who hadn’t batted an eyelash when I had a total meltdown, aiming my anger and frustration at him?
The one who had patiently sat at my bar, night after night, waiting until I was ready to give him the time of day?
The one who had instantly been on alert at the idea of someone having hurt me in the past?
The one who wanted to take care of me simply because he could?
It felt like he could seeme.
And damn, if that didn’t scare the shit out of me.
“Gemma.” My name fell so softly from his lips that it almost sounded like a prayer. “I’m here, not just right now in your home, but in your life. Let me show you how you deserve to be treated.Please.”
It was the please that did me in. Men in my life didn’t use that word. They demanded and took what they wanted when it suited them.
My teeth dug into my lower lip so hard I could taste blood, but I managed to nod.
