I frown at him. “Josh please, if we are to have a future.”
He cuts me off. “Have you changed your mind?” I frown. “Don’t you want this anymore?” he snaps.
“Of course I do, you know that I do. I need some truths from you first,” I breathe. He goes to speak but I hold up my hand in a stop signal gesturing for him to give me silence. “Please understand I can forgive anything and understand everything as long as I am told the complete truth. Honesty is imperative to me Josh. It’s a deal breaker.”
He nods and I can see him sum up the weight of my words. He narrows his eyes at me. “Can I have a truth of my own?” I nod. “Were you serious when you said you would move to America with me?” He licks his bottom lip in anticipation for my answer.
I smile. “Yes, but couldn’t we live six months in Australia and six months in LA?”
He shakes his head. “No, it won’t work. I’ve already thought of that.”
I frown. “Why not?”
“Because of my horses. The quarantine laws getting back into Australia are too stringent. I wouldn’t be able to do it. It’s either here or there, not both.”
I nod. Those horses are going to be the death of me. Everything about those fuckers and their vet spell unparalleled trouble. “Would you move to Australia for me?”
He smiles. “Yes, but I’m contracted in America for at least the next five years, so it would be impossible for me to move at this point.”
“But, after that, would it be up for negotiation?”
He puckers his lips and raises his eyebrows as he thinks. “Perhaps.”
“Josh, I need to be sure we are going to work, before I would leave my job and move to the other side of the world.”
“And how will you be sure? I don’t have a crystal ball, Natasha. I can’t promise you anything other than the fact I will look after you and try my hardest to make you happy.” His wide eyes search mine.
I melt into his gaze. “That’s enough Josh, that’s all any girl could ask for.”
He smiles and pulls me into an embrace where I am rewarded with a gentle sweep of his tongue through my lips. This man is just…beautiful. Everything about him melts my heart.
I pull back to look at his face. “Can you promise me monogamy, Josh?”
He smiles warmly. “Of course, what man wouldn’t be loyal to you? I’d have to be a fucking idiot to stuff this up now.” This conversation is going better than I expected.
“Can I have my truths now?” I ask. He frowns and releases me from his cuddle. He walks around behind the bench and places both of his hands wide on the bench and I know he’s feeling vulnerable. It’s a defensive tactic to have something between us. “Do you have feelings for that blonde from the club?”
He smiles and shakes his head in relief. “Definitely not.”
I nod, “How do you know her?” He swallows and looks down while he thinks. “Josh please. Honesty, remember.”
“Here’s the thing Tash, if I tell you how I met her, I face you getting the shits. If I don’t tell you, I know you are definitely going to get the shits. So basically it’s a no win situation. Promise me if I tell you, you are not going to kick me out.” I fake a smile. Shit, do I really want to know this.
I nod as my heart rate picks up speed. “Fire away.”
“The day I arrived in Sydney my friend Carson sent me around a house–warming present to the house.”
I frown. “Who’s Carson?”
“My friend from LA.”
I nod and frown again. “So how do you know her?” He blows out a breath, obviously hoping I will fit the puzzle together.
I frown again. “Am I missing something?” I ask.
He frowns and rubs his two hands through his hair. “She was the house–warming present.” Horror dawns. Oh fuck, this is worse than I thought. You could knock me over with a feather. I sit back on my chair as I process what he has told me.
“She’s a prostitute,” I gasp. He hangs his head and nods.