Page 126 of Duty

He asked, she gave.

He demanded, she did.

That was them in a goddamn nutshell, and Haven wasn’t even sure if she liked doing this with him now. If all it was going to leave her feeling at the end of the day was dirty and ashamed, then what was the goddamn point?

“I don’t want to be your secret,” she told him quietly.

“One thing at a time,” he returned.

“Except, the problem with that is I don’t know all the things you need to deal with before you can finally deal with us, Andino.”

He sighed heavily. “Maybe I’m trying to deal with everything else so then I won’t have to deal with us at all—it’ll already be practically done.”

“If by done, you mean chasing me entirely out of your life, then keep it up.” Haven arched a brow, adding, “You’re doing a fantastic job.”

Andino’s jaw tightened. “Come on, Haven.”

“You hid me from your mother.”

“For good reason.”

“Yes, because they don’t think I’m appropriate for you, and it seems you agree. Tell me not to have some kind of feelings about that again, Andino. Go on, I dare you.”

Because it would not end well for him.

That was a promise.

“Okay, stop,” Andino murmured.

Haven glared. “I can have feelings about this!”

“Stop.”

He said it again, but even quieter and he came close enough that his lips brushed over hers as he spoke. It was enough to set Haven’s insides off like a wild fire suddenly burning out of control. She wished she had more of that—control—around this man.

Or self-respect.

Maybe that’s what she needed instead.

“You’re not my secret,” he told her. “Nothing like that, but you have to let me handle my business first. Okay? That’s all I am asking for, and then we’ll deal with the rest.”

“So, in the meantime,” she dared to ask even though his answer might very well cut her up inside, “what am I to you?”

Andino smiled. “Important.”

“Important?”

“Mmm. Something. But it’s important.”

Haven let out a heavy breath. “I wish that made me feel better.”

Andino shrugged. “Listen, I have to handle other things—business, and my family. I will be doing that whether you like it or not. That is the one thing that isn’t about you. Okay? It’s not about you, Haven.”

“You’re making that abundantly clear, Andino.”

“I beg your pardon?”

She patted a hand against his chest. “Very little in your life is about me—I get it.”