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displacement ability like Braden, more would have been hurt. It s a miracle no one died
considering it was a planned explosion.
She shivered. But Braden had been hurt. Had he been hurt helping her? Tears
threatened and she gulped to not let the sob out. I don t remember anything that
happened. She swiped a tear away before it could fall. He stood and pulled her into his
arms. She tucked herself into his chest like it was the only place to be.
It s okay, Shar. We ll find out what happened. Soothing hands looped up and
down her back. Do you remember what you found in Lawson s brainpan?
She sniffed and closed her eyes, hating to say it. Women. A lot of women. He also
knew who I was. He had a very strong interest in my father s bank accounts.
He swept her hair up and out, letting it fall in a flowing stream. Stupid. Your father
is going to stay alive just so no one else can get to his money.
He s not that bad, she chided him with a light punch to his shoulder. He s earned
it, worked hard for what he has. It s his right to play with it, invest it however he wants
to. She tipped back. He did write my loan for the business. I haven t missed a payment
yet. And you know he wouldn t have given me a penny if he didn t think I could pull off
my own business, or my own clothing line.
Yeah, your dad s one smart guy. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and let her sit
back down. So he had women, and wanted the money, which leads to the question how
and why he knew to have mental guards unless he knew before or shortly after meeting
you that you were a witch.
He took a big bite of his sandwich, and if for nothing else than to appease the
grumble in her stomach, she did the same.
He finished a few minutes later, drinking down half of his glass of tea before
speaking again. He wiped his mouth and set the napkin on the table by his plate. I m
willing to bet he knew what you were before he knew you personally.
You think so? She guessed it was possible. There would have been no way for her
to know. It was against the law for them to pry, whether the person could or couldn t, it
didn t matter. It was not allowed, period. Only people who had granted permission, like
married couples, had the allowance. The ring incident was an accident, but probably
wouldn t have made the elders happy just the same if they knew it had happened.
He nodded then frowned again. Shar, promise me you ll be careful. The fact that he
had interests in your background, lied to you, and the club went up the night you tossed
him out with the trash makes me worry.
She leaned forward on the table. It has to be a coincidence, Trajan. He was furious
with me when he knew his dirty little secrets weren t secret anymore. He called me a
deceiver, that I had lied and played him by not telling the truth immediately. She made a
rude sound. Like I would. She began to pick at the leftovers of her sandwich again. I
don t think he knew, but maybe he guessed I was something and I shocked him when I
proved him right. She felt sick to her stomach again. She d been played by the man. For
a whole year. He asked me more than a month ago. He waited until Saturday to give me
the ring.
Why?
She lifted a shoulder. He proposed in style with the ring now that he had it. He told
me he had plans for the night. A fancy dinner and surprises. She looked up when she felt
Trajan s gaze boring into her.
Surprises?
He said something about introducing me to his Uncle Nick. That they were looking
forward to it. I don t see how any of it can matter.
And that was when you put it on? His voice was low, understanding.
She tossed the crumbs on her plate and dusted her hands off on a napkin, leaning
back dejectedly in her chair once more. Yeah. Guess I got through the guards because
that ring meant so much to him. I don t think it was the actual ring for me that mattered.
It was what that ring would get him. She let out a hard breath and looked up. Can we
talk about something else? There isn t much left to tell anyway.
He stood. Yeah. Let s go watch a movie for a while.
She thought that sounded pretty good for the moment. She kicked her boots back off
and made herself comfortable on a side of the couch. He held up two cases, one was an
action the other was a comedy.
Whichever, she said.
He turned and set one up to play, joining her on the couch. When the music started,
he stretched out, laying his head on her lap. It was comfortable to rest a hand on his
shoulder and he slid a hand under her thigh. His skin was warm under her hand, the firm
muscles curving and solid as she stroked up and down in slow sweeps.
His thumb was repeating the motions on the inside of her thigh. Back and forth. Her
mouth was going dry with want. They used to watch movies all the time on this couch,
but the way she was beginning to feel with his touch sensuously stroking her felt
anything but friendly. Suddenly the temperature in the room was rising as though a
furnace stood behind her. She twitched. It was impossible not to.
Comfortable?
She choked on the words. Yeah, I m fine.
Then he dared to move, and he wasn t rubbing her thigh. The movie was lost behind
lowered lashes as he scratched a nail against denim. Right where it counted. He shifted
and bit at her thigh and she quivered.
A low sound rumbled up from him. It caused a shiver to cascade down her skin. Her
fingers found their way into his hair, holding him, caressing. Shar remembered just what
his mouth was capable of, and she couldn t deny she wanted him.
In a deft roll, he slid from the couch and landed on his knees in front of her. The
hunger in his eyes shot through her like the candied liquor of that Flaming Star, sweet
and heady.
You should probably stay, he told her, swiping the vest from her shoulders. It
landed on the back of the couch. She feared for the chemise the way he yanked it over her
shoulders exposing her to him, but the desire in his gaze turned her on. There was an
urgency in his eyes. A fiery heat settled in her stomach and made her ache. You can t
seem to keep your clothes on around here.
She had noticed that problem, but couldn t find a complaint about it.
The jeans were next, sliding free with a swift pull, her underwear going with them,
until she sat naked on the couch.
She swallowed, feeling her heart pounding against her chest.
That s more like it. You should definitely be naked. His hands followed her skin
from her ankles, over her waist, cradling her breasts until he found the curve of her
shoulders, down her sides to her hips, this thumbs stroking at her nipples on the way. She
sucked a gasp at the contact, her nipples puckered and hardened as his hot breath raced
over each.
He slid an arm under each knee and pulled her forward. A moan slipped out.
He leaned in and sipped at the flaming heart, dragging his tongue over it, savoring it.
That s just fucking hot, he breathed, whisking his tongue around the edge and into the
soft skin of her hip.
It was hard to sit still under the heady pressure. She quivered all over with each
touch of his hot mouth. She clutched at the thickness of his hair when he dropped his
wicked tongue, delving into the damp heat between her legs. She moaned.
Like that? he asked her, teasing her with light strokes. The next few moments
passed in a blur of feeling. Everything felt so good; the whip of his tongue, the teasing
slide of his fingers up and down her body. She whimpered when he only teased her more.
Come for me, Shar. I want to taste you.
He sucked her clit into his mouth and she screamed. The fire of his fingers plunging
into her was like hitting her with an electrical current. She ignited. Her body tightened,
tingled all at once, and colorful sparks circled in her vision.
She felt herself floating, her skin hypersensitive to everything, the only thing keeping
her grounded was Trajan s wicked tongue lapping against her, thrusting to get every last
drop. She felt absolutely drained.
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