BooksBarbecue
Back The Companion Project
Chapters (89)
  1. Dedication
  2. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  3. ONE
  4. HENRY
  5. TWO
  6. EMMA
  7. THREE
  8. HENRY
  9. FOUR
  10. EMMA
  11. FIVE
  12. EMMA
  13. SIX
  14. SEVEN
  15. HENRY
  16. EIGHT
  17. NINE
  18. TEN
  19. HENRY
  20. ELEVEN
  21. TWELVE
  22. EMMA
  23. THIRTEEN
  24. HENRY
  25. FOURTEEN
  26. HENRY
  27. FIFTEEN
  28. SIXTEEN
  29. EMMA
  30. SEVENTEEN
  31. HENRY
  32. EIGHTEEN
  33. HENRY
  34. NINETEEN
  35. HENRY
  36. TWENTY
  37. TWENTY-ONE
  38. EMMA
  39. TWENTY-TWO
  40. EMMA
  41. TWENTY-THREE
  42. HENRY
  43. TWENTY-FOUR
  44. EMMA
  45. TWENTY-FIVE
  46. EMMA
  47. TWENTY-SIX
  48. EMMA
  49. TWENTY-SEVEN
  50. HENRY
  51. TWENTY-EIGHT
  52. EMMA
  53. TWENTY-NINE
  54. HENRY
  55. THIRTY
  56. HENRY
  57. THIRTY-ONE
  58. HENRY
  59. THIRTY-TWO
  60. EMMA
  61. THIRTY-THREE
  62. HENRY
  63. THIRTY-FOUR
  64. EMMA
  65. THIRTY-FIVE
  66. EMMA
  67. THIRTY-SIX
  68. HENRY
  69. THIRTY-SEVEN
  70. EMMA
  71. THIRTY-EIGHT
  72. HENRY
  73. THIRTY-NINE
  74. HENRY
  75. FORTY
  76. EMMA
  77. FORTY-ONE
  78. HENRY
  79. FORTY-TWO
  80. FORTY-THREE
  81. EMMA
  82. FORTY-FOUR
  83. EMMA
  84. FORTY-FIVE
  85. HENRY
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. ALSO BY CHELSEA CURTO
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I stand up and she retreats half a foot, the back of her thighs hitting the edge of the chair. She lets out an oof at the contact, and heat flares through me with the sound. I want to reach out and steady her on her feet. Drag her onto my lap while I comfort her and learn what the fuck she needs help paying for.

So many things I want, I want, I want.

“I’m sorry, Emma,” I apologize sincerely. Hanging my head, I sigh. “I didn’t mean it offensively. I want you to have the money because it’s important to you. I’m not telling you what to do, and I’m not demanding you listen to me. I’m doing a shitty job of communicating how much I want to help.”

“We can discuss it at a later time,” she answers, jaw relaxing a fraction of a degree. I concede her vigorous brush-off as a temporary victory. “Moving on. Let’s talk about logistics. While I’m not 100% comfortable around you as Henry yet, I do trust you. We’re off to a good start.”

“You trust me?”

“Yeah. I know you aren’t going to lure me into the woods and cut me into tiny pieces.”

“Is the standard for men being just above serial killer level? How badly have we fucked up over the years for not murdering someone to be the bare minimum of chivalry?”

Her lips twitch in amusement. “It’s obvious we don’t have a sexual connection in person, so we don’t need to worry about that becoming an issue.”

“Ah. I suppose that’s good.”

“It is, otherwise I wouldn’t agree to continue this. I plan to follow my strict rules. You aren’t the exception. ”

“I see. It’s reassuring to know you find me hideous and annoying. Definitely not the hot, handsome man you assumed me to be, right? The not-so-nice guy who could pin you to the wall with only one of my arms is totally unappealing. I get it. Tell me, Emma, exactly how repulsive do you find me?”

The air between us is charged and electric, ions of lust bouncing back and forth and rapidly filling the room, raising the temperature to an insufferable degree. We’re seconds away from either launching into a yelling match or clawing at the other’s clothes, dresses and shirts flying out of the way. I want her so fucking bad, and I think I might die without her.

It’s a travesty she doesn’t feel the same. Not anymore.

She blushes, a faint shade of pink creeping up her chest to her neck, millimeter by millimeter. The color spreads to her sharp cheekbones, splotching them with a rosy hue. She swallows, and I track the movement down her throat.