ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO THE BILLIONAIRE SINGLE DAD (Gabrielle and Damon) novel Chapter 72

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CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO

GABRIELLE’S POV

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I opened my mouth to say something–anything–but the words were stuck in my throat.

After a few seconds, I tried again.

“Is she another one of your ex–wives?”

A moment of silence passed between us.

“No, we were together as teenagers,” he said, walking past me to sit on the couch. “We dated when I was only a boy but I loved her. As much as a boy could.”

I sat beside him. “You were able to love?”

“I could feel my emotions once upon a time,” he said, his eyes staring at the center rug intently. “But that was before my life went wrong.”

I swallowed hard. “What happened?”

Damon didn’t look at me.

“Life happened. People betrayed me and I lost everything I cared about… including her,” he finally spoke. “She ended things with me when I was twenty–one because I couldn’t give her what she wanted…. what she already had once. My heart.”

I wanted to reach out to touch him, but I kept my hands by my side. I didn’t know if he wanted comfort or if he’d push me away.

I wondered what must have happened to make him emotionally numb. It had to be too gruesome and painfully traumatic to make him never want to feel again.

“I’m sorry,” I found myself saying.

He finally turned to me. “Don’t be. I don’t feel anything when I think about it. Unless you touch me.”

That made it even sadder.

“What happened two nights ago in New York?” I asked after a bit.

“She told me she lost her mother the week before,” he said.

“Oh.”

He exhaled, long and hard. “I offered a word of comfort or two but I didn’t stay long. I was in a hurry to leave and I told her we would talk another time.”

That explained why she came all this way to see him. He didn’t do anything wrong but I was still partly mad at him for making her think there was still something between them.

And the way their relationship ended felt like unfinished business too.

“And the girl dancing at the club?” I asked.

He hesitated briefly. “She was just a random girl. I didn’t cheat on you if that was what you were asking.”

My breath caught in my throat and my face reddened. I cleared my throat, acting like I didn’t care.

“No, of course not,” I said quickly. “You don’t owe me loyalty anyway. I know what this is.”

Even as I said that, my heart almost leaped with joy and relief.

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CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO

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Damon’s expression remained indifferent as he leaned back on the couch. “Then let leave it there.”

Of course, I didn’t listen. “Do you still love her?”

He turned slowly and stretched out his hand to me. I swallowed, nervous but I moved into his arms anyway. He pulled me closer until I was sitting on his lap.

“I don’t feel anything for her anymore. And you shouldn’t hesitate to touch me,” he said, his eyes drawing me in. “I saw you reaching for me a few minutes ago but you stopped. Next time, don’t.”

I didn’t know how to respond.

He had always winced and pulled away when I touched him. I had no idea he wanted it now. I placed my hand on his chest hesitantly and felt his heart beat quickened almost immediately.

He reached out to stroke my hair softly. “Do you know why I was in a hurry to leave when I saw Selene?”

His heartbeat was still fast under my touch as I undid his buttons slowly so I could feel his skin.

“No. Why?”

His breath turned shallow and deep with each brush of my fingers. “I was coming back to you.”

My throat caught and my hands froze.

But he continued. “All I could think about when that girl danced, was you on the pole. And when Selene touched me, all I felt was

nothing.”

My heart stuttered at his words, heat rushing through me.

I looked away for a few seconds, feeling warmth in my chest. “If I mean this much to you, why won’t you have sex with me?”

He stilled suddenly.

With his hand around me, he stood, lifting me easily and dropping me on the couch. His shirt buttons were already undone and I could see his chest and abs perfectly.

His expression turned flat. “I can’t give you anything more, Gabrielle.”

My throat ran dry. “You said that first, then you said until I could see myself how you see me. Now this again? Why do you keep making excuses? Am I undesirable to you?”

He buttoned up his shirt slowly, looking down at me. “No, you’re not undesirable.”

The words should have comforted me, but the distance in his voice only made my chest ache more.

“Then what is it?” I demanded. “Because every time I get close, you pull away like I crossed some invisible line.”

He straightened his cuffs. “What if you want something more? What if you want something I can’t give you?”

I pushed myself up on the couch. “You can give me everything I want. And more.”

“Believing that will only hurt you, Gabrielle.”

I laughed softly and bitterly. “You think sex is going to magically ruin me?”

His jaw tightened. “No. I think it will ruin me.”

The room went quiet.

“I don’t do softness,” he continued, his voice low and controlled. “I don’t comfort. I fuck. Wild, hard and rough.”

CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO

Even though his words made my stomach do the thing, my heart sank.

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“You don’t deserve that on your first time,” he added. “You don’t deserve to give yourself to someone who won’t give you anything back.”

I stood, closing the distance between us despite the warning in his eyes. “You think I don’t already know that? I still chose you.”

He looked at me then–really looked at me.

“I warned you from the beginning,” he said quietly. “I told you what I am.”

“And I told you I don’t care,” I shot back. “I’m not asking for love, Damon. I’m asking you to stop treating me like I’ll break if you touch me.”

“You will,” he said.

I swallowed. “Maybe. But that should be my choice. And I know better than to expect anything else from you.”

He didn’t move or reach for me or soften.

Instead, he stepped back.

“Take all the time you need to think this through and if you’re still sure…” he said, reaching for my chin, “then I’ll fuck you the way I do in my dreams.”

His words sent a chill through my body, my thighs clamping shut.

He had sex dreams of me too?

And just like that, the wall was back up–cold, solid, and impenetrable.

Then he turned away, heading for the stairs.

The sound of his footsteps faded, leaving me standing there alone, and my heart pounding painfully against my ribs.

20

I had spent the last few hours trying to talk myself out of sleeping with Damon Gravari for obvious reasons.

But the more I did, the more I wanted him.

Maybe something was wrong with me. Maybe I was just as damaged as he was.

Because the reasons I shouldn’t get into his bed were the exact reasons I wanted to.

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