Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Iris
It’s strange, having a man flustered around the real me. Not the illusion. Me. In pajamas, drinking coffee, no makeup, no wig, just me. Iris.
I’ve never had this before.
To see Dark fumble over his words.
To hear his bathroom confession.
Like, I didn’t know what he was doing in there. I clocked the cock outline and precum stain on his jeans as soon as he walked inside.
I heard his climax in the kitchen. He moaned that loud.
But for him to admit it… to show up and be tongue-tied and a less-than-put-together mess… I’m flattered… and a little turned on, too.
He’s the sexiest man I’ve ever met.
Today’s worn jeans, white shirt, leather cut, tattoos combo is an ovary explosion waiting to happen. Not just for me. We’ve been to two different antique stores so far, and every woman we’ve come across is ready to slit my throat for a chance of sucking his cock.
Okay.
Not really.
Well. Only sorta.
It shouldn’t bother me. But it does. Especially when he’s always so polite with that single dimpled smile. While I’m just me—nothing sexy or extraordinary—jeans, a basic blue V-neck T-shirt, and sandals.
Dark parks in front of our third antique store and turns off the truck.
His gaze swings to me, then to my door handle.
A silent don’t-you-dare-move hangs in the air between us before he climbs out and rounds my truck.
I wait for him. Not that I want to, but he seems to enjoy playing the gentleman.
Thankfully, he’s quick about it. Without a word, I unlatch my seatbelt, climb out of the passenger side, and we walk to the old-timey barn, turned shop, together.
His arm brushes mine as he reaches for the door, and something deep inside clenches as I hold back a gasp.
A chime rings as we enter, me then him, and on cue, a woman close to Dark’s age rushes over. I become invisible. Again.
“How can I help you today?” The woman in a sundress and curly hair purrs up at him with her big doe eyes.
A gray-haired man comes out from the back, tall, lean, and covered in sawdust. He pats his hands on the front of his pants, and the mess rains all over the aged hardwood floor.
“Hi,” he greets with a kind, weathered smile.
Dark reaches out to shake his hand. “Nice place ya have here,” he praises.
“Thanks. You have anything specific you’re lookin’ for?” the man asks, looking past Dark to me, like I actually exist. Which is a first today.
“Furniture,” I reply, wringing my fingers in front of me.
The man’s smile brightens, and he hitches a thumb over his shoulder. “Then you’ve come to the right place. I’ve got lots of furniture. Why don’t I show ya around?” he offers, and for the first time since we started this journey, I’m excited to browse.
Offering him a polite closed-mouth smile, I step past Dark and follow the man.
From room to room, he shows me different furniture styles, many of which he crafted himself.
It’s impressive, and I say so as I pick up a heavy, five-tiered plant stand and place it in the middle of the aisle, so I remember to take this piece home. It’s stunning.
“Sweetheart, we… you need a bed,” Dark teases as he knocks on the top monstera leaf-shaped shelf.
“Oh. You’re together?” the sundress woman trailing our little group asks.
There’s a grunt, then out of nowhere, Dark’s big hand finds the small of my back. I jerk as he slides that huge mitt up my spine, making me shiver like it’s sixty below zero. Once he reaches my nape, he cuffs his fingers there and forces me to turn my head to look at him.
I forget to breathe.
Somehow, the asshole must know this when that full mouth tips into a devilish smile that reaches all the way to his gray eyes, which crinkle around the edges.
Not paying this other woman any real attention, Dark winks and says, “Oh. We’re together. Right, wife?”
Wife.
Wife?!
I’m…
“We have a few king beds this way,” the gray-haired man says, none the wiser of what’s currently happening here. To me. In this moment. With this man.
Without missing a beat, his eyes still locked on mine, Dark rasps, “Thanks, man, but we don’t need that much bed. We cuddle in our sleep.”
The gentleman clears his throat. “Oh. Sure. No problem. I’ve got a couple of those, too.”
“Sounds good. Right, wife? You ready to pick out a new queen bed for us?”
For. Us.
What the hell is happening?
I want to ask, but with the people around, I can’t break this elaborate lie Dark has concocted. Not yet, anyhow.
Keeping the comments to myself, I hum, and with the help of Dark and who I presume is the owner, I pick out a queen bed. Wooden frame. Intricate details. Perfect for my new house.
For the rest of the trip, the tattooed biker’s hands never leave me.
Arm. Neck. Low back. Brushing my hair out of my face.
Every little touch drives me crazier, so it’s all I can focus on.
When the owner points out an old vintage couch he restored, I don’t notice it, even after I’ve agreed to buy it.
