I couldn’t believe what she just told me. Did she really expect me to buy that pure and almost innocent act? It would never happen. No one that beautiful was ever lonely in high school or college, especially not after growing a set of tits like she had.

“Nice try, but I’m not buying it. Don’t get your panties in a twist because I’m not calling you a slut. I do think there have been more than Bryce, though.”

She huffed out her breath and stared at me. “I don’t care what you believe. It’s really none of your business anyway.”

“Okay.” I leaned on the table. “Why didn’t you have more lovers than Bryce?”

“My father always got in the way.”

That I did believe. I no longer found it funny. “How did he get in the way?”

“Just the fact he was my father was all it took. The boys who did want to date me weren’t allowed. Their parents wanted nothing to do with my family.” She furrowed her brow and puckered out her lips as she picked up her fork and played with the food left on her plate. “There were those parents who were so far up my father’s ass that they thought getting their sons to date me would get them somewhere. It didn’t.”

“Did your father ever touch you?”

She looked at me. “Not like that. My father may be many things, but he isn’t a molester. He does love me.”

“Maybe a little too much.”

She shook her head. “He’s never been inappropriate with me.”

“Maybe not sexually.” I decided to change the direction. I wanted to hear more about her sexual experience or lack of, but I wanted to steer it away from her father. “So, you’re settling for the first guy to come along? No pun intended.”

She didn’t look up and kept poking the meat on her plate. “You make it really hard to talk to you.”

“I’m not a chatty guy.”

“No kidding.” She set her fork down, crossed her arms, and looked at me. “I did not settle. I just happened to hit the jackpot with Bryce.”

“The jackpot, huh? He really gets your motor running?”

Her cheeks pinked a little, and she sat up a little straighter in her chair as if she was squaring for a fight. There’d be no fight. I was curious. “I’m not sure how any of that is your concern.”

“It isn’t. It amazes me that you can be happy with just the experience of one man. I’d think a curious little thing like you would want to try out different lovers.”

“Try out? You make it sound like, well, I don’t know what you make it sound like, but sex should be a little more intimate than just naked body parts mashing together.”

I reached down and grabbed the side of her chair underneath her ass and pulled her close to me. She let out a scream and braced herself with her hands on the table when she came to a stop. I spun her chair around to face me and placed my hands on her knees to keep her from moving.

I stayed silent as she gripped the bottom of her chair and sat as far back as she could. Her breathing had increased from being startled, but I was going to see if I could get it to increase for other reasons. I wanted her turned on. She’d yet to use any of the toys I brought her. I needed her to start giving in to her desires. I was never going to make her mine until she did.

I looked down to her chest, to her belly, and then her crotch before looking back up to her eyes. “If you were in my bed, the last thing I would do is mash body parts together.”

I slid to the edge of my seat, spreading my legs and putting my knees on either side of her. I used the heels of my boots to kick her chair closer to me. I ran my hands up her legs and placed my thumbs in between them, rubbing her thighs. Leaning forward, I whispered, “I could teach this sweet body so many things.”

I watched her neck as she swallowed. I was getting to her, and it would be a matter of time before she was begging me to show her what no one else had. She wanted it. She just had to give herself permission to have it.

I stood with my legs still separated by her chair and made sure she saw the erection I had in my jeans. She swallowed again when she noticed it, but didn’t look away. “Say the word, and it’s yours.”

“Bryce is all I need.”

I leaned down to her ear. “But is he all you want?”

I lifted my leg and swung it over the back of my chair, leaving her knees against the chair I just got up from. I turned back to the table and cleared it while she still sat glued in her position. Her focus was on my erection. She didn’t think I noticed, but I did. I just hoped she was as turned on as I was and would finally start using the items I brought her.

I grabbed the tray and walked out without another word or glance in her direction.

* * *

I wasn’t sure how long I sat in the chair staring at the door. I expected him to come back in and finish what he started. What scared me more was the fact I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to or not. Knowing that I gave him an erection without trying made me feel powerful. I’d only ever had that effect on Bryce.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. I was both turned on and disgusted at the same time. Bryce was all I needed in and out of the bedroom, but I was allowed to be curious about other guys. I knew he was curious about other women. Neither of us would ever act on it. I looked to my lap. What if he didn’t wait for me? What if when I got out he had already moved on?

I closed my eyes and shook my head. He loved me too much to give up on us. He had to be out there looking for me. I wouldn’t believe anything else. He was too invested in us and in our future. He was willing to give me everything to make sure I was happy.

* * *

“Why the serious face?” I’d come back into the living room after changing out of the dress I’d worn all day at the boutique and took my favorite spot—on his lap.

He slid me off his lap to sit next to him on the sofa. I took my arms off his neck and placed my hands on my lap. I’d never been dumped before. I’d had broken hearts when things didn’t work out, but Bryce was my first relationship. It seemed he was about to be my first breakup, too.

I could barely speak. “What did I do?”

He sat forward with his arms on his knees. “It’s what you haven’t done.”

“Did I forget something?”

“No.” He rubbed his hands on his thighs.

“Do I get to find out why you’re breaking up with me or—”

He turned to me and took my hands. “I’m not breaking up with you. I’m giving you a break.” He rubbed his thumbs over the backs of my hands. “Kind of like a timeout.”

“I don’t want a timeout. You’re not making any sense.”

“I want you to date other people.”

I took my hands back. “You want to date other people?”

“No, I want you to date other people. I need you to get experience before this gets too serious.”

“So, I’m not doing enough for you?” I grabbed his shirt when he turned away. “I don’t see what getting more experience with other men has to do with you and me other than the fact I’m not sexy enough.”

“You are more than sexy enough. I don’t want you to wake up in twenty years and wonder what else is out there. I don’t want to be blindsided one day because you need to spread your wings and fly. I need you to fly now and then come back to me.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He wanted me to have sex with other men to make sure I wanted him. It made no sense to me. I shook my head. “I don’t want anyone else.”

“What about that guy from last night?”

“What about him?” The last customer of the night was someone trying to surprise his girlfriend with a romantic getaway. He knew she didn’t have anything for the trip and wanted to have it all planned so she could just get in the car and go.

“I saw you checking out his ass!” He stood and paced the living room.

He had me there. “Well, I’m sure you check out people when I’m not around.” I shrugged. “It was a good ass, but not as good as yours.”

“Your father has kept such a tight leash on you.”

“I’m not a dog, Bryce. I may have been limited in what I could do, but I wouldn’t say a leash was kept on me.”

“You always defend him. Would you have waited to have sex if you were allowed to date? Would you have settled with just one experience?”

I stood and walked over to him, gripping his shirt when I got near. “Hey, I may be with one man my entire life, but I don’t think I’ll have just one experience. Anything I want to try I can try with you. I don’t need other men to do that.”

“I want you to have no regrets.”

I cupped his face and kissed him. “The only regret I’d have is missing time with you. You are my everything. I don’t need anything or anyone else.”

* * *

I hadn’t cried since I’d started exercising. I wanted to be strong in all aspects to better focus and get out of Brody’s grasp. I couldn’t stop the tears that night. I missed Bryce, and I allowed myself to feel his loss. It would make me stronger in the morning and more determined to get back to him.

I moved the chair back to the table and grabbed the empty soda can before heading to bed. I was going to skip my nightly workout and spend time with my memories of Bryce. The reminder of what I was trying to get back to would be good for me. I hoped it didn’t kill me in the process. I needed to be stronger than Brody the next morning.

He was unpredictable at best, but I needed to be ready for him no matter what he tried to pull.