Page 14 of The Healing Touch (Manwhore #3)

CHAPTER EIGHT

Dimitri found her organizing books into bags when he came out of the bathroom, one long, cold shower later, finally calm enough to face her. He wouldn’t apologize for kissing her. She’d enjoyed it every bit as much as he had, though he was pretty sure she’d never admit it.

He’d had a come-to-Jesus moment this morning when he’d had her in his arms. He wanted her.

The feeling wasn’t going to go away. The longer he spent with her, the worse it was going to get.

He’d wanted a few women in his life in a bad, bad way, but never like this, never this intensely.

She’d felt perfect in his arms, and it wasn’t something he wanted to lose. He wanted to explore it.

He also knew it might lead to the same place all his women did, and it nearly killed him thinking about how badly he would hurt her.

It was the only reason he decided to slow this down.

He wasn’t going to ignore this thing between them.

He wanted to see where it might go. He’d do his damnedest not to hurt her, but she’d flipped that dominant, possessive gene in him this morning.

He knew better than to try to go back from that. It would make things worse.

Becca was not going to come willingly. She’d need to be coaxed into agreeing to discover where this might go. He just hoped he wasn’t about to do something that would cause the biggest regret of his life, but it didn’t feel like that right now. It felt right.

“Are you hungry?”

She didn’t even look at him when she spoke. “Yes.”

He pursed his lips. He could read the anger in the hostile outline of her body. Tough shit, sweetheart. He wasn’t apologizing.

His phone rang, and he grudgingly turned away and found it on the desk.

Sara Jane Riley’s image popped up, and a real smile broke out on his face.

She was a fellow author and a friend. She’d taken him under her wing when he’d first started writing and had shown him quite a few things and introduced him to all the right bloggers.

“Hey, doll. What’s up?” He saw Becca’s head snap up at his tone and her eyes narrow. She could pretend all day she felt nothing, but the anger in those baby browns of hers? It spoke volumes.

“I see you made it! Where are you? We’re all down at the Japanese place.”

“How do you know I made it down?”

“Your post in the Facebook group, duh!” He could imagine her rolling her eyes.

“Ah, that would be Becca posting on my behalf.”

“The infamous Becca.”

He laughed. “I’m not sure I can make it, honestly. We have a lot of work yet to do…”

“We?” Sara Jane interrupted him. “Who’s with you?”

“Becca came down with me.”

“Oh, we finally get to meet your PA? She’s always the sweetest person when I chat with her.”

If only Sara Jane could see his little spitfire shooting daggers at him right now.

“Yeah, she’s coming over tonight to help me. I have no clue how to set up a table.”

“I’m sure you’re both hungry. Why don’t the two of you come down and meet everyone?”

“Who all’s there?” He shot a sideways glance at Becca, who was stuffing bags with swag. He would not force her into a large group.

“Just us authors.” Sara mumbled something he couldn’t hear.

“How many people are there, Sara?”

“About twenty or so. Why?”

Too many for his girl right now. People would ask questions, and she’d be forced to interact. He’d put her through enough for one day.

“You know, I think we’ll catch up with everyone later tonight. There’s just too much work to do right now.”

Sara was silent for minute. “You sure?”

“Yeah. We’ll see you guys later.”

“Okay, if you’re sure. Talk soon, baby doll.”

He laughed outright at her nickname for him.

He always called her doll and she called him baby.

Nothing romantic there; she was married.

She said he was like a baby learning to walk in the author world.

They’d said those words at the same time, and it clicked for her.

She forever called him baby doll after that.

Not something her husband appreciated. It didn’t sit well with Dimitri when he’d heard the man swearing at her.

He may not talk to Sara often, but she was a friend, and he worried about her.

“Bye, hon.” He ended the call and grabbed his wallet. They did need to eat. “Ready to go find some food?”

“Who was that?”

Dimitri suppressed a grin. She was trying so hard not to sound jealous, but he heard it anyway. “Sara Jane. She saw you posted we arrived and invited us to come eat with everyone.”

Her expression softened. “Why don’t you go? I’ll find someplace that does delivery and finish this up.”

“No, babe. There is way too much stuff to do by yourself. I asked you to help me, not do everything for me.”

