Keeping Her (Savage Brothers Second Generation 2)

“How have I practically lived with you and not known that you had a daughter?” I mumble more to myself than to him.

“There’s no practically about it, Red. You have been living with me and you’re going to continue to do it,” he rumbles.

“We’ll see,” I tell him, still trying to wrap my mind around everything. “Why did you keep her a secret, Luke? Were you ashamed of me? Or…”

“Or?”

“Am I just another in a long line of fuck-bunnies for you and you figure there’s no reason for me to meet your daughter?”

“Damn it, Red.”

“I’m not judging, not really. I just need to know the truth. Whatever else, I think I deserve that.”

“We’ve only been together for a couple of weeks really, Jasmine. I figured I had more time,” he responds, clearly uncomfortable.

When he puts it like that, it’s hard for me to believe. This man that has sunk inside of my heart, broken through every defense I thought I had—defenses that disappeared with one look at him—has only been in my life for a short time.

How did I get this messed up, so quickly?

“So, you were trying me out.”

“Fuck no,” he growls, slapping his hand against the steering wheel. I look over at him, the vehemence in his denial shocking me. He spares me a glance, our gazes connecting for a few seconds before he turns his attention back to the road. “Nothing about what we share has been or ever will be about me trying you out, Red. It’s just…women get funny about this sort of thing. I wanted to give you time to get to know me.”

“Time?” I question. “But I didn’t know you. The man I thought you were wouldn’t…”

“Wouldn’t what? Hide things from you until he knew that you were addicted to the things he gave you enough to stay? I fucking am that man, Red. I’m willing to get you addicted to my cock, my mouth, my fingers, the shit I can buy you, hell, I don’t care. Whatever I need to do to make sure you stay in my bed, I’m doing and that includes keeping the secret that I’m a—”

“Wow, you have a great opinion of me, don’t you Luke? You think I’m a bitch that will like how you work your cock so much that I’ll put up with your little girl.”

“Jesus, why are you so intent on busting my balls, woman? Anything I say, you’re bound and determined to twist up and make it ugly.”

“I’m not making it ugly, Luke. It just plain is. It might surprise you, but I don’t have to like how my man fucks me to like his child. I even think it’s possible to be in love with a man even if you’re not impressed with his bedroom skills.”

“Bullshit.”

“It’s true. Sex doesn’t have to be the major draw in a relationship, you know. Some couples can’t have sex, do you think it makes them love each other less?” I mutter, turning back to look out the window.

“I think sex is required for a healthy relationship, you’re damn straight. If something happened and one of us wasn’t able, we’d find other ways to keep that part of our relationship vital, but I wouldn’t give it up, hell no.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. “Sometimes it’s just something you have to accept. What if you were in accident or wounded in battle or something and unable to…you know,” I mutter, suddenly wishing I hadn’t even started this conversation. “Do you think that injury should be the end of your relationship?”

“Fuck no,” he growls.

“Then you agree—”

“I agree that if I couldn’t fuck you with my cock, I still have fingers, and if I didn’t have those then I could still eat out your sweet cunt,” he argues.

I ignore the flush of heat his words give me, and the wetness I can feel as my mind takes his words and creates a vivid picture of him doing each of those.

I squirm a little in my seat, and I don’t need to be looking at him to know he sees me and understands what his words do to me.

Bastard.

“It wouldn’t be the same. I mean, there wouldn’t be any pleasure in it for you—”

“Red, if you think having you come all over my face, or hearing you call out my name as you climax wouldn’t bring me pleasure, you’re wrong.”

“Sure,” I mutter, wondering if Luke knows the right thing to say to win every argument, while also thinking about how annoying that is. “I’m not even positive that I like you, you know,” I announce, wanting to wipe the smile that keeps pulling on his lips. I’ve tried not to look at him, but I can’t seem to help from stealing glances here and there.