Joshua walks back into my room with an overnight bag and a suitcase. He puts it on the chair at the end of my bed. He opens the drapes and I am blinded by the blazing light. “Are you making me breakfast?” He grabs my foot out from the bottom of my blanket and starts to twist my toes.
I frown as I rip my foot from his grip. “Mmm,” I groan.
“Up.” He smiles as he runs his stubble up my neck.
“Mmm,” I groan again. Why does he have to be so damn perky in the mornings?
“I mean it, you wanted me here in the morning. I am here, so get up.” He slaps my behind.
Oh god … so annoying. I lean up onto my elbows. “What time is it?” I frown.
“I have usually been in the gym for two hours by this time, lazybones.” He smiles.
“That’s great, coffee and eggs on toast,” I mutter as I flop back onto the bed.
He smirks and exits the room. I lie and try to wake up as I hear him fussing in the kitchen. Five minutes later he comes back in with a cup of coffee.
“Here you are.” He passes me the coffee.
“Thank you.” I smile. He leans in and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear.
“I have to work for the next four nights.”
I frown. “Huh?”
“The company’s computers we are doing the upgrade for need to be worked on after hours for the first week. I start at five and then will be working all night on them.”
I frown as I take a sip of my coffee. “That’s annoying,” I mutter.
“Tell me about it. I want you to stay at your mother’s while I am working,” he says matter-of-factly as he stands and takes his suit out of its bag.
I screw up my face. “Huh. What for?”
“I just do.”
“I’m just not,” I reply.
“Yes, you will be. Don’t start your shit,” he snaps.
I drink my coffee again. Here it comes, I forgot about this side of his personality. Hmm, funnily enough I haven’t missed it at all.
“I live here on my own, Joshua. I think I am safe.”
He shrugs. “I don’t care what you think, you are not staying here alone. End of story.” He turns and walks back out of the room.
I lie in bed as I fume. What the hell is this about? He is acting all boyfriendy when he has specifically told me that he doesn’t want to get back together. I would love to throw that in his face but I don’t want to push him and get the wrong answer. He’s so damn confusing.
I walk into the kitchen where he is making me breakfast. This domestic version of Joshua Stanton is simply delicious and I smile broadly.
He raises his eyebrows in question. “Yes,” he murmurs.
“A girl could get used to this.”
“Could she now?” he smirks as he puts my breakfast on the counter.
I cuddle him from behind. “Yes, she could.”
He turns to make his protein shake.
I sit at my breakfast bench. “Thank you,” I smile.
He smirks and takes a sip of his shake. “So will you go home with your mother tonight straight from the hospital?” he asks.
I take a bite of my food and shake my head. “No, I told you I am staying here.”
He raises his eyebrows. “And I told you that you are not.”
I chew my food and swallow so I can speak. “You are not the boss of me, Joshua. You can’t tell me what to do.”
He drinks his shake as he glares at me. “Seeing as I had my hands on the back of your head and my cock in your mouth for half of the night, I am the boss of you and you will do what I say.”
I glare at him, of all the nerve. The words booty call rattles around in my empty head. “Maybe tonight when that cock is in my mouth I just might bite it off,” I snap.
He smiles broadly. “Try it, see what happens to you.” He takes a drink of his shake. “And you won’t be here tonight, you will be at your mother’s.”
I can’t help it and my face mirrors his stupid smile. “Stop it.” I shake my head.
“You stop it. I don’t want you here alone because I don’t want anything to happen to you while I am at work.”
I frown. “Josh, I have been here on my own for eight months since you left. Nothing is going to happen to me. Max takes care of me and if I get too scared he sleeps in the spare room.”
He folds his arms in front of him as he stares at me. “Really.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Really, and if you are going to make me have a bodyguard it is Max or nothing, the choice is yours.”
“No, I think I am going to swap Max with Ben,” he says in his best matter-of-fact voice.
I narrow my eyes. “Don’t you dare. I am not hanging around with Ben. No way in hell.”
“Well do as you’re told,” he snaps. He then walks into the bathroom and runs the shower.
I sit still at my kitchen bench and look at my eggs on toast as my blood starts to boil. All I want to do is yell you are not my boyfriend so shut up. But I need to keep calm and play the game, I want to win him back at all costs … this is going to be a damn tough assignment.