When he stopped shaking, he scooped her up into his arms, latched onto her lips with his and headed toward the bedroom. No words were needed. The kiss spoke volumes.
Chapter Nineteen
The next morning, Reecestudied the sleeping beauty sharing his pillow. Usually, his rules about the women he bedded ensured he never stayed the night. The morning after discussions wasn’t his thing, so he avoided it altogether. He wanted no complication. Now, watching Aria sleep, he loved the feeling of waking next to her. Her breathing soft and even, unaware of his silent observation, and ignorant to the sexy picture she created. His cock stirred, yet he restrained his itching fingers. Plenty of time to touch. Unguarded, she appeared vulnerable. He caught a glimpse of the real woman beneath the tough exterior she projected to the world. Despite her opening up about her past, she remained guarded.
She sighed in her sleep. Her innocence scared Reece. Not in a frightful manner, but more the idea of not wanting to spend another day away from her. He didn’t do relationships yet here he was, next to a gorgeous woman with enough spunk to keep him interested forever, and all he thought of was how much he loved her.
He raked a hand through his tousled hair and smiled.Love? Wow.He was suddenly unsure. Then again, what other emotion packed a punch strong enough to outdo any bucking bull. Or, explained his need to be with her every single moment.
Unable to quell the rising tide of emotions, he let his gaze run over her creamy features. Desire shot through his body. Unconsciously, he brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. The light touch made her groan softly and turn away from him to lie on her tummy.
Reece uttered a low chuckle. He turned on his side to watch her more. The simple act pushed the covers down. His gaze landed on her back and caught sight of a thick welt that disappeared under the blanket. Baffled, he slid the cover further down to get a better look.
“Jesus fucking Christ!” he cursed harshly.
His loud cry startled Aria awake. She lifted her head and squinted at him, then blinked as if to rid her eyes of sleep. When she noticed where his gaze laid, she sat up hastily, tucked the blanket under her arms, backed away from him, and sat flush against the headboard. The sheer look of agony on her face alarmed Reece. Now he understood why she’d refused to remove her sweater when he made love to her last night.
“Did—”
“I don’t want to talk about it, Reece.”
“Ria, please?” The crisscross of welts on her back scared him. Fear of the torture she’d suffered at the hands of her husband. The scars ranged in size and thickness and began just below her shoulder down to her hip. “Did Jay—”
Her tear-filled gaze tore at his heart.Fuck. What words of comfort could he share? How could he show her he cared? That he was aware of her pain. That it made him want to rip out the heart of a man he never met.
She swiped at her eyes in obvious annoyance. “Yes. I was Jay’s drawing board. Only his artistic talent was in knife carving,” her stilted words emphasized hidden torment.
Reece winced. “God, babe.” He reached for her. She flinched. The idea he’d seen the scars on her back probably made her helpless. An emotion she wasn’t comfortable sharing with a man. Reece understood. “It’s me, Aria. I ain’t gonna hurt you.”
Her eyes slid shut. A grimace crossed her features. She opened her eyes, then studied her fingers. “Each time he cut me, Jay reminded me, he’d never touch my face. He wanted the world to see how beautiful I was on the outside. But, if another man chose to bed me, then the mutilations would tell him I’m a scarred woman...” she trailed off as though sifting through haunted memories. “Jay taunted me about how no other man would want me once he saw my body. When I was younger, it affected me, and I cried for days while the wounds healed. The deeper cuts hurt like hell.”
“I’m sorry, babe.” A muscle ticked as Reece clenched his jaw in anger.
She uttered a sarcastic laugh and shrugged. “As I aged, Jay’s words washed over me as banal as my life.”
“Your life ain’t banal, babe. You’re a stunning woman inside and out.”
