Itilted my head back against the pillow and laughed in disbelief. “Oh, my God,stop it! Now you’re just lying to make me feel better. Come on, it’s okay.We’re adults. I mean, I don’t need to know how many women you’ve been with, but…” The straight-faced expression hadn’t left, and I could only open my mouthand gape at him. “Are youfreakin’ kidding me?”
“Nope.”His hand reached down to grip one of mine, lacing our fingers together. “Infact, this is the first time I’ve been with someone in over five years.” Hebrought my hand to his mouth, pressing his lips against my thumb. His fingersplayed over mine like the strings of a harp. “How’d I do, by the way?”
“Uh,I’d say you did pretty well.” I laughed before saying, “But how the hell isthat even possible? Have you looked in the mirror lately?”
Brandonchuckled and the hairs along my arms pricked up. “Oh, trust me, it’s not asthough women haven’t tried. But I’ve never been able to bring myself to gothrough with it.”
“Includingwith me, remember?” I teased, remembering that night months ago.
“Yeah,well, resisting you was like telling myself to quit breathing.” He wrapped hisarm around me, pulling me into the warmth of his body, and kissed me tenderly.“Obviously, I failed miserably.”
Ilaughed. “That makes two of us.”
Histhumb traced my bottom lip as he said, with that hint of sadness he had beentiresomely holding onto all damn night, “I really don’t want to leave thisroom.”
Myeyes closed at his touch, sighing at the thought of never having to go out andsee the real world again. Just lying there for all of eternity with thatimpossibly wonderful man who was, for some reason beyond all explanation, inlove withme. It was too hard to fight the smile that threatened mylips, so I didn’t. My eyes opened, and I hoped to see him with a smile thatequaled mine, because how could you not smile when you werethishappy?
ButI didn’t see a smile anywhere on his face. Not on his lips, not in the crinklesat the corners of his eyes—nowhere. What I did see was his face pressed againsta tattooed arm, biting the inside of his lower lip with an expression that toldme he was fighting back a tsunami.
“What?”I asked, all traces of my smile wiping away as I imagined every possible reasonfor him to be looking at me that way.
Brandon’sgaze caught mine, holding me there in an intense mental vice grip. “I love you,Holly.”
Ireached a hand to him, resting it against the dragon that wrapped around hisbicep. “I love you too,” I said, emphasizing every word.
Henodded and exhaled deeply, his cheeks puffing out. “I, uh, I have to tell yousomething, and when I tell you, I want you to do me a favor.”
“Okay…”
“Iwant you to remember what you just said, that you love me, and no matter whathappens, I want you to remember thatIloveyou.” His eyes seemedto darken in color as he spoke slowly, appearing to me now as a stormy skyready to break at any moment. “Okay?” I nodded quickly, suddenly needing theconversation to be over. Or better yet, not happening at all.
Atthat, he nodded, released a huff of air, and rolled out of bed swiftly,swinging his legs over the side and grabbed his boxer briefs that had found thefloor a couple hours earlier. Stepping into them and standing to pull them up,I treated myself to what I suddenly felt was the last time I’d get a good viewat his backside, committing the sight of his tight and shapely ass to memory.
Please,God, don’t let this be the last time I see that ass.
Hewalked to a desk in the corner of the room and picked up a book, grasping ittightly in his hands as he headed back toward me.
“Doyou know this book?”
Iwould have recognized the cover anywhere—a black-eyed dragon wrapped around thelength of a sword made of bone. The picture had given me thefreakin’ creeps years before with its cold, dead stare, butStephen had been a big fan when we had first started dating. So I read it tosee what all the fuss was about and, yes, maybe to impress him a little byshowing him I was more than capable of reading something other than a cheesypaperback romance.
Isat up and nodded. He seemed mildly shocked and raised an eyebrow withquestionable curiosity. “Have you read it?”
“Yes.”I nodded again, almost impatiently. “Why?”
Brandonsat down stiffly at the edge of the bed, still clutching the book. “Okay, um,so you know of the author then?”
Whatthe hell is this? Twenty Questions?
“Sure,”I said, not bothering to control my irritation.
Hiseyes narrowed. “You don’t know what he looks like, though?”
“WhywouldI?” I snapped, instantly full of regret. I exhaled, releasing mytension and allowing my voice to soften. “I’m sorry. I just don’t understandwhat you’re getting at and I wish you’d just—”
Andthat’s when my eyes fell on his arm, and the damn dragon tattoo. It was themirror image of the dragon from the cover of that very book, complete withblack eyes and a sword made of bone.
“Yourtattoo,” I said blankly, pointing at the arm.