“The whole point of you coming to these things was to get to know the other authors, D. How are you going to do that if you don’t do some group things?”

“You’re here because of me. I’m not abandoning you in the hotel room to go hang out with everyone.

If you came, I have a feeling you’d not eat a thing, and you’d be uncomfortable.

So, we’re going to go find some low-key place where we can eat quietly.

I heard Charleston has some really great seafood places. ”

Becca’s ire started to flee in the wake of his obvious concern.

This was why she couldn’t stay mad at him.

He might be a jerk who loved to get her riled, but when push came to shove, he put her feelings first. She was still pissed at him over this morning, but she wasn’t so mad she wanted to castrate him anymore.

She started to tell him she wanted some alone time, but he stopped her before she uttered the first word. “This can wait. We’re both hungry, and we need to talk. Do you want to shower before we go?”

She really should, but she knew she’d be dirty later because of all the boxes and sitting on the floor.

Two showers in one day was not only bad for the skin, it would wreak havoc on her very unruly hair.

Since he wasn’t going to go and leave her alone, she stood.

There was no arguing with his mule-headed tendencies once he decided on something.

It was either give in and eat or stand here arguing with him for next hour… and she’d still lose.

“Fine. Let me change and brush my teeth, then we’ll go.”

She left him plundering through some of the bags.

They contained all the books and swag, but he still had to sign the books.

She’d only gotten through about twenty books and had a lot to go.

It was going to be a long afternoon. They’d both slept until noon, so she was fairly certain they weren’t going to get the pre-orders done before heading over to the event venue.

When she got back, she’d finish putting them together and box everything back up.

Once she was done brushing her teeth, she pulled on jean capris and her favorite red Coca-Cola t-shirt. Her hair got a quick brush and its usual ponytail. She kept trying to busy her mind with mundane things and her list of what needed to get done so she wouldn’t think about earlier.

About that kiss.

The kiss she’d wholeheartedly returned.

Her cheeks flamed, and she splashed her face with water, trying to lessen the burn. Dimitri was not going to let her hide from the fact she’d kissed him back and then some.

It was one of the reasons she’d suggested he go out and meet up with the other authors.

She needed time to herself, to think and find a way to ignore him.

How had he gone from agreeing intimacy between them was a bad idea to openly trying to seduce her?

Just a kiss, my ass , she thought darkly.

He’d meant to make her all hot and bothered thinking about that kiss all day.

Definitely getting her own room today. There would be no more of last night or this morning.

She only had to get through today and tomorrow.

Then they could go home, and there wasn’t another event for two weeks.

She could escape back to the safe haven of her apartment and away from the temptation of Dimitri.

She’d forgotten how much he affected her.

How the hell had she been better at hiding it in high school?

Because he’d gotten even sexier with age, that was how.

He banged on the door. “Time’s wasting, sweetheart.”

She shot the door the evilest glare she could summon. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“I think my belly actually hit my backbone, Becca. I’m blaming you if I start wasting away!”

“I told you to go eat with your friends!”

“But they’re not my friends, babe. You’re my friend and the only person I want to eat with. Now, move your ass!”

Becca burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it. The man was beyond silly. Drying her face, she gave herself a once-over. Definitely not his type. Hopefully, he’d forget this morning and they could enjoy an afternoon like normal friends.

He was frowning at his phone when she strolled out. He squinted, which meant he was trying to figure something out. “What are you frowning about?”

“Charlene.”

“The crazy ex? I blocked her number.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t block her on my Facebook page. It’s like she threw up all over it.”

“Your personal page or your author page?” The woman was seriously starting to piss her off. She didn’t know when to quit.

“All of them, even my reader’s group.” He looked up, clearly frustrated. “She’s on there telling everyone we’re together and she can’t wait to see me. What the fuck?”

“Let me have your phone.” He handed it over, and she went through and blocked her on all his pages, leaving a note that no one was to pay attention to the crazy stalker lady.

Sure to get people talking, but on the plus side, it would help him sell books this weekend.

Everyone loved to gossip, especially in the Indie world, authors and readers alike.

“There, she’s all blocked. I’ll look over the rest of your social media in the car and make sure she’s blocked there too.”