“Look at the time stamp. I walked in my house ten minutes after I dropped Brooklyn off, and I didn’t leave again until this morning.” I speed up the time until they see me exit and they all lean back and look at one another.
“That doesn’t mean you didn’t agree to go out with our fake profile. Just that you didn’t go,” Harlow says.
“I deleted the app and the profile. Here’s the email confirming it.”
Brooklyn glances at it and then looks up at me. “Why would someone pretend to be you? That doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t know why anyone would want to be me—” I stop as the thought hits me. “Fuck.”
“What?” Brooklyn asks.
“Josh,” I tell her, and she cocks her head to the side.
“Your cousin?”
I nod my head. I told Brooklyn a little about him the other night when we were talking about our families and stuff. “I don’t know what the hell he’s up to, but I wouldn’t put it past him.”
I see some of the hurt leave her eyes and I think there’s a stirring of hope.
“I’m going to get to the bottom of this, but please, you’ve got to believe me. I don’t want to be with anyone but you, Brooklyn. I’ve never felt this way in my whole damn life, and I wouldn’t do anything to screw it up. I’m sorry that I went on dates with your friends, and no offense to them, but it meant nothing to me.”
“None taken,” Cherry says with a mouth full of food.
“Yeah, you weren’t any kind of prize for us, but we’re hoping things are different for our girl.”
“This is just a lot to take in,” Brooklyn says, but when I take her hand in mine she doesn’t pull away.
“I came here to bring you breakfast and give you a lift to work. Come with me and we can talk some more. Trust me, Buttercup.”
She looks up at me when I call her the nickname and I see the edge of her lips curl like she’s fighting a smile. She nods and for the first time since last night, relief fills me.
“Ladies, enjoy breakfast on me.” I nod to them as I grab Brooklyn’s bag and get her out of there before she can change her mind. The women shout goodbye to her as the door closes and I hurry her out of the building and outside as fast as I can.
Chapter Eleven
Dash
“Stop by the bakery again on the way. If we catch traffic right we’ll have time,” I call to the driver as we get in the back.
I raise the window between us and close the door as he pulls away from the curb.
“I’m sorry about last night and all that—”
I shake my head and hold up a hand to stop her. “No, I should never have given you a reason to doubt me or what I want. Obviously, I didn’t do a good enough job letting you know what I feel for you, and that’s going to change starting now.”
Before she can say another word, I’m pulling her to me and kissing her like it might be the last time. She doesn’t hesitate as her arms wrap around me and I slide my hands to her ass. I lift her onto my lap and run my hands up her body and to her breasts as I feel the weight of them in my hands and squeeze them through her shirt.
“You’re mine,” I tell her between kisses. “And I’m yours.”
“Yes.” She nods as my mouth goes to her neck.
She grinds on my lap and my cock aches for relief that’s not my hand. She spent last night thinking I was with someone else while all I did was hump my mattress and pretend it was her. Fuck, I’m desperate for her, but I won’t push her too far too fast. I can’t chance losing her, even though I need to get her pregnant.
“Let me show you just how much I want you.”
I turn so she can lie down on the seat while I move between her legs. Lucky for me she’s wearing a dress today so I’ve got easy access. I push the lavender dress up her thighs to reveal white panties. I play with the edge of them for just a second as I memorize what her creamy skin looks like. I want to take my time and brand all of this into my memory forever, but we don’t have that kind of time. Not yet anyway.
“Dash?” she breathes, and I kiss her knee.
“I’ll take care of you, Buttercup.”
Gently I slide down her panties and tuck them into my pocket. When I spread her knees I see a dark patch of soft curls covering her pretty pink lips. She’s so innocent and perfect, my mouth waters to taste her sweetness. I can already smell her desire and I’m hungry for it.