Page 31 of The Healing Touch (Manwhore #3)

He blew a kiss at Delia, grabbed Becca some food, and headed back to their room, smiling.

He could just imagine the hell Sara Jane was going to give Viktor.

The woman was a firecracker who’d had enough of being controlled.

Unfortunately, to keep her safe, Viktor was going to have to control some of her movements. Which would piss her off more.

Another great book idea. He’d have to follow this budding relationship.

He heard the shower on when he came in. The bedding was on the floor, and her suitcase was open, the clothes thrown here and there around it. She’d been in a rush.

When the shower cut off a few minutes later, the hair dryer clicked on. He fought the urge to go in the bathroom because there would very likely be a repeat of last night. He’d promised no sex.

Fucking idiot.

Why the hell had he agreed to that?

His dick agreed with the sentiment. Just thinking about last night made him hard. This was not going to be easy.

“Do you often stand there stroking yourself, staring off into space?”

Becca’s soft words pulled him out of his memory. Sure enough, she was right. He had his hand on his dick. Fuck.

She laughed and strolled toward him, devilment in her eyes. He backed up. What was the minx up to? She stopped an inch from him, her face flushed from the heat of the shower. “I was thinking.”

“About what?” He adjusted himself and put his hands behind his back to keep from touching her.

“About this whole no seducing me thing.”

“You mean we can throw that whole two-week timeline out the window?” His dick twitched at the thought. Please fucking say yes .

“Nope, that’s non-negotiable.”

He groaned.

“But I was thinking.” She leaned into him. “That doesn’t mean we can’t do other things.”

“Other things?” His hands refused to be held quiet and pulled her close. “What sort of things?”

“Oh, you know, kissing, touching, making out, those kinds of things.”

“Those things lead to you being bent over the couch and fucked, Becca.”

“Nope, wrong again.” She batted her eyelashes at him much as the front desk attendant had earlier, only this time, it nearly brought him to his knees. “You need to learn you don’t always get what you want.”

“Oh, but that is where you’re wrong, sweetheart. I always get what I want.”

She only smiled and pushed away from him. “We’ll see.”

“You are driving me insane, woman.” He shook his hands, trying to make them forget the urge to pull her back and run them all over her body, making her as aroused as he was.

“Good.” She popped a piece of pineapple into her mouth. “Now, start loading those bags into the boxes. They’re alphabetized, so keep them in the right boxes.”

The fuck? She went from seductress to general in the blink of an eye.

“Get moving or we’ll be late.”

“No, you aren’t coming with me.” No way in hell was he letting her put herself through that.

She paused, another chunk of fruit midway to her mouth. “What?”

“I mean it, Becca. I can do this myself. You don’t have to come and face all that…”

“Oh, yes, I do.” She gave him her full attention, appreciative of what he was trying to do, but this was a decision she’d come to this morning.

She’d spent all her life hiding from things, never facing her fears, and in this instance, her honor.

She’d be damned if she let some hateful, jealous ex keep her from helping her best friend.

“Last night…”

“Was last night,” she cut him off. “I’m okay this morning. I’ve taken my anxiety meds, I have my inhaler handy, and I’ll be okay.”

“Becca.”

“No, D. I have to do this. I realize it will be hard, and I might flip out, but I need to try. Not only for you, but for me. As long as I’m behind the table and no one can surround me, I’ll be okay. I’ve been giving myself pep talks since I agreed to come. I have to do this.”

“But you don’t.”

“Yes, I do. I need to make sure I can be the person you need me to be.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? I need you to be you. That’s it.”

“You need someone who can do this, go to events, be out in the public. That’s who you are, Dimitri, and if I can’t do this, we might not work.

” She held up a hand to stop him. “I know what you’re going to say, but if I feel inadequate in our relationship, how much of a chance do you really think we have? Let me do this, please.”

She had thought a lot about this. Dimitri was very much a public person, one who was always out to events and parties.

She had to know she could eventually go to those things with him.

She wasn’t stupid enough to think going to one event would cure her, but it would tell her if she could build from it and eventually contain her panic enough to do the things he loved to do.

“First sign of a panic attack, and we’re out.” He came over and swept her up. “Not for me, but for you. I could care less if you have a meltdown and scream bloody murder, but I’m guessing you would.”

She nodded. He was right. She’d be so embarrassed she’d probably delete her Facebook page.

She already set her profile security so no one could tag her or post on her page.

Enough was enough. And if she saw Christy, Carly, whatever her name was, she’d give her a piece of her mind.

How in the world had she found out who Becca was?

It still boggled her mind. She never posted anything personal.

“Fine. Now get to loading those bags up before we really are late.”

Dimitri let her go but slapped her ass before she could move out of the way. She threw him a glare and started to gather up all the swag she’d organized last night. Today was going to be hard. She knew that. She was prepared for it.

Today was her test run. If she couldn’t do this, there might not be a future for them. She wouldn’t trap him in a relationship he’d ultimately come to despise, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

Today would be everything.