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My mouth pops open, and my heart goes wild.
“You’d be right,” he says, resting his hands on the surface next to my hips, boxing me in. “We need to talk.”
“Okay.” I stretch the word and twist the fabric of my sundress. Nothing good ever begins with “We need to talk.”
“First, I’m sorry for upsetting you at the hospital. I have a knack for speaking before thinking, as you know.”
I bristle. “But it’s still what you think.”
He arches a brow. “And what do you make of my thoughts?”
All my fears come tumbling out in a rush of words. “I think you still perceive me as the escort you got pregnant, a burden you’re trying to pass on to someone else, which is fine. I told you that. But you’re too good of a guy to walk away entirely.”
His jaw clenches and grinds. He grips the granite, and his muscular arms flex, the veins in his hands and forearms protruding. I breathe deeply to steady myself, only to inhale his heady, masculine scent.
Jesus, why does he have to be damn irresistible?
His furrowed brow begs for me to smooth out the lines, and don’t even get me started on the vein porn. I want to trace every single one.
Instead, I allow my gaze to wander from his powerful hands to his ripped forearms, bulging biceps, thick neck, kissable lips, and intense eyes that watch me with a hint of amusement.
He swallows, and his Adam’s apple bobs—why is that hot?
“None of that is true. I want you, and not only in a physical sense. I want that hungry gleam in your eyes.” He flashes a smug smirk. “The one you had while eye-fucking me.”
“I wasnoteye-fucking you.”
“You’re a terrible liar, baby girl.” He places a lingering kiss on our baby bump. “I don’t intend to walk away. I intend to take it all. Iwantit all. Even your brutal honesty.” He cocks his head. “Though I’m tempted to punish that smart mouth of yours.” His smirk grows devilish before his expression becomes serious. “My feelings for you scare the shit out of me. I’ve been through hell and back and managed to survive. But you…you have the power to ruin me. After you, I might not recover.”
He’s not making this easy on me.
I should leave. But I don’t, and my fingers travel up his neck, disappearing into his wavy hair. His head drops, surrendering to my touch, and his broad shoulders rise and fall with every breath.
How is this my life? With two men I can’t resist.
Callused palms glide up my thighs, and my heart skips a beat or three.
My mouth goes dry, and I swallow my nerves. “Your hair is longer. I?—”
“What the fuck is this?” His gruff words cut me off. He straightens and lifts my dress to scrutinize the red and purple fingerprint marks Jackson left behind. “Who did this?”
“It’s not what you think…at least, I don’t think. It wasn’t done intentionally…or it was, but not in a bad way. You know?” I’m rambling again, and I need to shut up.
“Is that why you’re nervous? Because you came here after fucking him?” He spits the words, sharp with betrayal.
My stomach swoops. This man is giving me whiplash.
“No.Youmake me nervous, and you said you didn’t care if I wasfucking him,” I spit right back.
He fists my dress and yanks me to the edge of the counter until my body is flush with his and my legs are around his waist. “I know what I fucking said.”
I clutch his shirt for balance and suck in a sharp gasp. “What are you doing?”
His fingers encircle my throat, and his eyes darken. “I think you owe me.”
TWENTY-NINE
AURORA