Degrees Of Honor The Honor Series Book One

Chapter 12

"Yes. Jacob is my first priority. I won't put you or anyone else before him." I'm a mom first, I plan on doing the best I can for my boy. Standing my ground, my heart pounds nervously.

Why am I nervous? I'm doing the right thing.

"Cass, come here." His tone is resigned to having to explain his point to me. Taking my arm, he brings me back down to lay next to him, curled against his side with his strong arms surrounding me.

"First, if you didn't put your son first, you wouldn't be the woman I think you are. Second, if you think I'm just looking for sex as an added bonus to my job here, you haven't been paying attention to who I am. I'm going to take care of you and Jacob, I'll protect you. That's my job." He waves his hand between us. "This, between us. This isn't my job. This is what I want. It's as much a problem for me as it is for you. We'll figure it out. So you can make some rules and get it out of the way, so we are on the same page."

I'm not sure what to say. He's willing to follow my rules? I didn't think he would want to. I was prepared for him to get mad, and flip out. Not this.

Think, Cassie, you have to keep your head. "Fine. Good. Fine." I hadn't planned on actually having to make rules! "We have to be honest with each other. I know the trouble I have coming for me. If you don't want it, you have to say so. No harm, no foul."

Travis starts curling a piece of my hair around his finger. Casually, playing with it like this is all so normal. "I'm not going anywhere, but I agree to be honest with you and I expect the same from you. Don't withhold information I need to keep you safe."

"I agree." He's not going to let us go without him. I know that. Which means I'm going to break the first rule. I hate lying but it's for his own good. "I have a job, it's part time, but I have to go to work. Jacob has a sitter he goes to. I won't change his schedule or mine."

Travis frowns, thinking that one over. "No. But I can watch Jacob for you when you have stuff to do. I have three younger brothers, I can handle him. And I don't think you should be working right now. Not until we get some information on Dean. You don't know if he's in prison or on his way here. It's not safe, and it's not smart."

He has a point. One I don't like, but I can't argue with it. "I understand that, but I have to pay my bills. The electric company isn't going to care about my problems. If I don't work..."

"I'll take care of it. Before you get all 'independent woman' on me, hear me out. I've been in the corps for years. I've saved my pay. I don't have any expenses beyond a couple necessities. I have the funds to help you. And I'm getting paid to be here. We can work out a repayment plan when this is over if that's what you want." Again, he's making this easy for me. I can't argue with him on this either.

"Jacob is my priority over everything. I need to know he's yours too. If you are forced to choose between me and him, you choose him. I won't budge on that. He has to be protected." And that one isn't negotiable. My son comes first.

"I won't choose between you, but I understand why you would want that. So I'll say it this way. I'll save him first, then you. But I'm protecting you too." He won't budge either.

Giving in, knowing it's for the best I'll get from him, I move on. "Okay. But Jacob is first."

"I promise." He looks me in the eyes and means it.

I know he isn't going to like this one either. If I'm being honest, I don't like it but it's necessary. "Next...No sex."

"No." There's not even the slightest hesitation.

"Travis, I won't make the same mistake again. I can't do it." I try to explain myself but I don't get the chance.

He stops the argument by rolling on top of me and extinguishing every thought out of my head with a hard, mind blowing kiss. Nothing soft or sweet about it. This kiss is all heat and passion. Not like Anthony's punishing, forceful kisses that made me feel small and useless, timid and submissive.