Page 47 of Open To Negotiation

The kitchen took up the right side of the main floor, with a large island in an L shape. Along the back wall were white upper cabinets, a large gas range and a dark wood hood vent that was stained the same as the beams. The white marble counters still sparkled since they had never been used. The deep farmhouse sink sat along the back wall in front of windows, surrounded by wood shiplap on the wall.

I had made decisions about every single element in this room, my mum had talked about it. Even though I’d been young, she had ran through her dream interior so often I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was proud of how it turned out, and I did love it here.

“I can’t believe you don’t stay here all the time.” She ran her hands over the back of the couch. “This place is a dream.” I swelled with pride at her words. She looked out at the large yard. “You need a dog.”

“Do you want a dog?” I asked, watching as she turned to look at me. I’d already told her I was a dog person and she had agreed, but I was curious how she felt about having one.

“Absolutely, I’ve always wanted one, especially with a yard like this.”

I tucked that in my file of things I knew about her that I could use later.

“You’re the first woman I’ve ever brought here,” I spoke before I really thought about what I was saying. I wanted her to know she was special, I wanted her to know she was different.

“Really?” she asked skeptically. “That isn’t your move for all the girls?” I liked the jealousy that her tone couldn’t hide. I had moved into the kitchen, crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the island while she stayed near the couch.

“Why didn’t you come find me tonight? You knew I was there.” It had been bothering me that she had been there and I didn’t know. I was fine if she wanted to hang out with her friends, but she could have told me she was down there.

She looked down at her shoes and shrugged. “I had a rule.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “A rule?”

“Yes, well two actually. They were a result of…” She appeared to edit herself before she kept going. “One was that I wasn’t going to look upstairs and the second was to get drunk. The second rule I’d been doing quite well on. Unfortunately, seeing my ex and then having him grab me was kind of sobering. Plus, I was probably going to come find you anyway.” She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, biting her lip.

I could tell she was holding something back from me. That she’s been about to blurt out something more, but she’d stopped herself. “What were your rules a result of?”

She winced. “I thought you might not have caught that.”

“Quinn.”

She let out a sigh. “I thought you would focus on something else I’d said.”

I smirked and crossed my arms. “I’m not derailed easily.”

“I’ve noticed.” She shook her head. “When I got there, I had glanced upstairs, I was thinking of maybe coming to find you but you looked occupied. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

She pulled the sleeves of my jacket over her hands. She looked like she was trying to decide something. My guess? She was trying to decide if she was going to give me the truth or not. I let her mull it over, hope rising in my chest when she looked back at me.

“I thought about coming upstairs but I saw you with a woman and I didn’t think you would want me to interrupt, and I didn’t like that I was jealous and then my ex showed up…” Her words dropped off as she took a breath and then shrugged.

I walked up to her. Stopping just out of reach, mostly because I wasn’t sure I could get closer and control myself enough not to touch her. I wanted to keep her talking and if I touched her there would be no talking.

“I like that you were jealous.”

She scoffed and waved me off. “You shouldn’t. We haven’t even gone on a date and there I was, bothered by that woman rubbing up on you. I don’t have a right to be upset. You don’t owe me anything, you’re a free man. It was silly.”

“If I recall correctly, I tried to get you to go out with me but you turned me down. I was already planning on asking again.” She pressed her lips together to stop her smile. “But let’s get one thing clear now.

“I want you to have a right to be upset, to feel jealous. Because seeing your idiot of an ex touching you, even before I knew you were in trouble, had me burning with jealousy. You are the only one I want. I can’t rationalize it but I want you.” Her eyes lit up as she listened intently. “I haven’t really done the relationship thing before nor cared much about exclusivity but I want that, with you. I don’t want anyone else.”

“Are you sure? Because—” I closed the distance between us in one short step, my hand moved to cradle her face, cutting her off.

“Better tell me to stop right now if you don’t want this.” My eyes went down to her lips before bouncing back to hers.

“I want this.”

It was all I needed to hear.