Page 130 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

She frowned. “Who?”

“The man who did this to you.”

She huffed out a laugh. “You forget, he didn’t do this tome. He did it to Dr. Lucia Mirabal.”

“You said he was still attacking when you entered her body.Do you still have the memories of what he did?” he asked, his eyes glitteringwith anger. “Do you remember the knife cutting into this gorgeous flesh?”

“I do,” she admitted. “Like it happened yesterday.”

“Then he did it to you.”

“No, Donovan. He didn’t. What that woman went through...”

“And you, in turn. Don’t downplay that.”

She gave up and answered his question. “Yes, I’m sure he’sdead.” She tried to climb out of his lap again, but he held her fast.

“We were in the middle of something.”

“It’s okay. Really. I need to go anyway.” But his handstightened around her upper arms, his thumbs rubbing over the material of herblouse like cat tails, the movement comforting.

“Do you think the scars have somehow changed my feelingstoward you?”

“Why wouldn’t they?”

“Did my tattoos change your feelings toward me?”

That was a good question. They did, in fact. The first timeshe’d treated him. How could she explain it? “In a way, yes.” She felt himtense beneath her, so she quickly explained. “They made you even more alluring.More forbidden.”

His sapphire irises glittered with what she hoped wasinterest. “And your scars do that for me.”

“How?” she asked, her tone filled with the doubt she felt tothe depths of her soul.

“They show what a fighter she was. What a survivor you are.They are as beautiful and foreboding as you are, and I would very much like topick up where we left off.”

She lifted a shoulder and examinedthe unpolished nails on her right hand. “I guess we can. This body has strongfeelings for you.”

“Only the body?” he asked, his voice soft with humor.

“I feel stupid, though. I know what to do, but I’m doing itall wrong.”

He captured her chin. “Trust me, gorgeous, you are doingnothing wrong.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“If I do something stupid, you’ll tell me?”

He raised three fingers. “Swear.”

“Were you even a Boy Scout?”

“Of course. I would never betray the code.”

She narrowed her eyes on him and said, “So, if I do this...”Right before she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his, but only for asecond.

He tilted his head as though his interest had been piqued.“That’s certainly a good start.”