"That doesn't mean shit, Ripley. You're loyal and kind, won't accept help unless you're forced, and I'm pretty fucking sure you wouldn't hesitate to throw yourself on a grenade if it meant it would save someone you love."
She goes quiet, and a rough breath leaves her lungs. "But that doesn't mean I know how to be part of something. I know your brother is just looking out for you, but maybe he's right. Maybe you do need more time before you figure out what you want."
I close the gap between us and yank her against me. "I don't need time to know that you're not like any woman I've ever met before, and everything you are is everything I want. Don't try to push me away just because you're scared of what's happening here."
"I'm not scared."
I look her in the eye. "Sugar, you're fucking terrified." I lift a hand to skim along her cheek. "You told me that girls like you don't get a happily-ever-after, and I told you I was going to prove you wrong. I'm a man of my word. I'm done asking you to give me a shot. I'm taking it, because I know I can make you happy. I can give you everything you've been afraid to want. You want front-porch swings and little dark-haired babies, I'm the man who's gonna give them to you. Do you understand me, Ripley? I'm not fucking around. You want a recording contract with a big label and a splashy tour? Then we'll make it happen, and we'll conquer it together. You've never been part of a team before, and it's time you understood what that's like."
"It's too much, too fast. I don't know if I can do this."
"Sugar, all you have to do is try."
24
Ripley
Boone is slaying me one word at a time. I'm terrified that I'll fall for the picture he's painting and I'll wake up and find out that it's all a dream-or a nightmare. Instead of giving him the answer he wants to hear, I crush my mouth to his.
"You're not gonna distract me," he says on a ragged breath as he pulls away.
"Then consider this me trying."
Boone groans and curses. "Fuck, I want you, but dammit, I've never had sex at my folks' house."
His admission shocks me. "Are you serious?"
"I respected them too much. Besides, I had my truck and that worked fine."
Now I'm trying to picture a younger Boone and what he must have been like. Cocky, arrogant, and probably the hottest guy in school. "You were a total player, weren't you?"
"Now what makes you automatically assume that?"
"How could you not be?"
Boone laughs. "As much as I love your vote of confidence, sugar, I wasn't always a stud."
"Riiiiight, superstar. I don't believe it." I'm sliding back into normal, not-so-freaked-out territory.
"My folks didn't have money. My truck was pieced together from the salvage yard. It was three different colors until I could save up the money to paint it myself in the auto-body class, and I had to carry an extra quart of oil around with me just in case it burned it all. I wasn't anything special. There were plenty of girls that wouldn't look twice at me because I didn't live up to their standards."
"Hey, you got one up on me. I didn't even have a car in high school. And I bet you anything those girls are kicking themselves hard now."
Boone chuckled. "A few of them managed to get meet-and-greet passes and tried to hook up with me after a concert."
"I hope you shut them down hard."
"What do you think?"
"I think you definitely did." My hand skims down his T-shirt to trail over the waistband of his jeans. "Speaking of hard . . ."
"Let's just put this on the table-I know you're distracting me, and we both know you're damn good at it. But this conversation isn't over. We're gonna come back to this, and you're gonna tell me you understand where we're going and you're on board with it."
"There's plenty of time to talk about that later." My voice has taken on a husky tone, and I reach for the button of Boone's fly. "Right now, I'd rather make you come."
With a flick of my wrist, I pop the button and tug down the zipper. He groans when my hand closes around his cock.
"So, are we gonna go for a ride in your truck, or are you finally going to man up and bang a girl at your parents' house?" I can't help but giggle as I say it. "Although, you should know, I'm not opposed to the truck . . ."
"Oh, I'll definitely have you in my truck one of these days. Don't you doubt it for a second. But tonight . . . tonight we're not leaving this room. I swear, you're the only one who could tempt me into this. You're dangerous, woman."