Page 41 of Worth Loving
As if it wasn’t bad enough that he’d screwed Molly’s brains out and wanted to do it again, he’d also put his foot in his mouth.
He’d seen the hurt in her eyes and he was so sorry for it. He’d told her he hadn’t meant for it to sound the way it came out, but he knew right away she didn’t believe it.
She was right though. Neither of them was a virgin. He didn’t think it was that bad to say he’d never been with a redhead before. A true redhead at least. Good thing he didn’t saythat.
On top of it, she was the one who started the whole thing. Not just offering it up, but undressing him.
She made the first move, not him.
He’d had no idea he’d end up in her bed when they met for lunch, even as much as he hoped for it.
Sure, it’s not like he was going to turn her down. Only an idiot would do that and everyone knew how smart he was.
“No one would know that with the way you had dishes in the sink and crumbs on the counter.”
“I was in a hurry to leave yesterday,” he said. “I got called in last minute.” Though Carly had cleaned up for him, he’d come home and eaten something else before landing in bed past midnight.
Getting the call from Carly that Willow had just shown up unannounced, yesterday of all days when he couldn’t leave to find out what was going on hadn’t been good news.
Then the minute he got home, Carly was gone, Willow in the living room watching TV.
Part of him was pissed his sister had dismissed his nanny without his knowledge, but Carly was only steps away.
And Jonah was sleeping, so it’s not like anything was going to happen.
Hell, Willow showed up when Jonah was already in bed and his son didn’t even know his aunt was here.
The first words out of his mouth had been, “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I had a fight with Grandpa. I did what you said and it didn’t work out.”
“And you figured you could come here without telling me?” he asked. His family had been here a handful of times. That’s it.
For Jonah’s birth and his first birthday and a few Christmases. They couldn’t be bothered again.
He was on the family shit list and had no problem being at the top.
“You told me to do it and now he’s not talking to me. He threatened to cut me off.”
“So stay with Mom and Dad,” he said. Willow at twenty-five lived in an apartment that his grandfather paid for. Being cut off was her worst nightmare. Sure, his parents’ house—mansion—was plenty big enough and they were out of each other’s way. But he couldn’t wait to get away.
Not Willow. She needed to be loved. She needed people to hold her hand. She needed to be... needed.
What she couldn’t do was stand on her own two feet. She couldn’t make her own decisions. And she couldn’t stick to her guns if shetriedto make a decision.
“Mom is mad at me too. She said I should know better than to go up against him.”
He had rolled his eyes and wanted a beer but it’d only keep him up. He didn’t drink when he came home from work, but he didn’t need to deal with a family crisis after his date with Molly either.
“You pick your battles, Willow. Not my problem. It always blows over in a day or so and you know it.”
“Not this time,” she said, lifting her chin. He didn’t like that look.
“And why is that?”
“Because there is a culinary school close by. I looked. I can stay with you and go there.”
“No,” he said firmly. “You are not living with me. I like my space. I like my privacy. And I’m not around enough to keep an eye on you or hold your hand.”
