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My jaw fell open. “It’s...” I had no words. I looked up into Diesel’s eyes and shook my head. “How did you...?”
“I told you—I’m good at cover-ups. Plus, I’ve had the sweet honor of having you in my arms once upon a time. I can attest to the angel you are.”
Blood roared in my ears. Did I just hear him right? Did he just talk about our time together? I thought for sure he’d forgotten. Buried it like a bad memory.
As though he could read my mind, he pinned me in place with a tilted grin and said, “I could never forget you. You were the one that got away, baby.” He smiled at me and when his lips peeled back my heart stopped. He was gorgeous with a serious face. But when he smiled the world changed. Or, at least mine did.
His hand rested on my thigh. Soothed over the tender and untouched skin.
I knew I blushed and hiding it would prove impossible, so I just blurted out the truth that went with it. “I thought for sure you had. I mean, you just walked away. You didn’t reach out or anything.”
He didn’t say anything for a long minute, just held that smile with an arched brow like he considered his words. A shadow crossed his face. “One thing I would never do is come between siblings. I did what I had to do for your sake.” He took my hand in his and brought his lips to brush over my knuckles. “Not that it was easy.”
He smiled slowly and he left it at that.
Tears rimmed my eyes. Since I didn’t know what to say to that. I mean, did I throw my arms around him and did we pick up right where we left off? Didn’t I just tell myself I was not going to be impulsive? I could see the pain in his eyes and it ripped out my heart.
With no answer to my questions, I turned back to the sketchbook in my hands. “You’re amazing. The design. It’s so representative...” I shook my head again in awe.
He gave my thigh a light squeeze, and I didn’t imagine the stroke of his thumb over the curl of tattoo ink under his hand? “What do you say, Kaila? Is it a green light?”
“Yes!” I lay back on the chair and pulled down the edge of my skirt to give him ample room.
My hair was pinned to the base of my neck, so I pulled it free and laid the thick length over my opposite shoulder to drape over my breast.
Diesel went dead still. His gaze fixated on my throat. I squirmed under that too-hot stare, aware that something major had changed in him. His whole demeanor had gone from sexy friendly to utterly primal in a blink.
He shook his head and cursed softly, eyes dropping to my exposed hip and partial thigh.
“What? What is it?”
His throat worked, making the dragon tattoo appear to move. “Every time you wore your hair like that I wanted to take you home, wrap those lengths around my hands and drive into you until you knew nothing but my name.”
My breath stilled in my chest.
Comprehension dawned and I felt the burn of his light touch.
I was hisone. Me, when he could have had anyone he wanted. Every girl in my class, half the women in town. They all wanted the bad boy who said what was on his mind and had Hollywood level fame written in his stars with the artistic talent he had.
Without another word, he left me alone again. I fidgeted with my skirt and my hair and finally stared at the photos. The dog had so much personality. From the tilt of its head to the way its paws turned slightly inward. I was smiling when Diesel returned.
He followed my gaze to the picture as he drew up his stool. “That’s my dog, Karma,” he said offhandedly. “I’m going to pull the edges of your skirt down now.”
Heat crept into my cheeks as I nodded nervously. I loved the feel of his fingers on me again. His tone branded me with the level of power he emitted. Softly spoken yet potent to my libido.
I helped him inch my skirt down. Diesel’s eyes latched onto my thigh, and he growled, skimming a hand over my body before he began to position the template over my tattoo. When he spoke, his voice sounded gritty, failing at nonchalance. “This is going to look beautiful over such perfect skin.”
My nipples bunched. Why did my traitorous body have to respond to everything? Didn’t I ache enough being an abandoned submissive without this constant torment? I peered at Diesel from beneath my lashes. He was the first man to raise any emotions and here he was doing it all over again. I swallowed hard and focused on the photo of Karma.
“So this Wolfe...he was your husband?” His gaze shot from my thigh to my eyes. The warm brown depths raised a shiver in me. His fingers felt unbearably hot and rough on my skin. I wanted to move into his hands and be comforted. I didn’t realize how much I longed for another’s touch until that second.
He smoothed the template over my thigh and met my stare fully. A spark shot through me, and my pussy clenched with desire.
“Not even close. I never even slept with the guy. Just thought I loved him once upon a time,” I continued quickly, my face burning with my admission.
He set his lips into a tight line.
“I see.”
