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“I think it all hit me. What could have happened and how stupid I was. I feel like such a foo l, and then I also feel like I lost the life I thought I’d found.” She pushed off him and wiped her eyes with her arm. “I’m sorry. This is stupid of me. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine.” Dusty looked her in the eyes, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “But you will be. It’s okay to have these feelings; hell, it’s normal. I’d be worried if you weren’t, but look me in the eye, Asia. You are not stupid. That asshole, he preys on women. And I hate him for trying to destroy the best part of you.”
Asia titled her head slightly. “The best part of me?”
“Your loving, trusting way. The way you see the good in everyone. And that life you thought you had? Screw it. You’d have been selling yourself short to be some trophy wife. You’re capable of so much more, and now you have the freedom to do it. You can go to school, travel, find a career you love, find your people.” Dusty lowered his voice to a whisper, as if that would protect his heart as he said the next part. “Find someone to spend the rest of your life with.”
Asia seemed to search his soul with her chocolate brown eyes. Then she glanced at his lips, and it was almost his undoing.
He couldn’t stop himself from cupping her cheek in one hand as he brushed away the wetness she’d missed with his thumb. He froze, having a war of wills in his mind, until finally the devil won, and he pulled her face to his with the hand that still clung to her.
The sudden movement surprised her into making a tiny, breathless gasp. The slight parting of her lips was all he needed to slip his tongue inside her mouth. He kissed her for only a moment until his senses suddenly returned.
Pulling back, he broke off. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”
Before she could answer, he turned and moved through the room and out the door.
Later that afternoon, Dusty stood next to Stan under the front portico, watching the drive and the road in the distance. Stan slapped his neck.
“Ain’t nothin’ but mosquitos out here.”
Dusty stretched his neck, trying to relieve some of the tiredness he felt. “I slept like shit last night.”
Stan grinned, pulling the ever-present toothpick from his mouth. “Now, why would that be, brother? Could it be a dark-haired beauty wearin’ a lowcut sundress that kept you up all night?”
“Shut up, Stan.”
“Not a chance. This is too much fun.”
Dusty pushed off the pillar he leaned against. “I’m going to the workout room. You got this?”
“There’s a workout room? Where?”
“Hell if I know, but a place like this, there’s got to be one. I’ll find it.”
“Yeah, go on. I’ll hold down the fort. You hear gunfire. Come a-runnin’.” Stan shoved the toothpick back in his mouth, grinning big and flashing his teeth.
“Don’t shoot the locals.”
“I will if they come down this drive.”
Dusty went inside and found what he was looking for on the lower level at the back of the house.
He pumped iron for about a half an hour, then stripped his shirt and wiped the sweat from his skin. Tossing it aside, he jumped up and grabbed a pullup bar and began doing his repetitions.
***
Asia found a pair of yoga pants and a tank top and then left her room. She went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. As she scanned the juice and other beverage choices, a muscular arm reached over her shoulder and nabbed a bottle of water.
“Excuse me, ma’am. Goin’ out to relieve Stan.”
She looked at Grady’s smiling face. He winked, then strolled out of the room, heading toward the front of the house.
She grabbed a bottle of water and headed to her room. She felt stiff, having been unable to do any of her usual yoga with her injury. But now her ankle felt improved enough that she could get down on the floor. She sat on the gleaming wooden floor and stretched her legs, bending to lay her head against her knee.
A voice from the doorway made her glance up.
“You know there’s a workout room. Bet you’d be more comfortable doing that on a cushioned mat.” Stan stood in the doorway and motioned with his thumb over his shoulder. “I think it’s in the lower level.”
