“Did you date anyone when you were in Seattle?” he asks quietly.
“No. I didn’t have time. There were a couple of guys in college who I hung out with, but it was never anything serious.” Not that I would have been interested in those guys for anything more than what we had. They certainly never sent a thrill through me like Kian does. One look from him and my entire body tingles. There hasn’t ever been a man who’s made me feel the way Kian does. “What about you? You’re a lot older than me. Have you had any serious relationships?”
Kian reaches under the water and pinches my butt. I yelp and kick my feet, sending a wave splashing through the tub. “Are you calling me old, angel?”
I giggle like a schoolgirl and shake my head. Something about being around him frees something in me. I feel silly and playful. “No, Daddy. I would never.”
“Uh-huh,” he says, then nuzzles my neck, breathing me in. Silence hangs over us for a moment before he relaxes against the edge again, pulling me with him so we’re almost lying in the water. “I’ve never had anything long-term with anyone.”
The thought of Kian being with any other woman makes me want to grab his gun and go hunt them down. I know I shouldn’t be happy that he doesn’t have someone from his past who he might still be pining after. It also makes me sad because that sounds really lonely. Then again, I’ve spent my entire life feeling alone.
“Why not?” I ask.
He shifts slightly and lets out a slow exhale. “Between our business and family, I haven’t had time.”
“Hmm.”
“What?” he asks.
“Maybe you just never met the right person. The one who made you want more.”
CHAPTER 30
Kian
Maybe you just never met theright person. The one who made you want more.
Her quiet words cloud my mind as I help her out of the bath and wrap a towel around her, then grab one for myself.
I always thought I would settle down one day. When I turned thirty, I still hadn’t had a relationship that lasted for more than two weeks because I would always end it when the woman started asking for more. As soon as the “what are we?” question popped up, I ran for the hills and buried myself in work. Eventually, I just stopped trying to date and started hooking up with tourists every now and then. And once the night was over, I never thought of them again.
Until Ace.
Part of me feels like I owe Luciano an apology. Then I remember he cheated in my casino to lure me in. I’m not apologizing for shit. I dislike him less, though. Maybe I won’t kill him. For now.
He was there for her every day during rehab after her accident and has tried to be there for her since. Though he shouldn’t have given her a choice. He should have forced himself into her life so he could have protected her from her mother.
That bitch will answer to me for the way she treated Ace. I do everything possible to avoid hurting women, but she deserves whatever is coming her way.
Once we’re both dry, I lead her into my closet and pull open a drawer. “All my T-shirts are here.” Then I pick one and tug her towel free before I drop the top over her head.
When she crawls into bed, I catch a glimpse of her bare pussy, and my cock twitches.
Jesus.
I feel like I’m in my twenties again. My dick hasneverbeen this enthusiastic about someone before.
As I climb in beside her, a sense of calm settles over me. This is the only place I want to be. Next to her.
With an arm wrapped around her, I pull her into me, curling around her soft warmth. When I bury my face into her hair and breathe in her sweet, fruity scent, it’s like a hit of something strong. My pulse races and my heart pounds. My mind goes blank, and all I feel is her. And us.
“Do you miss ballet?” I ask, watching her face under the dim light of the bedside lamp.
She stares into the distance, her eyes glittering with wetness. “No. I don’t miss it like I used to. When I started it as a kid, I did it because it felt magical, and I felt like a princess every time I twirled. It was fun and playful and expressive. Before my accident, I was barely surviving.”
Silently, I study every freckle and line on her sweet face, allowing her to talk.
“Besides,” she says with a soft smile. “I still get to do ballet. The fun kind that feels magical. Twice a week at my studio.”
