Ignoring his reply, I turn away from him and his reasoning.
I’d take off my soaked vest as well, but I’m not wearing a bra. I don’t want poor Darrio to have a fucking heart attack.
Gently, I lay out my only pair of jeans near the warm fire. A tangle of white locks meets my fingertips as I try to dry my thick hair a little.
With a short stick, I stoke the meager embers into a small fire. A minute passes. My gaze clings to the flickering flames.
I shoot Darrio a look of annoyance before I take my place on my shabby pallet once again. The thin blanket does little to warm me. I shift even closer to the heat.
Lying on my back once more, I realize Darrio still stands as he was; staring at me with his lips set into a tight line.
“Swallow down your ego and take your pants off already. I won’t peek. I promise.”
It’s a lie and we both know it.
I haven’t seen a man naked in almost a year. I’ve never seen a man as gorgeous as Darrio naked in my entire life.
Never let an opportunity pass you byLady Ivory used to tell me.
I won’t, Lady Ivory, I won’t.
My fingers thread through my hair as I lean up on my elbow to give him my fullest attention.
A smile almost touches his lips before he pushes it back down. He turns fully to me, and my heart races as my eyes widen.
Is he serious?
The ever-scowling Darrio has a playful side?
His hands reach slowly behind him, pulling at the neck of his long sleeve shirt. My lips part as he lifts the traitorous shirt from his body.
With torturously slow movements, the shirt rises from his abdomen. Hard lines cut into a v along his hips. A light trail of dark hair disappears into the top of his low-slung jeans. Jagged scar tissue skims his side demanding my attention just as much as his defined chest does. Black ink swirls across his wide shoulders and reaches down to the mark of the Hopeless on his left arm. The intricate tattoos stand out against the white, twisting scars that adorn his hard body.
His long hair is ruffled when he finally pulls the shirt off. The firelight glints in his eyes. For once I’m thankful for the moonlight, the firelight, all the light that graces his gorgeous body just for me.
The two of us stare at one another. It’s the first time a few minutes have passed without one of us saying something foul to the other.
It’s almost nice not hating him.
His fingers begin unbuttoning his pants.
Okay, it’s more than nice.
It’s fantastic.
He doesn’t look at me as he pushes his jeans down his hips and kicks off his boots. He shoves his clothes in a crumbled pile near the flames. In just his boxers, he turns his back on me and walks to his pallet, ten feet from mine, and lies down.
He stares daggers at me from across the fire. Wide eyes watch my every move.
Playtime is over. I’m his untrusted companion once more.
I doubt he’ll sleep a wink tonight.
Cold hair clings to my slight shoulders and I shuffle a little closer to the fire.
Darrio cocks his head quickly, getting a better view of me.
“Calm down,” I hiss, “I’m just cold. I’m not making a run for it, I swear.”
