“After that display in the club tonight, I’d say I already am the envy of the resort. You were my real superhero, and every other woman who saw you fight for me wished you’d do the same for her.”
“So that’s all it takes? Knock a few teeth out, bust a few noses, make a fool out of a few deserving shitheads? I can do that.”
“You did do that. I can’t thank you enough for stopping them, and for sitting out here with me until I calmed down.”
“Daisy, I assure you, no thanks are necessary for any of that. My sister says I’m an overprotective big brother, but she hasn’t seen my protective side until some guy tries that shit with her. If I can’t sit back and allow that to happen to her, then I can’t allow it to happen to any other woman either. No man has that right, and no man will get away with that shit if I’m around.”
“I haven’t met anyone like you before, Rod. I know we joked about it before, but you really are one of a kind.”
“Don’t make me out to be more than I am, Daisy. Maybe I have stricter codes in some areas than other men do, but that doesn’t make me a saint. If you had to spend more than ten days with me in the real world, you’d be ready to kick me to the curb.”
“You think you’re so slick, hiding behind that mask. I never said you were perfect, and no woman would expect you to be. But there are attributes that set you apart from other men, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of, Rod. In fact, you should be proud of it.”
Regardless of how much I’d like to believe her, I just can’t. “You’re seeing me through sea-colored glasses, beautiful. When I take this Captain America mask off, I’ll be the same Hot Rod once again. But if that’s how you want to see me for tonight, I can’t stop you.”
She turns in my arms toward me, chest-to-chest and face-to-face. Nowhere to hide. Her bright smile is back, and I realize I enjoy seeing it a little too much. She gently shakes her head. “I wasn’t talking about your Captain America mask, Rod. I mean the other mask you hide behind every day. But now I know you’re secretly one of the good guys.”
Am I?
No, I’m not, and despite how much I’d like to believe her perception of me is on target, I know she couldn’t be further from the mark.
“That line of thinking will only get you hurt, sweetheart. You have a pure heart, I can tell. You want to believe the best in people. I hate to burst your bubble, but people suck and will always let you down. Believe the worst, don’t hope for the best, and be pleasantly surprised once in a while.”
“Actually, I don’t believe the best in people at all. My past won’t allow me to give anyone the benefit of the doubt. When I trust someone, it’s because they have earned it and proven their loyalty. You’ve earned it, Rod. Over the past few days, with all the small and large acts of kindness, you’ve earned my trust and respect.”
All I can do is consciously breathe at this point. Part of me wants to grasp on to her words and never let them go, to believe them as she does. But I know I can’t, not for any longer than the time she’s nestled in my arms. We lock our eyes in a heated stare, each waiting for the other to make a move. I won’t be the one to initiate a kiss, not after she was just assaulted in the club, and whatever memory ghosts haunting her are still stirring in her mind. It’s not fair to either of us. I don’t want any of those memories connected to her time with me.
Then she closes the gap between us, and her soft lips are on mine. When her tongue sweeps across the part of my lips, reason flies away in the breeze and I’m instantly aware of my fingers curling in her hair, scraping against her scalp. Controlling the tilt of her head, I deepen the kiss. I’m devouring everything about her as slowly as our overheated bodies will allow me to go. My heart is racing, my breath has seized in my lungs, and my thoughts have slowed to a singular purpose.
Worshipping her body all fucking night long.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Daisy
Why do women feel the need to rationalize and justify every decision and every move they make? That little voice in the back of my head warns me that others may think badly of me if I follow through with my plans to spend the night with Rod. It asks how I’ll deal with the fallout if I have to explain my actions to anyone.
What will they say?
What will they think?
Who else will they tell?
All right, little voice. I have a question for you in return. If you can give me a valid answer, maybe I’ll listen to you this time. If not, I’m moving full steam ahead.
I’m listening.
What if the worst thing that happens to me turns out to be the best thing I’ve ever had?
Give me a second.
Time’s up, little voice.
Rod just bared part of his soul to me, showing me his sensitive and loving side, even if he didn’t realize it. It’s definitely there buried under a world of hurt from his past. He didn’t share much about his family except how much his sister and his niece mean to him. What he didn’t say tells me just as much as what he shared. But I can’t judge him for hiding his heart away when I’ve done the same for years. I’ve allowed previous injuries and insults to color my current view of the world. Though I meant every word when I said I don’t believe in love anymore, I believe
