Page 9 of He Loves Me Not

Damn him for being irresistible.

Just…damn him.

Chapter Four

Dawson

Ava is quiet at dinner, lost in her own thoughts and worries. I let her sit with them until she's finished pushing food around on her plate, and then I pick her up, pressing my lips to hers.

"Stop thinking so much, baby."

"Easy for you to say," she grumbles. "You get to pay people to worry for you. I don't have that luxury."

"There's nothing to worry about." I carry her down the hall to her bedroom, dropping her on the bed.

"There's plenty to worry about."

"Okay, then. Name it."

"Floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, spiders, tsunamis, volcanoes, murderers, clowns, home invasions, car accidents, flat tires, getting locked in the trunk," she says, ticking them off on her fingers.

"Baby." I grin down at her. "I meant about us."

She scowls adorably. "I was getting there, Dawson."

"Well, then, by all means…" I motion for her to continue.

She inhales a deep breath before launching into another list. "Our parents finding out and disowning us, or our parents finding out and getting divorced because of us, my job finding out and firing me, your job finding out and firing you, yourfans finding out, the media finding out and our business being plastered all over the news, or—"

I lean down, silencing her with my lips on her. She grunts softly, resisting for a moment before she melts into the kiss. Once I'm confident she's done, I pull back. "You finished now?"

"What?"

"Yeah, you're done," I say, chuckling, as I crawl onto the bed beside her. Before she can protest or move, I haul her onto my lap so she's straddling my hips. "None of that shit matters, Ava."

"It does. I can't express to you how much it matters."

I crook a finger beneath her chin. "Do you want me?"

"I…"

"Don't lie or I'll turn that pretty ass red," I growl.

Her eyes go glossy before she blinks. "That is not hot," she mumbles to herself, making me grin. And then she huffs. "Yes, I want you, okay? I've wanted you since I met you. But my mom is crazy about your dad. I will not be the one who ruins that for her."

"Who said you would be?"

"Um, did you forget what just happened in my kitchen?"

"We ate dinner."

She glowers at me.

"You came all over me, and looked so fucking perfect doing it that you made me come all over myself," I say. "Still don't see the problem, sweetness."

"All of that!" she cries, flinging her arms around wildly. "It's all a problem, Dawson. We did sex things in my kitchen. You're my stepbrother."

I buck my hips slightly. "You trying to get me to do more sex things to you right now, baby? Because if you keep reminding me that I'm your stepbrother, that's what's going to happen."