“I do,” he said.
“Why?”
He smiled. “I need you to be strong and healthy so you can deal with me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Buddy, I can deal with you any day of the week.”
A spark of heat filled his eyes. “Good.”
She drank some more of the smoothie as the elevator door opened, and they stepped out. Her eyes widened as she took in all the different machines that looked like torture devices.
“Holy shit.”
She heard him sigh, and then the cup was taken from her. She stiffened when his hands came to rest on her upper waist and pressed.
“How are the ribs, pet?”
“Good.”
He probed around and watched her face for discomfort the whole time. “No soreness?”
“Nope. I’m as good as new.”
“Good.” He effortlessly picked her up and put her over his shoulder.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“If we’re going into a relationship, we have some rules we need to set.”
“I don’t like rules.”
“I gathered that, but I think you, above all, need them.”
“Why?”
“Because it shows I care.”
He sat on the end of one of the benches, pulled down her shorts, set her over his knees, and held her there with one hand while his other ran up and down her back.
“I’m going to tell you again, pet, I don’t like it when you’re cursing, so, since you’re better, I’m going to punish you every time you do it.”
“Wait—”
His hand came down on her ass hard enough to startle her, but she could tell he was holding back and trying to be gentle with her. So, she pushed him.
“Dammit, you bastard—”
He sighed and kept raining sharp smacks to her ass. “I’m doing this because I care.”
“Bullshit. You just like hurting people smaller than you.” She wiped a tear from her face.
He stopped and held his hand down on her ass to keep the heat in. “Not at all. In fact, I tend to be overprotective of people smaller than me.”
“You wouldn’t do this to Kyla if she cursed.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you care for her, not me.”