“I’m not beautiful, Reece. Inside or out. What you fell for is just a pretty face that thankfully hadn’t seen the edge of Jay’s knife.”
Reece tensed. She’d need a lot of convincing, and he understood. Time—she needed lots of it, and he had plenty to give. “Aria, I have a hard time believing you think that. It’s a mindset you’ve accepted from Jay’s taunts.” He leaned in closer. “You are beautiful, and no scar will take that away from you.”
She sat still but regarded him steadily. “What are you expecting from this, Reece?”
Startled, he jerked back. “As I said at dinner, I’m not asking for anythin’ you’re not ready to give. But,” he stopped and hoped the meaning behind his next words would sink in.
“But?” she sounded impatient.
“I ain’t goin’ anywhere.”
Her brow rose in apparent surprise. “What do you mean?”
“You disappeared once before, I ain’t about to let history repeat itself. While I can’t say what it is about you that’s got me so hooked, I can’t think straight, I sure as hell wouldn’t change a thing about you. It may sound cheesy, but you’ve got a magnetic pull I can’t resist, and it’s the truth. No scar will stop me. I want more, Aria, and I want you.”
She tilted her head as if trying to understand his words. “Why? I’ve nothing to offer you?”
“Oh, you’ve got loads more to offer. You don’t know it yet.” He inched forward and tried to keep the smile out of his words. But, failed miserably, and witnessed the annoyance evident in her next words.
“I’m older than you, Reece. There are heaps of women out there more suited to your immaturity.”
“You didn’t think me young or immature last night, did you?” He cocked a brow cheekily. She blushed. “Aria, I want this. I mean, what’s happenin’ between us.”
“What is happening between us?” Her question caught him off guard. He wasn’t sure how to answer. “Look, Reece, you’re young, exciting, and at the point of finding yourself, but I have a daughter. The last thing I need right now is a playboy who feels sorry for me because I had an unforgivable past. I don’t want a relationship, and I certainly don’t want any man feeling sorry for me. There are plenty of women out there more suited to your wild ministrations.”
What the fuck?Aria’s statement resembled liquid lava and scorched his heart with each word. He reined in his impatience with a sigh. “I don’t want any other woman, Ria. I want you. Whether you like it or not, I’m staying. I’ll seduce the hell out of you if that’s what it takes. If I were you, I’d get used to the idea of you and me. We’re frickin’ awesome in bed, and that’s just the start.” His rough declaration had the desired effect; her jaw dropped in surprise. “Damn, woman, I might be the lasso twirling cowboy but, you’ve roped me in and tied me up in knots.” He grinned then cheekily added, “So that you know, I aim to stay that way until the unbridled woman I met in the bar unties me.”
Her eyes flared. She opened her mouth to say something, but a loud knock on the front door stalled her words. Prisha was home.
“Saved by the bell?” He teased and earned a scowl.
“We’ll continue this discussion later.” Aria slipped off the bed.
While she dressed then left the room, Reece accepted he was smitten with the woman, scars and all—an obsession that began the night in the bar.
Under the shower, he closed his eyes and lifted his face to the hot water with a grunt. Hell, he’d never felt this relaxed in years. Aria gave lovemaking a new meaning. His body hummed in ecstasy. Even under the warm spray, his body goose-bumped in remembrance. He wasn’t dominant by nature but believed in sharing everything with the right woman. And Aria was the woman for him whether she wanted him or not.
Another few minutes and he shut off the water. He stepped out and toweled his body dry. Now Prisha was home; she might demand an explanation of why he was in her mother’s bedroom. He dressed quickly.
“Are you going to be my daddy, now?”
Too late. Reece pulled his sweater down over his face. Prisha stared up at him. Her gaze filled with a curious innocence. Somehow, her question didn’t shock or frighten him as much as he thought it would. It created a ripple of pleasure through his body. As he hunkered down, he caught sight of Aria at the door. She stopped when she heard Prisha’s question.
“Do you want me to be your daddy?”
“Hmm.” The little girl tilted her head. She bit her lower lip as though his question needed deep thought. “You do make nice pancakes.”
Reece burst out laughing. Aria smiled in relief. She wasn’t prepared to handle Prisha’s questions about their intimacy. “Is that the only reason?”
“You smell nice too.” The child toyed with the hair of her doll. Reece grinned. “And my friends say you’re handsome and handsome daddies are nice to have.”
Intrigued, he smiled. “Really? Why?”
Prisha shrugged. “Because all the other mommies will help you with homework, and they’ll bake you nice goodies. You’ll also be first in the line for everything. The other mommies will let you,” she explained in one breathless statement then inhaled deeply at the end.
Reece was shocked at how well kids read their parent's actions without them knowing. “Who told you this?”
“Um...my friends at school.”
