Page 22 of Blaze

I shrug.“No.It always seemed easier to stay out of her way and just do whatever she said.She mostly ignored me as long as I didn’t rock the boat.I was a wallflower.Though I’m pretty sure she made that a reality, too.”I tap my lips.Now that I’m telling my life story out loud, I’m starting to realize some of my traits might not be my own.

“You’re not a wallflower, baby,” he says softly.

With a deep inhale, I continue, because it feels good to share this shit.It’s like it’s been bubbling up inside me with no outlet.Until now.Until Blaze.“Six is old enough to realize that I had no blood relatives.I needed my stepmom to raise me.If she didn’t, I would go to foster care.”

“Did she tell you that?Did she threaten you with that possibility?”

“I don’t think so… I just knew she didn’t really like kids.She tolerated me.She was young.She could have dumped me into the system and remarried.I think I was aware of that, so I just behaved, did what she wanted, stayed out of trouble.”

“What a horrible way to grow up.”

My saga sounds worse out loud.Maybe it was.I stare at my lap.At the way Blaze is holding my hands.I like the look.His fingers are so long.His hand engulfs both of mine.

“So… Let me guess.You moved back in, and she set you up with a man.”

“Yep.Preppy guy.Twenty-five.Thinks he’s God’s gift to humanity.Dresses like a moron.Works for his dad in corporate America.Mergers or something that sounded sketchy to me.”

Blaze laughs.“I know the type.”He strokes my knuckles.“Go on.”

“I never should have agreed to go to dinner with David.It was a disaster from the start.I knew it would be the moment I saw him at the restaurant.”

“Wait, you met him at the restaurant?”

“Yep.At least I was smart enough to insist on that much.Otherwise, how would I escape easily if I hated him?”

“But you did hate him…”

“At first sight.He was a pushy asshole.”

“I’m a pushy asshole,” Blaze points out, brow raised.

I shake my head.“Believe me, I’ve noticed, but it’s not the same.David spent the entire meal looking at other women.He talked about himself and his accomplishments.Never once did he ask me about myself.I never got a word in edgewise.He even ordered wine and poured it into my glass.I hate wine.”

“Noted.I won’t buy you wine.”

Yeah, there’s not a single thing in common between David and Blaze.

“Did you leave?”

“Eventually, but shit wentwaywacky before that.For some reason, David thought we were going to get married.”

Blaze lets go of my hand and pushes to sitting.His brow is furrowed, intensity written all over his face.His muscles are bulging as he leans over me and plants one hand on the other side of my hips.

Possessive.As if I’m telling him some other guy hit on me this morning.At least Blaze put on a T-shirt while I was in the bathroom.It’s black, though, and tight, so his chest is still distracting, especially since he’s also wearing nylon workout shorts as if he’s about to go for a run.He had been wearing the shorts when we woke up.

I reach forward and set my palm on his chest, reminding myself how solid he is.“Chill, big guy.Do you want to hear the rest?”

“No, but go on.”

Those intense eyes never leave mine.Blaze has looked directly at me nearly every waking moment since I met him.He probably also stared at me while I was asleep.The rest of the world doesn’t even exist around us.Just me.

He’s not David.

“I nearly choked when David told me he thought we were ‘a good match.’Based on what?I’m not sure he could even describe me.He probably could have told me more about the woman with the giant fake tits in the booth across the room.Yet, as soon as the plates were cleared, he finally faced me.I felt like a business deal.I was too stunned to react as he told me I was the perfect look for him.We would be a good match.”

“The perfectlook?”Blaze’s voice rises.

“Oh, yeah, and then he proceeded to ask me what my workout regimen was like and what I usually eat to stay skinny.”