Free Stepbrother Romance 3 - Addicted: A New Adult Alpha Billionaire Romance by Tawny Taylor Page A

up his arms and did a quick three-sixty.
    He looked fine. Better than fine, actually.
    Maybe I needed to back off.
    Yes, that was a good idea. Because I had another battle to wage. This one was more important.
    Last night, while I’d been sitting there, watching him shiver in misery, I’d had some time to think. I’d realized what fools we were being about everything. The bet was stupid and immature. Maybe a little fun, but still dumb. We were, after all, adults. Not teenagers.
    I wanted to confront him about it. But was now the right time? If he was still feeling a little run down, it wasn’t fair to hit him with it this afternoon. But, I was feeling twitchy. I needed to get this off my chest.
    I looked at him.
    He grinned. “See? Fine.”
    So he was fine.
    I cleared my throat, took a deep breath, and blurted, “This whole game we’re playing is silly, Kent.”
    “Game?” Kent echoed, hand wrapped around a pancake flipper.
    “I’m talking about our bet. Why should we have to win or lose a bet to get what we want? If you want to help me, then fine. You can help me. I’ll accept. So you win.” I lifted my hands in the air, a surrender. “But why should you be the only one to win? Why can’t both of us? Why shouldn’t we be able to be honest with each other? Why shouldn’t you be able to be honest with me? Haven’t I proven by now that I’m trustworthy?”
    Kent shrugged and went back to cooking.
    Evidently not.
    The wall was back up, the invisible one that he liked to hide behind whenever things got uncomfortable. I despised that fucking wall. If only I could kick it down.
    My blood pounded hot and hard through my body. If I didn’t believe this thing between us was worth all this hell, I would’ve called it quits a long time ago and moved on. But, I hadn’t. I held on to hope. Even when we were apart. Why? Because he was worth it. I wanted him to know that. To really appreciate the fact that he could keep pushing me away, but I wasn’t going to leave forever. I’d return and keep pushing back until he eventually gave up.
    “What’s it going to take, Kent? Why are you so sure I’m going to screw you over?”
    “That’s not it,” he said to the frying pan.
    I grabbed his arm and yanked. “At least face me when you’re speaking to me. Don’t be a fucking coward.”
    He turned. His face was tight. His eyes were ice cold. “Go ahead.” He didn’t want to have this conversation. Too fucking bad. This was the best chance I had of clearing this up for once and for all. I wasn’t going to just walk away from it.
    “What’s your problem? Why is it that every time I think we’re moving forward you take three steps back? Do you think I just want you for your money?”
    “No.”
    “Then what, Kent? What’s the deal? It can’t be those bitches you mentioned. Because if I an handle you I can handle them. So I’m asking you, begging you, to tell me the truth. Because this hot and cold thing is driving me freaking crazy.”
    He flipped off the stove and set the pancake turner on the counter, giving me his full attention. “I’m afraid to love you, Shayne. That’s the bottom line.”
    My insides twisted. Afraid? Kent? “Why?”
    “Because.”
    “Because what?” I prodded.
    “Because. That’s all.
    That’s all? That’s all I was going to get from him? No! “You need to give me more than that, Kent. I deserve more than that.”
    He studied me for several seconds. He nodded. “Yes, yes you do. But I can’t talk about it. And if that doesn’t tell you what you need to know, then I don’t know what will.” He twisted, taking a step around me.
    He was leaving?
    No.
    How many times had he walked away from me when things got rough? Or how many times had I walked away from him? Instead of staying and talking things through? Several.
    I was done being a doormat.
    Kent Payne was not going to trample over my heart anymore, only to come back later, beg me to “talk about it,” and then skirt