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“Except you and me.”
“No. We’re totally good. We’re both doing exactly what we want to do.”
“If I don’t have you, I’m not doing what I want to do.”
Both of my brows arch. “I know you’re a spoiled, bossy rich boy, but even you know that sometimes you have to make choices. And you did.”
His frown deepens. “And you’re not upset at all?”
I shrug. “I’m human. Of course, I wish I could have it all. But this is how it has to be.”
“No!” He steps forward again. “Dammit, Ruby, wecanhave it all. My job—okay, my brother—does come first sometimes, and I do promise to take care of your sister and niece, but wecanbe together.”
I know I will never meet another man like Henry. I’ve met a lot of men. Even tried relationships with a few of them. None of them ever understood my relationship with Scarlett, not tomention it being one of the things they admired and loved about me. Not until Henry.
Some of them were jealous and quick to throw a punch at anyone who looked at me too long, but none of them wereprotectivelike Henry. He doesn’t just want to keep me away from other men, he wants me safe in all ways. Physically but also emotionally. He wants me to feel good and strong and confident and fulfilled.
That’s why I think, deep down, after he’s thought about it for a while, he’s going to understand and actuallylikewhat I’m about to tell him.
“We can’t be together in Emerald,” I say. “Because I’m moving back to New Orleans.”
Chapter 3
Ruby
Henry’s brows slam together, and he takes a quick breath. Then he puts his palm against the base of my throat and walks me backward until my shoulder blades meet the bookcase. Then he stares down at me, his hand heavy against my collarbones, possessive and commanding. This hold never fails to make me a puddle of lust. Asubmissivepuddle of lust.
I know exactly what he’s doing.
And it’s working.
Be strong. Good lord. You have plans. Good plans. Plans that are more important than what this man can do to your pussy.
Probably.
See? When Henry’s close to me, even my very determined inner voice gets a little mixed up. It’s a problem, for sure.
“What did you say?” he asks quietly.
I swallow, my throat moving against his hand. “I’m going back to New Orleans. As soon as Cian and Scarlett get back to Emerald.”
His blue gaze is sharp and angry. “No.”
I nod, the movement restricted by his hold. “Yes. I start school in August. I want to get there, get settled, find a part-time job. Just…be there before I start the program.”
That furrow between his brows deepens. “School?”
“Law school.”
Just saying those words out loud to someone else gives me a thrill. I haven’t told anyone. Not even Scarlett knows. I couldn’t tell her. It was too much. There were too many things up in the air. Until about three weeks ago, I didn’t think I was going to be able to go at all and yes, it was in large part because of her. I wasn’t going to leave her in Emerald all alone. So I hadn’t told her. There was no need.
Henry studies me, his gaze bouncing back and forth between my eyes. “You want to go to law school?”
“I’mgoingto law school,” I tell him.
His hand is hot against my throat, and tingles race down my body. His body heat seeps into me. He’s always so hot. Just hugging him warms me up almost instantly. Sure, some of it is the chemistry between us, but some of it is just that he’s a human furnace. He’s also hard. And big. And Ilovebeing pressed between him and firm surfaces. This is certainly not a first.
But it might be the last.