"On a scale of one to ten, how mad are you right now?" I ask Jessa, watching her as she prowls through her closet, tossing things into her duffle bag.
Ruby is in her bed, tucked under the covers with her little head on the pillow like she's human. I guess she's still pouting that we didn't take her with us last night because she looked at me and then flopped back down, all dramatic like when I entered the room.
Daniel just left a few minutes ago. I'm going to meet him at the Chattanooga office later to approve whatever statement he's about to write.
He thinks we're nuts. I don't really care. I didn't ask to be a billionaire. Jessa didn't ask for it either. We're doing this our way. Anyone who doesn't like it will just have to deal.
"Mm, five," she says, melting into me when I wrap my arms around her from behind.
"Only a five?" I kiss all over the side of her neck.
"Four."
I grin and tweak her nipple, liking that she grows less mad every time I touch her.
"Three. I'm mad to three," she gasps, making me chuckle.
I place another kiss on the side of her neck. "I didn't want you to feel like you owed me anything," I murmur. "That's why I didn't tell you about it. You've worked your ass off. You deserved to be able to finish school without stressing out over the financial side of it."
"I'll make you a deal," she says, turning around in my arms. She loops hers over my shoulders, playing with the hair at the nape of my neck.
"What?"
"I'll let you pay for what I don't have covered for grad school if you'll agree to give the fellowship to someone else."
I narrow my eyes at her.
"It'll make things easier in the long run," she says quietly. "I don't care what people say about me, but I don't want anyone to have a reason to say that you're using your money and your authority over me. I worry that they will if they find out that you're the one who financed my fellowship."
"Why do you care so much what they say about me?" I ask, resting my forehead against hers. With both of us wearing glasses, they clink together and smudge, but I don't care.
"Because you're genuinely good at running the company," she says. "You care about your employees and you've worked so hard the last six months to win their loyalty. I don't want this to undo any of your work. You deserve for things to be easy for once and to feel like you have a place in this world, baby. Your father might have put you in charge for his own selfish reasons, but you're the right man for the job. I don't want anyone to have a reason to doubt that."
"Say that again," I whisper, a flood of warmth coursing through me.
"I don't want anyone to have a reason to doubt that?"
"No. You called me baby. Say it again."
"You deserve for things to be easy, baby," she says again, smiling at me.
"I love how that sounds," I mutter, pressing my lips to hers in a hard kiss. I tilt her head to the side to deepen it, losing myself in her and how damn good I feel when she's pressed this close to me and squirming around.
"Please?" she whispers when I finally break away so we can breathe.
"Fine," I agree, giving in because I know this matters to her. "But we will be following through with Daniel's plan. And if anyone even thinks about questioning why you're with me, they'll be cut out of my life without hesitation. I don't care who it is. No one questions you, not while I'm still breathing."
"Bossy pants," she says, but I can tell by her smile that she's going to agree…right up until mischief flares in her eyes. "I have an addendum too."
"Maybe you and your fifty-dollar words should be the CEO."
"Addendum is not a fifty-dollar word," she huffs. "It means an addition, typically tacked on at the end of something."
"I know what it means, smart ass," I say, chuckling. "What's your addendum?"
"Igettodrivetothehotel," she says all at once.
"What?"
"I get to drive to the hotel," she says again, slow enough for me to understand her this time.
"Uh, no."
"Jax!" she cries, stomping her foot. "You're not being very fair."
"It's my car."
"And you drive it like a grandma."
"Only when you're in it with me," I murmur, kissing her on the forehead. "I'm not risking you when I just got you."
The fight drains out of her, her expression melting. "You've always had me. You just didn't know it yet. I love you."
"I love you too, rabbit." I kiss her softly on the lips and then sigh, giving in to the inevitable. I can't ever tell her no. I don't really want to tell her no anyway. Making this woman happy is my greatest joy in life. "I guess I'll let you drive just this one time."
She squeals, throwing her arms around me again. Her tits press into my chest, her lips landing against my cheek. And somehow, even though it shouldn't be possible, I fall in love with her all over again.