AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He brushed aside her hands and easily released the knot. “Easy, sweetheart. There’s no rush.”
“No there’s not. And that’s not why I’m doing this,” she shot back. “I should have told you what you were getting before we married. Instead I’ll show you.”
Without a word, she yanked off her robe. It dropped to the floor, apuddle of white surrounding her feet. She was glorious in her nudity, perfect lush breasts, aridiculously tiny waist, shapely hips and a full, round backside. She was also right.
“Beautiful doesn’t begin to describe you.” He struggled to find the perfect word and failed, forced to settle for a more mundane one. “You’re glorious,amore—” He broke off. “Sorry. I’m not sure what term of endearment is acceptable to you.”
Mia brushed that aside with a quick sweep of her hand, breaking into frantic Italian. “I’m not beautiful. I’m too full-figured. And then there’s this…”
She gestured awkwardly toward her right hip, tension radiating from her. Anetwork of scars crisscrossed her upper leg, hip, and crept across her abdomen toward the manicured thatch of curls at the apex of her thighs. Her eyes burned with tears and she stared over his shoulder, clearly unable to meet his gaze. Her breath escaped in short, shallow pants and she kept her hands balled in small fists.
“Now do you see? Now do you understand?”
“Yes. Iboth see and understand.” He snagged her chin and forced her to look at him. “But I think what I see and understand is different from what you do.”
“I’m scarred. I’m…” She made an hourglass gesture in the air. “Round.”
“Someone has done a real number on you,” Brand muttered. The fact that her mouth tightened lent credence to his observation. If he ever found out who damaged her, that person was in for a serious takedown.
Before Mia could guess his intention, he swept her into his arms and onto the bed. How odd that she could so easily strip in front of him, with no sign of modesty, and yet she considered herself unattractive. Especially when she was anythingbut.
He deliberately traced the scars along her thigh, gently following them upward to her hip. “What happened?”
“Motorcycle accident.” The two words escaped, harsh and abrupt.
His brows lifted in surprise. “You ride?”
She shook her head. “My boyfriend did.”
“And he wrecked while you were riding with him?” Bastard.
She shrugged. “He was showing off.”
“Was he injured?” Brand asked tightly.
“He broke his leg. Iwas thrown against an open car door. My injuries were a bit worse.”
By the look of them, quite a bit worse. Unable to help himself, he lowered his head and kissed a path from her thigh upward to her hip. Her hands gripped the comforter beneath her and then pushed into his hair. For a moment, he wondered if she’d shove him away or pull him close. At the last instant her breath sighed from her lungs and she tugged him against her. He didn’t hesitate. He kissed his way across her scarred abdomen to the very core ofher.
She stopped him then. “He came to the hospital,” she whispered. “He came and flipped the covers and hospital gown off me. When he saw my injuries, he couldn’t hide his revulsion.”
Brand reluctantly lifted his head. Couldn’t … or didn’t bother to? “I assume that was the end of him.” At least, he certainly hopedso.
“Almost.” Her voice dropped even lower, so low he barely heard her. “Before he left he said it didn’t matter that I couldn’t have children anymore. No one would want to go to bed with someone who looked like me. Fat, ugly, and scarred.”
Brand swore, using one of the crudest words he knew. “You aren’t fat. The word voluptuous was invented for you. Nor do these scars make you ugly. They reveal your strength and ability to survive adversity.”
Tears slipped free, sliding along her temples and into her hair. Her eyes darkened to the deepest amber and her mouth quivered as she fought to speak. “Please don’t lie to me. Please don’t.”
He rose up above her, cupping her beautiful face. “Let’s make a deal, you and I. Let’s agree to be brutally honest with one another. If there’s something I do or say that you dislike or disagree with, tell me.”
“And you’ll do the same?”
“Absolutely. So, here’s my first brutally honest statement. Ifind you beyond gorgeous. Your figure is magnificent. Your scars don’t bother me at all. Iconsider them marks of courage and survival.” He traced the path of her tears, kissing away the dampness. “I will tell you that I find it tragic you’ll never give birth to your own child. But if a man truly loves you, it won’t matter to him.”
“It wouldn’t matter to you? Imean, if we…?” she asked.
He didn’t hesitate. “It wouldn’t matter to me. Itdoesn’tmatter to me. In fact, Idon’t want any more children. Right now my sole focus is on my daughter.”
