Page 67 of Shallow

“Shiloh, why do you have trash bags all over yourmirrors?”

“Theybroke.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Both ofthem?”

“Yep.” Bending down to pick up the broken glass, she stiffens as I grab her shoulders and lift her back up. If she wants to play this game, I cantoo.

“You know that’s seven years badluck."

The game backfires on me as her blank look twists into an insolent sneer. “Then I guess that’s my due penance. Seven for seven,huh?”

I run a hand over the back of my head and glance down at the broken glass and whiskey coating the hardwood floor. “I don’t suppose you know where your maid keeps her mop and broom, doyou?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Shiloh’s shoulders relax, her earlier panic melting away as she gives me a sarcastic smirk. “Actually, I do. Lately, I’ve been forced to become quite domesticated.” She bats those insanely hypnotic eyes, and I watch the sway of her ass as she disappears down thehallway.

* * *

After cleaningup the mess left by the broken glass, Shiloh fixes me another drink without being asked. We sit on the same couch staring at each other. I’ve said what I came to say. I apologized. She accepted. End ofstory.

So why haven’t I called Tiny and Frankie to come pick my assup?

Goodquestion.

It’s one that I’m currently asking myself as Shiloh curls her bare legs underneath her and drapes one arm over the back of the couch. The move tightens her tank top against her breasts. I can’t force my eyes to look anywhere but the outline of her perfect nipples as they pucker underneath the thinmaterial.

Jesus Christ, is she trying to killme?

Yes. The answer is yes, because all I can think of is having my mouth on them. How it would feel to fuck her so hard she’d feel me for days. The woman is my weakness and my wrath all wrapped up in one forbiddenpackage.

But isn’t what’s forbidden always what’s mosttempting?

While what I did in the locker room was uncalled for, I still have no plans to abandon my plans to use her and toss her aside. I’ve just altered them to exclude leaving her in pieces. The Cary I was the day she walked in my center craved to see her irreparably shatter. The Cary that showed up on her doorstep tonight just wants to fuck her out of mysystem.

If you ask me, that’s not too much toask.

“Cary, I’m going to say something, and I need you to listen.” She puffs out her cheeks and holds it before slowly blowing it out. “As much as I don’t think Taryn’s right for you, I won’t be the reason that you cheat onher.”

Although I respect her convictions, you can’t cheat on someone who doesn’t have yourheart.

I inch closer to her. “You’reright.”

Her eyes widen as if she’s been force-fed adrenaline. “Iam?”

I can’t stop myself from touching her any more. Winding a piece of her blonde hair through my index finger and thumb, I close the distance between us. “Yeah. She’s not right for me. There’s only one person who ever hasbeen.”

Damn. Maybe I’m drunker than Ithought.

Risking a bolder move, I run my entire palm up the length of her neck and cup her head, kneading the strands of her hair. “It’s always beenyou.”

Her eyes close as she leans into my touch. “Why? You should hate me for what I did. You should laugh at everything that’s happened tome.”

She’s right. I should laugh at her. Instead, I slide both hands around to cup her face. The beautiful gray I’ve always loved churns as a tear slips from her left eye and rolls between her cheek and my palm. I trace the rough terrain of her scar, following the puckered path that she tries her best to keephidden.

“Don't.” Shiloh grabs my hand and tries to push it away from herface.

“Do you honestly think this scar makes me see you anydifferently?”

Another tear falls, and she nods. “It makes everyone else see medifferently.”