Knight's Game by Cc Gibbs

with my history.’ He briefly shut his eyes as though reconfiguring his past against the present, then looked at her and smiled. ‘This is a whole new wonderland, babe.’
    ‘Thank you,’ she softly said.
    ‘No problem,’ he said as softly. ‘It was worth it.’ He leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her mouth. ‘So what do you say?’
    ‘OK.’
    He sat back. ‘Just like that – OK?’
    ‘Yup.’
    ‘That blindsided me,’ he said with a grin. ‘No argument?’
    ‘Actually, I’m a little allergic to latex and a lot allergic to the lubed ones, and, honestly, I like to feel you.’
    Taking issue with any condom use on her part, he wanted to grill and cross-examine her on the history of her latex allergies. But understanding that argument was counterproductive, he stifled his resentments and reached for his sports jacket instead. ‘Let me call my doctor,’ he said, pulling his cell phone from his coat pocket.
    ‘You can get a doctor this time of night?’
    ‘I can get a doctor any time. He works for me.’
    She scowled. ‘I hope you’re not going to tell me he gives these shots to all the women you entertain here.’
    ‘I don’t bring women here. It’s my home.’
    She gave him a dirty look. ‘You brought them to the Garden House.’
    ‘I don’t consider that my home,’ he very carefully replied, his voice gentle, his expression completely blank. ‘If my mother hadn’t been at the house when we got there, we would have stayed on The Peak. And before you jump to conclusions, I don’t bring women to my home on The Peak either. You were the first.’
    ‘Maybe this doctor gives these shots for you somewhere else,’ she said, ignoring his momentous admission because she was jealous of every woman he’d ever looked at and her jealousy was an irresistible force.
    ‘I’ve never asked him do this for me before. Please, Katherine. I don’t want to talk about the past. It’s over. And if you’ll agree to an exclusivity pact, there’s no one but you.’
    ‘What if I don’t agree?’
    He exhaled softly. ‘What do you want me to say?’
    ‘How about the truth?’
    ‘Then I’ll be fucking someone else. Satisfied?’
    It was amazing how much it hurt to hear him say that. To think of him with another woman. To consider life without him now that he’d returned to her.
    ‘Hey,’ he whispered, taking her hand in his, gently squeezing it. ‘I don’t want anyone but you. But it’s not as though I’m eighty, OK? So let’s get together on this. I only want you. No one else. It’s been a hellish month; let’s not fight about how much I want you. There’s no measure largeenough or high enough or deep enough. I’m on the verge of begging you, baby, and that’s fucking scary.’ His smile was inexpressibly tender. ‘So give me a break. Say yes before I embarrass myself completely. We’ll hammer out the details later about where and when, how often’ – he grinned – ‘and what you want for toys.’
    She smiled. ‘I think I missed the begging part. You sound pretty assured.’
    ‘I am about the toys.’
    ‘You always were arrogant.’
    ‘And you always resist me.’
    She gave him a look from under her lashes.
    He grinned. ‘Well, sometimes you do.’
    She sighed softly, not sure whether she was giving in to him or whether life without him was insupportable. ‘So, do I need an attorney?’
    In a flash, he lifted her onto his lap, wrapped his arms around her and dazzled her with a smile. ‘I’m so freaking happy,’ he whispered, kissing her gently. ‘And if you want an attorney, we’ll get you one. I don’t really care so long as I know you’re mine.’
    ‘Hey!’ She poked him in the chest.
    ‘Let me reword that,’ he said with a grin. ‘So long as you know I’m yours. Is that better? Should we send out announcements?’
    ‘Very funny.’
    He gave her a small considering look. ‘Actually, I wouldn’t mind. It would get other … er … people off my back. MyPR