Page 86 of Rapunzel Is Losing It

“I never wanted to make you choose. I don’t want to make your life harder.”

“You didn’t - and you’re not. Your uncle is makingourlife harder. You and I are on the same team.”

I nodded because there was nothing left to say. She was right. She was on my team. I’d just never played a team sport before. She’d made a move for the team.

Which probably meant Silas was getting his docu series. The Whitakers hadn’t built their empire on doling out favors.

“Also both,” she said.

“Both?”

“You can be mad at me and kiss me. At the same time. I feel like I would enjoy that.” She smiled and sweetly batted her lashes at me. This fucking woman. “I’d also enjoy a shower and some French toast. Not at the same time though.”

“You’ll be the death of me.”

“As your employer, I forbid you to die.”

“Yes, boss.” I slapped her ass when she climbed off the mattress. She shot me a quick glare over her shoulder before disappearing into the bathroom.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“Areyou trying to give me a heart attack?” I almost dropped the plates when Cordelia plopped down at the dinner table in a tiny little crop top and a tinier pair of ruffly shorts. Bloomers. She was wearing bloomers - like she was about to star in some fucked-up 19thcentury porn.

“Why?” She asked, batting her lashes, all fake innocence.

Instead of telling her what those goddamn bloomers were doing to my heart rate, I leaned around the back of her chair and sank my mouth over her pulse point. Her breathing fluttered, but that didn’t quite match the beating in my veins yet. So I scraped my teeth over that little dip right beneath her ear.

“What are you do-hing?” Her voice hitched when I bit down.

“I’m considering having a snack before dinner.”

“Did you know that some sharks mate for life? They look all big and mean but they’re actually really cute and romantic.”

God, I loved the way she came up with these things. “Is that your way of saying I look big and mean?” I asked and leaned back to raise my brows at her.

“Huh? Oh, no, sorry.” She swallowed, her eyes squarely on my lips. “Just because male sharks bite the female before having sex. So that’s just… sorry… keep going.”

For fuck’s sake.

Between the bloomers and the sharks, my turn-ons were becoming very confusing. When I bit her, her mind jumped to sex. If she wanted to compare me to a shark, I’d take that.

“Any other interesting animal trivia you want to share?” I asked and lowered my mouth to her throat again. This time, I curled my hand around her neck from the other side. I had her captured between my fingers and my teeth. Under my lips, right beneath her golden, delicate skin, her vein pulsed faster and faster. Wonder what animal wisdom she’d come up with if I… I let my tongue sweep a long, languid stroke all along her vein. It was ridiculous how sweet her skin tasted. Cordelia shuddered and let out a goddamn adorable squeak.

“Oh god, shit, sorry!” Delilah yelped. One of her countless wedding magazines dropped to the floor and skidded halfway over to us.

Cordelia startled and jumped from her chair. “Flip, I’m sorry. Del, stay.” She rubbed her neck, where my tongue had just left its mark. “I thought you were at Beck’s. I didn’t know you were home.”

“I did,” I mumbled, earning myself an elbow in the ribs. Cordelia didn’t have the strength for that to even leave a bruise.

“This is happening now? You two?” Del asked as she picked up the magazine, eyes skipping back and forth between Cordelia and me.

Cordelia opened and closed her mouth twice before I replied for her, “Yes.”

“That’s great. That’s amazing!” Del threw her arms around Cordelia in a quick hug before opening her arms to me, too, and raising her brows in a quiet offer. I sighed and lifted an arm, only for her to throw herself against my side and squeeze my ribcage.Shehad been working out.Thatmight actually leave a bruise. It was an oddly validating hug. Not that we needed her approval, but still. “I’m so happy for you guys. Do we need to work out a schedule? We could do a shared calendar app. Or do we revert to the good old sock on the door?”

“What sock?” Cordelia asked.

“She doesn’t want to walk in on us having sex,” I replied.