“That doesn’t happen for girls like me, Merry,” I told him.

“That’s bullshit, Cher,” he told me.

I jabbed my hand with the envelope at him. “You do not know what it’s like to live my life.”

“Open the door an inch, Cher. I get through, we’ll sit down and you can tell me.”

“Fuck that,” I snapped.

He rocked back on his heels, his eyes burning into mine, and murmured, “Right.”

Goddamn it!

It was time to end this, and at that moment, I didn’t care how much I was ending.

“You know, straight up, baby, I got a choice between Garrett Merrick, the guy I shoot the shit with, and Garrett Merrick, the man who gives phenomenal head, I pick door number two because you’re good with your mouth, but you’re better with your cock.”

No hesitation, he returned fire.

“You give it good too, sweetheart. Best I had in fuckin’ years. You’re ready to go again, you give me a call and I’m there.”

“Ethan’s next sleepover, or the next time I gotta eat shit and send him to my ex and his bitch, you’re on.”

“Find out you held out on me, after shift you’ll have a caller, and your mom can look after your boy while you’re takin’ my cock in my bed.”

“You’re on for that too.”

His eyes continued burning into mine as he rumbled, “I’m not fuckin’ with you, Cher.”

“Back at you, Garrett.”

“Then it’s on,” he announced.

“Oh yeah, baby. It’s on,” I agreed with enticing acid.

He lifted a finger my way and declared, “Then we got a deal. And you know how I deal, Cher. You know the man I am.” He dropped his hand. “You’re officially takin’ my cock, I officially take your back. I won’t say shit to anyone, but one goddamned thing happens with your ex and his bitch, you tell me. You don’t, we got problems.”

“Uh…think you forgot somethin’, boss. I take your cock ’cause I want to. That’s it.”

He shook his head, his eyes still scorching into mine. “Oh no,” he whispered, a sound that crawled over my skin in a way I couldn’t figure out if it was good or bad. “I’m seein’ you think you know the man I am, but you don’t fuckin’ know. Only way with me is my way. We made our deal. You got no choice now but to do it my way.”

“Don’t hold your breath for that to happen, gorgeous,” I returned.

“Yeah, one of us is gonna be breathless, brown eyes, that’s a guarantee.”

He could absolutely guarantee that.

Absolutely.

And it hit me at that juncture that I was in the middle of negotiating with Merry a friends-with-benefits-without-the-friendship-part deal.

How the fuck did that happen?

“We done with this bullshit?” he asked.

“We are absolutely done,” I answered.

“With this bullshit, you’re correct. Other than that, you are not,” he retorted, then turned and stalked out of the room, slamming the door.