“Noah, you can’t mandate how my dates go.”
“Yes, I can.”
She gave a soft laugh. Actually, she believed that he could. He knew all of the guys here that would be eligible. And he was not only strong and built big, he was also well respected. She had the impression he didn’t put his foot down often or get growly for no reason. If he started acting like that, the guys here would pay attention.
“You’re going to tell them where to take me and what to do?” she asked.
He was studying her eyes. “Maybe.”
“Write them a script?”
“Possibly.”
On impulse, Brynn moved closer to him. “And will there be kissing at the end of these dates?”
His jaw clenched and his eyes flashed. “No.”
She’d been expecting that answer. “But I want there to be kissing.”
“I can’t handle that part, B.”
The use of B instead of her name made her start. He’d never used a nickname for her before. And she liked it. A lot. Parker called Ava Boss, and it always sounded affectionate and sexy when he did it.
“You’re going to specifically tell them not to kiss me, aren’t you?” she asked.
His eyes were swirling with emotion. “Yes.”
She nodded, her mind working through the situation. “The idea of this dating thing was to help me experience it in a safe, controlled environment, right?” she asked. “My dad was worried that I was hiding away and not getting out and socializing and that I wouldn’t know what I was getting into if I did decide to start dating.”
“Right.”
She drew herself straighter as she made her decision. Noah wanted to do what her father had asked of him. But she knew that he was going to have a very hard time saying no to her. And if it came down to choosing between protecting her for Rudy or making her happy, she needed to know which side he’d come down on.
“Then I want that.” She said it firmly. “If I’m going to do this, then I might as well make it count. I need to experience all the parts of dating. When it’s over, I want to feel confident that I really know what it’s all about. I want to be prepared for anything.”
He groaned and ran a hand over his face. “Dammit,” he muttered.
“What?”
He took a deep breath and met her eyes again. “That’s what I want,” he said. “For you to feel confident. To know that people want you. To know that you are awesome even without your sisters or your money. And I want you to feel like you can handle anything.”
Fine. That’s what Noah needed. But she was getting inspired to ask for a few things she needed too. “And I need kissing.” And more, but she didn’t add that part. She had a feeling he knew. “And I think there’s really only one solution that will make sure you fulfill your promise to my dad, will make me happy, and will keep you from going crazy.”
He looked at her for a long moment. Finally, he asked, “And what’s that?”
His voice was gruff and it sent a shiver of pleasure and sense of rightness down her spine.
“You’re going to have to be the one kissing me.”
