Chapter 24
"Apparently, saltwater taffy is a terrible defense strategy." ~ Parker
Parker
I snuggle into the warmth of Jeremy. I could wake up this way every single morning. After a night of exploring each other’s bodies. It would be easy to get used to.
No, no, no, I can’t get used to waking up in Jeremy’s arms. Our relationship has an expiration date. And it’s coming up soon.
On the first of January, I will be officially dumped. Does it count as dumped when the date was agreed upon in advance?
My heart doesn’t care. It’s dreading the heartbreak. My heart is a big, fat drama queen.
There will be no heartbreak. Because I am not going to fall in love with Jeremy. I may be halfway there but I can stop this fall. I’ll simply encase my heart in saltwater taffy that’s been hardened too much after cooling. No one can chew through hardened saltwater taffy.
Jeremy’s arm tightens around my waist before he kisses my shoulder. “Good morning, Princess.”
My breath hitches at the feel of his lips on my skin. I remember how good it felt when he rained kisses all over my body. Stop the fall, Parker. Stop the fall.
“I still maintain I’m a queen.”
He chuckles and since his body is pressed up against mine, I feel the vibrations throughout my body. Heart. Saltwater taffy. No chewing.
“You can be a queen, but you’re my princess.”
His princess? I want to be his princess. And not only until New Year’s Day.
“I should probably get going,” I say, since this whole heart encased in saltwater taffy is not working.
He clears his throat. “We should talk.”
My stomach drops. Scuttle my cookies. Is he breaking up with me now? I still have a few weeks. I’m not ready to say goodbye. I’m afraid I’ll never be ready to say goodbye.
“I’m not apologizing for the soy sauce.”
His fingers dig into my hip. “It’s your fault there’s soy sauce all over the sheets.”
“Disagree. If you hadn’t attacked me while I was eating, there wouldn’t be soy sauce on the sheets.”
“You said you could eat while I explored your body.”
I roll around to face him. “You didn’t say explore my body. You said tickle me.”
“Same thing.”
“It is not the same thing! You yanked open my legs and started to taste me.”
Tickling, I can handle. I’m not ticklish. For the most part. Having a man give me pleasure while I’m eating? That I apparently can’t handle.
“Hmm…” His eyes flare. “Good idea.”
My nipples pebble at the promise in his voice.
“But we need to talk first.”
I groan. “You’re ruining morning sex.”
“We’ll have sex in a moment.”
I seriously doubt we’ll have sex in a moment if he tells me this arrangement is finished. I’ll be hiding in the bathroom crying instead. Crap on a mermaid’s tail. My eyes are already welling with tears.
“What do you want to talk about?” Might as well get this over with.
“You shouldn’t be living in that hellhole you refer to as an apartment.”
Relief hits me. He isn’t ending this affair early. But then I realize what he said.
I glare at him. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
“I can’t believe you’re fighting me on this.”
I rear back. “You can’t? Are you so used to bulldozing over people’s wishes that the idea someone doesn’t jump to do your bidding is foreign?”
“I’m not bulldozing over your wishes.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Really? You’re not telling me where to live?”
“This is ridiculous. You can’t possibly want to live in your crappy apartment.”
I don’t. But I’m not admitting to anything. I am not giving him any fuel for his argument.
“Not all of us are rich snobs who refuse to live somewhere because it’s not a penthouse.”
A muscle ticks in his jaw, but to his credit, he doesn’t lash out at me. He inhales a deep breath and forces himself to calm down. Which doesn’t make me fall for him more. Nope. Not me. Heart encased in hardened salt water taffy over here.
“Why don’t you stay here in this loft?”
My heart stutters in my chest. “With you?”
“I’ll go stay with Eli.”
Calm down, heart. He isn’t asking me to move in with him. Which isn’t disappointing. Not at all.
“I thought you couldn’t work at Eli’s house. It’s why you wanted to stay here in the first place.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I can’t allow it.”
The corners of his lips tip up in an almost smile. “Allow it? You’re going to tell me what I can and can’t do?”
“Yep. I’m the boss here. Haven’t you noticed?”
He growls. “I’m in charge in the bedroom. And guess where we are?”
I roll my eyes. “You’re only in charge in the bedroom when it’s naked time.”
His gaze rakes over my body. “Good thing you’re naked.”
I wag my finger at him. “But it’s not naked time.”
“It’s not?” He presses his cock into my stomach.
I scoot away out of his reach. “You’re not using sex to convince me to move in here.”
He sighs. “Can’t you be reasonable?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Are you saying I’m unreasonable because I’m a woman?”
“No, I’m saying you’re unreasonable because you’re being stubborn as shit. This place is paid for until January first. You can stay here by yourself and still save money for your shitty parents who don’t deserve a dime from you.”
I flinch.
“Fuck. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said your parents are shitty. It’s true, but I shouldn’t have said it.”
“You’re crap at apologizing.”
He shrugs. “I’m being honest. You’re working yourself to death to pay your parents back for your education when they won’t even frequent your bakery.”
I drop my chin to my chest. “I know.”
“Hey.” He pinches my chin and lifts my head to meet his gaze. “I truly am sorry. I know how it feels to have shitty parents.”
“I’m trying to improve the situation.”
He smiles but it’s not a happy smile to show off his dimples. “Here’s the thing, Princess. You can’t improve the situation on your own. Your relationship with your parents won’t improve unless they want it to as well.”
“I know,” I mutter.
But maybe it will help if I pay them back the money they spent on my culinary school. Maybe they’ll be proud and stunned and amazed by how much money it is.
Jeremy sighs. “I’m going to move into Eli’s house no matter what.”
“You can’t work at Eli’s house, and you have a deadline.” I don’t know what the deadline is. He’s been very secretive about it, but I know there is one.
He grins and this time his dimples come out to play. “It’ll be fine. I’ve been inspired recently.”
“I’m your muse.”
“You’re my muse.”
“I take payment in orgasms.”
He smirks. “And I gladly deliver.”
I squirm. “Get to delivering.”
“First, you need to promise you’ll move into this loft for as long as I’ve paid the rent.”
I roll my eyes. “Fine. I’ll move in.”
Christmas is just over a week away. I’ll be spending all of my time at the bakery anyway. Whether I sleep two hours here or two hours at my apartment doesn’t matter at this point.
“For as long as I’ve paid the rent?”
“You’re worse than a mermaid with a pirate on her line.”
He ignores me and repeats, “For as long as I’ve paid the rent?”
“Fine. Fine. For as long as you’ve paid the rent. Now will you ravish me and give me orgasms?”
“On your back,” he grumbles.
I shiver at the promise in his voice. Yes, please. I roll onto my back and he snatches the sheet away from me.
He gazes down at me with adoration in his eyes. No, not adoration. Jeremy doesn’t adore me. This is simply a mutual agreement to satisfy our sexual urges until he leaves the island. Nothing more. Nothing less.
“Hands on the headboard.”
“Yes, sir. Right away, sir.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “Quiet or I’ll gag you.”
“No gagging. Handcuffs and blindfolds are okay. But gagging is not.”
He smirks. “I’ll have to rustle up some handcuffs.”
If he expects me to protest, he’ll be waiting a long time. I’ve discovered a new side of my sexuality with Jeremy. And this side enjoys being tied up. If the tying up is being done by him.
Jeremy kisses his way up my leg and I forget all about my fear of getting my heart broken. It’s impossible to think when he concentrates on me and my body.
And I wouldn’t want it any other way.