“Honestly, Kas, I don’t think I’m going to allow you out in public. You’re content living in my house, right? You don’t have to go outside and mingle. No one else has to see you but me.”
I looked away from my reflection and caught her stare. Mirth danced over her face, but something sharp glowed in her hazel gaze.
“Am I that ugly?” I still had my beard—that was the next thing to go—but I thought my haircut was an improvement.
God, what if she doesn’t want me anymore—
“You were ridiculously handsome before. But now...” She whistled under her breath. “Honestly, I’m not a jealous person, but I’m jealous before we’ve even gone to the gala. I know the moment the public see you...” She fanned herself. “They’re going to want to steal you from me.”
Steal me?
I laughed under my breath even as sick terror filled me. Self-preservation borne from being stolen and used rejected what she said, filling me with fear that if strangers found me attractive, then they’d touch me, they’d want me, they’d take me against my wishes.
No one was stealing me again.
Fucking no one.
My hands curled into fists, and the telltale hot flush of temper and panic made my nostrils flare.
Gem noticed, and all humor slipped from her face. “Ah, Kas. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean...and after you just told me that you grew your hair in the hopes you wouldn’t be sexually attractive.” She walked into my spread legs, hugging my head to her chest. “It was a tasteless joke. I’m sorry. I’m such an idiot.”
I sat on the kitchen barstool that she’d dragged into the bathroom and hugged her back, scolding my heart for racing, wishing I wasn’t still so fucked up at the thought of complete strangers liking what they saw.
“Sorry,” I mumbled into her breasts, slipping my tongue out and tasting her shower-fresh skin. The towel barely covered her nipples.
She shivered and pulled away, cupping my beard-covered cheeks. “I’m going to make you another promise, okay?”
My eyebrows rose, but I nodded, curiosity filling me, shoving away the stupid panic attack. “Okay...”
“I’m going to allow myself to get jealous. I’m not going to tell you that women aren’t going to find you drop-dead gorgeous. Gay men too will fall to their knees if you arrive at the gala wearing a tux. You can’t change the fact that you’re blessed with good genes, Kas. I know that’s probably not what you want to hear. And I wish I could tell everyone to give you room, give you space, and not look at you like something they want to lick. But...what I can do is...be possessive.”
I placed my hands on her hips, digging my fingers into her muscular curves. “And how is that going to make me feel better?”
“Well, for one, no one, and I mean no one, will be able to come near you if I don’t allow it. I’m happy to play the crazy jealous girlfriend if it means women won’t try to kiss you hello, and I’ll bat away anyone who tries to take yours in a handshake. I won’t leave your side all night. Believe me, people will be too afraid of my jealous wrath to come too close to you.”
I chuckled, my mind locking onto one word in that entire sentence that was more powerful than all the rest. “My girlfriend, huh?”
She froze. Her eyes went golden and heated. “That’s all you heard from that?”
My fingers dug into her hips. “It’s the only word that matters.”
She lowered her head, brushing her lips over mine. “You do remember that you proposed to me, right? That we bypassed the girlfriend and boyfriend stage.” She reared back, half dramatic, half real concern filling her pretty face. “Please tell me this isn’t like the bath in the valley? That morning, I woke up knowing I’d fallen so damn hard for you, only for you to have no memory of what happened. It was...it was heartbreaking.”
I tugged her into me. “This is not like that morning.” I kissed her. “I remember asking you to marry me—not that I asked, I kind of just told you. I remember every day I’ve spent in your house. I remember everything we’ve talked about, all the meals you’ve bought me, and your tireless crusade to find out what my favorite food is.”
“Have you figured it out yet?”
“What my favorite food is?”
She nodded.
I laughed quietly. “Have we tried everything?”
She shook her head, looping her hands over my shoulders, the razor still clutched in her fingers. “Not even close. We need to travel to find true flavors. We need to fly to Asia and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. We need to try every culture and cuisine.”
I swallowed hard at the thought of how much that would cost and just how much I’d end up owing her, but I nuzzled into her with utmost gratefulness. “I won’t lie and say that travel seems like an insane dream for me. Books can only do so much for the imagination, and I’ve never gone anywhere as exotic as the locations I’ve read about, but...I’m perfectly content to stay right where we are. As long as I have you.”