The jerk I’m with knows what he’s doing to me. Screwing with my head. Making my heart go berserk.
It isn’t until Dark’s paid for an entire house full of furniture, which is set to be delivered tomorrow, and we’re walking back to my truck, that I can finally get away from him long enough to breathe.
“Fuck you,” I spit as the giant biker opens the passenger door.
Dark steps back and puts his hands up. “What?”
Turning on him, I explode into a ball of messy, girl emotions that I can’t… I just can’t figure out. “You…” I waggle a finger at him. “You… I can hardly… breathe,” I wheeze.
He looks at me, confused as hell. “What are you talking about?”
“You! You…” I gesture to all of him.
“Iris. What’s wrong?”
“Don’t you, what’s wrong me!”
“Sweetheart.”
“No! Don’t you sweetheart me either, or wife me, or any of that.”
“That man wanted to fuck you.”
“What are you talking about?!”
“His nostrils flared. He kept lookin’ at your tits… and his pupils were fuckin’ massive. You turned him on. If I wasn’t there and he didn’t think we were together, he would have asked you out.”
Lies.
“No. He wasn’t. No, he wouldn’t have,” I argue.
Not ready to back down, Dark cocks his head to the side and purses his lips. “Yeah. He was. I’m a man. I know this shit.”
“Well. That’s not an excuse to touch me and… all you were doing.”
Looking horrified, Dark steps forward, then stops himself from getting any closer. “I… I wasn’t… Iris, no… I—”
“You kept touching me… and it’s messing with my head.”
Dark’s eyes round. “I… I’m sorry. I… Fuck.” Taking a step back, he threads his fingers behind his neck and stares up at the sky.
“I don’t even know what we bought.”
“How?”
“I couldn’t focus. You kept touching me.” Getting into my head. I don’t do this. It’s too much. He’s too much.
“Iris. I’m… I don’t even know what to say. I keep fuckin’ this up. You were leaning into me. I thought you liked it.”
“I do!”
“Okay. Then what’s the problem?”
“I need control, Dark. Control. You make me not be in control. You look like you do. Then you have all these women flirting with you. I become invisible.”
“You can’t be invisible when you’re literally the only woman I see,” he argues back, pinning me with a stupidly sexy glare.
“Arg!” I stomp my foot, and the gravel pops under my heel. “Dark!”
He throws his arms out to the side. “What!?”
“You can’t say that!”
“Well, I just fuckin’ did. I can’t pretend like I don’t like you. I’ve told you, I do. I can’t get you out of my fucking head.”
“I’m not having sex with you!” I screech, which sounds awful and embarrassing, but I can’t help it. He doesn’t understand.
“Can we stop with that, Iris? I know. You already said so. Plus, I didn’t ask for sex.
I just want to be around you. Okay? That man looked at your tits.
” Dark drops his gaze to said tits, and I cover them with my arms so he can’t look.
“You didn’t see me grab for my gun? I wanted to kill him.
But you seemed happy to be here. You seemed to like the furniture.
So, I’m here. I’m buyin’ the furniture for your house.
I just can’t…” Running out of steam, he sighs.
“Listen. I’m sorry. Alright? I’m real fuckin’ sorry. ”
Too keyed up to piece all he said together, I give in for both our sakes. “Okay. But you can’t touch me.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” I double, triple-check.
Dark lifts his hands in surrender. “Yes. I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
Perfect.
“No matter what?” I test.
“Yes.” He smirks, and it’s too damn attractive for his own good.
Fine. I suppose that’ll have to do. He said no to sex. No to touching me. It’s gonna be okay.
I gesture to my truck. “Good. Now, can we go?”
“Yeah. We can go.”
“Can you fix him first?” Not wanting to be locked in a vehicle with that thing, I nod to his erection.
“If I can’t touch you and that’s your line, then you have to pretend not to notice my dick.”
“It’s there, though. There’s a stain on your jeans.” It’s a big stain and a big outline.
“Iris…” Dark groans like I’m killing him.
“What?” I shrug. “I’m just sayin’.”
“Yeah, just sayin’ my ass… We’ve established that I’m attracted to you. He is, too. I can’t control him any more than I can control the weather. Just ignore the erections.”
“It’s huge.” I know I shouldn’t, but I literally can’t stop looking at it. His pants form around it.
Dark covers his bit and snaps his fingers for me to look at his face. “Iris.”
“What? How am I supposed to just ignore it?” That’s like expecting a crazy person not to be crazy. Okay. That doesn’t make sense, does it? I’m a mess.