Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
She wished she belonged to him, but she also knew she wasn’t what he needed.
“What’s the other envelope?” she asked. She needed a breather. A moment to think about all of this.
“This is your Easter gift from Cullen. It’s a gift card. Like he always gives you.” Marcus gave Cullen a sly look. “So unimaginative.”
“I know,” Cullen said dryly. “Was I at least generous?”
“Somewhat. Not as generous as me, of course.”
“Of course.”
Chapter 6
Exhausted from the shopping trip after a mostly sleepless night, Isla collapsed into bed that night. She winced as her back protested. Marcus lay on his back next to her, wrapping his pinkie finger around hers.
“You okay, La-la?”
“Sure.”
“Isla,” he pressed. “You can tell me.”
“I’m overwhelmed. I’m not sure going to Rawhide Ranch is a good idea. I don’t want to ruin it for you.”
He rolled over onto his side to face her. Summoning her bravery and some energy, she faced him.
“How could you ruin it for me?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I could mess things up. I could say or do the wrong thing and upset you. I might not even be a Little.”
“One, you’re not going to mess up. Two, there’s nothing you could say or do that would be wrong or upset me. Unless it was to tell me that you didn’t want me. Three, we both know you’re a Little. But if you decide it’s not for you, then that’s fine. No pressure. We’ll leave and never go back.”
“But you love it there.”
“I love you more.”
Her breath stilled. “Marcus.”
He cupped the side of her face. “I’ve loved you for the longest time, Isla. I haven’t wanted to push you because I thought you might run. You seem to have this stupid idea that because you work for Cullen we shouldn’t be together. But I don’t care about that. And besides, I fired you.”
“You can’t fire me.”
“Pfft. So can.” He gave her a serious look. “The only reason I’d turn away from you is if you told me you don’t love me. Do you love me, Isla? Are you in love with me? Can’t imagine your life without me? Want to be around me all the time? I’m talking obsession, possessiveness, all of it. Because that’s how I feel about you. I love you, Isla.”
This was it. The moment that decided the rest of her life.
She could tell him no and be miserable and alone.
Or she could take a chance. Trust in him.
“I want your toothbrush next to mine in the bathroom,” he added. “I want us to go to bed together each night and to wake up beside each other every morning. I want you, Isla. Forever.”
No one had ever wanted her. Tears welled in her eyes, dripping down her cheeks as her words froze in her throat.
Horror filled him as she started to cry.
He was rarely serious unless it was about work. He was always friendly with everyone, but he rarely let people close. Because if he cared too much about someone, they might disappear. The two constants in his life had always been work and Cullen.
But now there was Isla. He’d tried to keep himself from wanting her. And he’d managed.
For about a week.
But she was his soul mate. He knew she was. Serious, where he was silly. A caretaker when he needed someone to watch over him. Sweet to his sassy. Soft to his hard.
And she needed him. Marcus hadn’t realized he’d wanted someone to need him until her. Cullen didn’t. Well, that wasn’t quite true. Cullen needed him to make sure he didn’t turn into a stodgy old grouch. But now he had Ivy.
Isla let out a sob.
Shit. He’d pushed her too hard. Sitting, he drew her into his lap as she cried. Tears welled in his eyes. He couldn’t help it; he was a sympathy-crier.
It made things really awkward sometimes. Especially when he was in public.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, forget I ever said anything,” he said frantically. “I’m an idiot. I take it all back. I don’t love you. You don’t have a Little. You’re not mine. It’s all lies. Dirty, rotten lies.”
She started sobbing even harder.
Oh fuck.
How had he made this worse? How was that possible?
Idiot.
What did he do? He was totally out of his depth, so he just held her and hoped like heck she stopped crying. Tears dripped down his face.
“Sweetie, please stop. You’ll m-make yourself s-sick.”
She moved her head away from his chest and reached up to cup his cheek. “You… why are y-you crying?”
“B-because you are. I shouldn’t have s-said any of that.”
“You didn’t m-mean it? You d-don’t love me?”
His eyes widened. “What? No! Of course I meant it. I just… shit, we need tissues.”
They both tried to reach for the tissues on the bedside table at the same time and somehow managed to bang their heads together.