Page 182 of Power Play

“Then I’m still here.”

Charm looked surprised.

“I like you,” I said. “I’m not disappearing because you’re complicated.”

“You made it sound like all or nothing.”

“I meant eventually.”

I moved closer. “I’m not interested in being with five different versions of you depending on who’s watching.”

Her eyes held mine. “You want only me.”

“Only you.”

The answer seemed to settle something inside her before she frowned.

“But you still keep stopping.”

I laughed beneath my breath. “You came four hours to apologize and still found your way back to that.”

She crossed her arms. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

“You act like this is some philosophical problem.”

“It isn’t.”

“Then what is it?”

I looked at her closely.

Jeans. Gray shirt. Minimal makeup. Hair pulled back like she hadn’t spent an hour trying to make it perfect.

She was gorgeous.

She also looked exhausted.

I stepped into her space. “I get hard thinking about you, mi hada.”

Charm blinked as color rose into her cheeks.

I kept going. “I want you badly.”

Her lips parted. “Then why—”

“Because I’m careful as fuck with the things that matter to me.”

That stopped her.

I slid one hand around her waist. “I’ve lost a lot in my life.”

Her face softened. “I know.”

“You know pieces, and that’s enough for now.” My thumb moved against her side. “I’m not scared of sex or wanting you. I’m scared of handing over something I care about and finding out later that I misunderstood what it meant to you.”

Charm’s eyes filled again. “I don’t want to hurt you.”