“There was a guy, a few years ago.” The words are quieter now, spoken to her hands instead of me. “We were ... serious, I guess. At least, I thought he was. Then he wasn’t.”
She doesn’t say who, but she doesn’t need to.
She’s a god-awful liar.
It doesn’t take much to know it’s her ex, the heart-wrecking asshole who’s coming for her clinic.
Damn, what did hedoto her?
My blood boils as I reach for her hand and squeeze it too hard, looking at her intently.
“Don’t talk about it if you don’t want to. You don’t owe me everything.”
“Thanks.”
It must be the light painting her like an angel that’s crossing my wires.
“Just know there’s always another chance. I don’t know how he hurt you, but there’s no reason that has to be the end of the line. Even if this isn’t real, you and I, it’s a reset. For my reputation and yours.”
“Myreputation?” She blinks. “I don’t have one. Not like you.”
“The one in your head, Sass. You start letting ugly mistakes define you, you can’t learn to forgive, that’s when you’re sunk.” I smile, stroking her fingers. They’re strong from her work yet still so delicate. “You can buy Pawsome Hearts now. Take the wheel, do all the things you’ve ever dreamed of. Best of all, you can take it and spit in that fucker’s eye.”
She laughs roughly, like she’s barely holding herself together.
“Brady, I—” Her throat bobs, and fuck, it’s so easy to lean in, tugging her closer, tangling up her warmth with mine.
She doesn’t resist.
It’s even easier to tilt her face up.
This woman is a broken dove. Proud, strong, determined as hell, but unable to heal and take flight.
Tears cling to her lashes, mirroring the tiny freckles dotting her cheeks like constellations.
This time, I’m not sure who moves first.
Maybe both of us at the same time.
I just know we collide like a volcanic blast, falling to a hunger that’s mindless. Needy. Rampant.
This isn’t like the staged kiss for the cameras at all.
Then, I lost myself in her for a few heady seconds, but I was constantly aware of the camera, my fans.
I was focused on making it look like this wasn’t new for either of us.
Now, I don’t care how it looks.
The urge consumes me, and there’s no one watching.
Just us.
JustLena.
She’s so impossibly warm it hurts not to kiss her.
Her hand curls around the back of my neck for support, and I trace her curves with one palm.
