Snake's Addiction(37)

“Nothing, it’s just—” She looked toward the phone.

“Baby, you can talk to me about anything.”

“I’ve just been on the phone to Lydia.”

He tensed up. “She phoned?”

“Yeah, she phoned, and she sounded strange.”

“Did you tell her about us?”

Jessica nodded. “She didn’t seem to mind at all. There was just something off about her.” Rubbing at her temples, she tried to clear her mind, thinking about the flowers.

“Talk to me.”

“Lydia’s always so happy or talking a lot. This time, it was like she was being told what to say. No, I’m going out of my mind. This is what happens when you don’t have a lot to do.” She shrugged. “It’s official. I’m going insane.”

“You’re not going insane.” He tugged her close, holding the back of her neck.

She closed her eyes. “I just worry about her. I think I’m always going to worry about her.”

“You might want to stir your sauce before it burns.” He held up the spoon.

“Shit, thank you.”

Rushing to the stove, she started to stir the tomato sauce.

“Do you want me to get one of the brothers to look into the guy she’s dating?”

“Nah, I don’t even know his name.” She shrugged. Jessica wasn’t about to tell him the only thing she knew about this man was the name “Master”. She’d not met him, and for all she knew, it was made up. “Did Judi and Ripper get settled in?”

“From what I was told, Paul hasn’t been put down since he got to the clubhouse. There’s always someone around to hold him.” He chuckled.

“You better warn them it’s not a good thing for them to keep holding him.” She drained the pasta, before tipping it into the tomato sauce.

“They will. Devil was putting a ban on the holding when I went back to see them.” She added the parmesan cheese before serving it up onto two plates.

Placing one in front of him, she took a seat. “What was with the flowers?”

“Can’t a man do something good for his woman?”

She looked at him, forgetting about her concerns for Lydia. “It depends. Are they a gift or are they guilt?”

Snake stared at her for several seconds. “Today I was talking with one of my brothers, and something has been brought to my attention that I knew all along.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m in love with you.”

She held the piece of pasta to her lips, staring at him. “What?”

“I don’t expect you to say anything right away or even later on. I’m not expecting an answer, but I’m in love with you. From the first moment in the hospital when you wouldn’t take any shit from me, I wanted you.”

She touched his hand, trying to silence him. Words were failing her where once they were easy for her to say. “I can’t talk right now. I really want to, and I have feelings for you as well.”

“Jessica—”

“No, I believe I love you, too. It’s too soon and sudden, but I do love you. I’ve never felt anything like this, but it’s true.” She pointed toward the phone. “I was willing to risk a good friendship to be with you. Lydia and I, we’re good friends, but we’re all over the place. If that makes any sense.” She chuckled. “Like now, it has been a couple of months since I last heard from her, and she calls now, worrying me.”

“I don’t want to talk about Lydia. I want to talk about you and me.” He took her hand. The food was forgotten. “There’s no one else I want in the world, Jessica, and it scares me, too.”

“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.”

“You’re not the only one who feels like that. I’ve fucked a lot of women, and I didn’t care about them. I used them. I don’t want to use you, Jessica. I want to be your man. If you’ll have me.” He licked his lips, and her heart turned over.

“I’ve already got you.” She got to her feet, moving to his side. He pushed the chair back, and she straddled his thighs. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she smiled down. “Does this make me your old lady?” she asked.

“No, I’ve got to fuck you in the ass before I can call you my woman.”

She slapped him on the chest. He tugged her close, pressing his lips on hers. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her legs around his chair. She couldn’t believe he loved her. It seemed so surreal, but she wasn’t going to let him go, ever.

****

Master snapped the phone closed beside her ear.

“When’s she free?”