“Thank you.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked as we continued jogging.
“I’m feeling good. I barely feel any pain anymore.”
“Good. I still want you checked out. I called Dr. Graham and he said he’ll be at the hospital all day and just to stop by.”
“That’s not necessary, Ian. I’m fine.”
“Well, you may think you’re fine, but you could have some internal damage. Let’s have Dr. Graham check you out to make sure you’re okay and then we’ll never discuss it again.”
I laughed lightly because of Ian’s authoritative tone. “Yes, sir!” I said with a deep voice.
“Are you making fun of me?” He smiled as he glanced at me.
“No. I would never make fun of Ian Braxton.” I winked.
He ran into me and almost knocked me over.
“Really, Ian?”
“Really, Rory.” He smiled.
I bumped my body against his and laughed as he almost took a tumble. He looked at me and shook his head, then stopped. I stopped with him, as we were both out of breath. “You almost knocked me over,” he said breathlessly as he pointed his finger at me.
“So. You almost knocked me over.” I smiled.
“I’m starving. Let’s go get some breakfast,” he said as he tapped me on the nose.
“Okay. Where do you want to go?”
“I know this great café that’s not too far from your apartment.”
“Would it be okay if we walked?” I asked. “I’m kind of tired.”
“Are you feeling okay? Do you hurt?”
“I’m fine, Ian. Just a little tired, that’s all.”
I looped my arm around his and he looked at me for a moment and then smiled. We walked to the café and sat down at a table outside. I ordered a bagel sandwich and Ian ordered eggs and a blueberry muffin. I silently laughed because of his love for blueberry muffins.
“Did you really mean what you said last week?” he asked.
“I said a lot of things. Which are you referring to?”
“About hating blueberry muffins. Do you really hate blueberry muffins, Rory?”
His look was so serious. I think if I would’ve told him that I didn’t like them, he’d cry. I sat there and stared at him while I bit down on my bottom lip.
“Well?” he asked as he cocked his head.
“No. I don’t hate blueberry muffins, but I prefer the chocolate chip ones.”
The corners of his mouth curved up slightly as he took a bite of his muffin. “I’m confident that I can get you to change your mind about them.”
“You can try.” I smiled.
We finished up our breakfast, Ian paid the bill, and we walked back to my apartment. As we walked up the steps, Ian placed his hand lightly on my back. The touch of his fingertips through my shirt sent a tingling sensation throughout my body. I inserted the key in the lock and opened the door. I stepped inside and invited Ian in.
“Well, here it is. My apartment. I know it’s smaller than your bathroom, but it’s mine.”
“It’s—it’s nice.”
“I honestly didn’t expect you to like it because it’s not fancy and big like you’re used to.”
“Seriously, Rory. It’s nice. Except, where’s the bedroom?”
Of course that was the first thing he’d ask, because I was sure sex was the only thing the man thought about.
“There is no bedroom.”
Ian looked at me strangely and walked around the apartment. “Do you sleep on the couch?”
“It’s a sofa bed. I pull it out every night and put it back every morning.”
“Oh. I see.”
“I know it’s hard for you to believe that people live like this, Ian, but not everyone is rich and can live the luxurious life you do.”
“I assure you, Rory, my life is far from luxurious.”
I saw a flicker of pain in his eyes when he said that. “I want to talk about that night and what you told me about your mother.”
“Ah, I was wondering when you were going to bring that up,” he said as he put his hands in his pockets. “There’s nothing to discuss and I just want you to know that I’ve never told anyone that before. Not even Adalynn. As far as she’s concerned, she thinks my mother is dead. Which, to be honest, she is; at least to me.”
The sadness and loneliness in his voice bothered me. I walked over to where he was standing, looped my arm around his, and laid my head on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry she left you like that.”
“Me too. Maybe I’d be a different person if she’d stayed,” he said as his lips softly kissed my head.
I reached my hand up and gently stroked his face. His eyes studied me for a moment before he leaned closer to me and his lips caressed mine. He moved his hand from his pocket and up to the side of my face. He held it gently while he teased my lips with his. He pulled away and looked at me as if he was asking my permission to keep going.
“We need to talk,” he whispered as he gently nipped my bottom lip.
I didn’t want to talk. I wanted him. I wanted to feel him inside me. I hadn’t felt this way before and I never wanted anyone so bad in my life. These feelings and aches were new to me and I wanted them satisfied, even if it was just for one night.
“I don’t want to talk,” I whispered back as I licked his lip.
A low growl came from the back of his throat as he picked me up and took me over to the couch, sitting me on his lap so I could feel the bulge that was pulsating in his pants.
“Did you mean what you said?” he asked as I tilted my head to the side and his tongue explored my neck.
“I said a lot of things.”
“The one about me never having your pu**y?”
His hand traveled up my shirt as his fingers pulled down my bra cup and he took my hardened nipple between his fingers, tugging and pulling. “Christ,” he moaned. “Answer my question, Rory.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I grabbed his hand and stopped him. “I want you, but I’m scared.”
“Why are you scared?”
“I’ve only had sex twice in my life and it was not good.”
Ian looked at me sympathetically and wrapped his arms around me. “You don’t need to feel scared, and I can promise you it’ll be the best experience of your life. I’ll make you feel so good, you’ll never want me to stop.”
His words hit me like a ton of bricks and reality set in. If I had sex with him, I wouldn’t want him to stop. But he would have to, because I wouldn’t be the only woman he was f**king. Instantly, I felt sick and I pulled away from him. “You said we needed to talk. So talk.”