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All training me for Dax Silver.
The sofa creaks as I perch on the end of it by his feet, and the movement makes him open his eyes. His find mine straight away, instantly brightening in undisguised hope.
For a few seconds, we just stare at each other.
He’s unshaven, dark blond scruff scattering over his defined jawline. And it suits him. Nothing doesn’t. He looks equally as good in a suit at work as he does in black sweats and mussed up hair and a few days’ worth of growth on his chin.
“Hi,” I breathe.
“Hi.” His brow creases as he rises to a sitting position, his eyes staying on my face.
“Did you sleep better?” My eyes drop to my blanket, laid out over his legs.
He follows my gaze. “A little. But it’s not the same as the real thing.”
“Nothing ever is,” I whisper.
I study his face. The warmth of his body burning next to mine makes me suck in a breath. But that only brings with it the scent of him. His scent. His warm skin, a subtle masculine fresh sweat.Strong, inviting, intense.Thescent I first noticed that night he stormed down to the estate’s gates in the dark to let me in. It’s even on my tongue as I swallow, bringing with it a comfort low in my stomach. Because as much as there is passion and fire when we are together. There is also this.
Peace.
A peace in myself that has never been there before. A peace he created.
“Won’t they be missing you? At the estate?”
Dax takes the blanket off his legs and wraps it around my shoulders, which are bare in my camisole and shorts pajama set.
“Maybe. But they’re doing a great job. They don’t need me.”
“They might soon, though. You should go home.” I pull the blanket around me and drop my gaze away from him. Looking into his eyes is a glaring reminder of how we used to be. Of how deep we fell into each other. Because he is all over me. Inside and out. He always will be.
“It’s not home anymore if you aren’t there.” He shifts in the seat, causing his thigh to press up against mine. I don’t move. Instead, I stare at his leg in his dark sweatpants next to my bare skin. “There will never be anyone else.” He runs his fingers through his blond waves. “Never.”
He drops his hand to his thigh and turns his head to the side, his eyes following mine as I frown at his skin next to mine. He flexes his hand and the flowers and vines that run down his forearm and over his wrist move in the moonlight.
“You’re so perfect next to me, Rose. I love your skin. I hated that you wanted me to tattoo it at first. Like nothing should be allowed to taint it. But then I saw how much it meant to you. And I knew that if anyone was ever going to leave a permanent mark on it, then I wanted it to be me. It couldonlybe me.”
“I made an appointment as soon as I came back to New York to get it covered.”
Dax sucks in a breath and turns his head away from me.“Jesus.”His shoulders drop as he runs a hand around his jaw and screws his eyes shut as his voice splinters. “Fuck.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmur.
He shakes his head but still can’t look at me. “You have nothing to say sorry for. It’s all me. I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m the one who doesn’t fucking deserve you. I never have.”
Guilt weaves its way through my veins at the devastation on his face as he fights to take in a ragged breath. Just the thought of me doing it is crushing him like he can’t breathe.
He turns back to me, his eyes dark and shining. “What did you get?”
I shrug the blanket off my shoulder and twist so he can see.
He drops his head with a low exhale, his entire chest sagging in relief. Then he grabs my thigh as if on instinct. The feel of his fingers digging into my skin sends electricity racing through me.
“I couldn’t do it,” I whisper, covering my cloud tattoo with the blanket again.
“Thank you.” His voice is thick, heavy. “I would have understood if you had… but I’m so glad you didn’t.”
“You’re the only one who I’d ever trust to do it.”
