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Ace and Caden looked at the bedroom door and then at Tracker. Ace was the one who gave voice to the question in their eyes.  You
doing right by her?
 What the hell are you going to do if I say no?
Ace smiled a totally infectious, completely deceptive smile and collected his buckets.  I d likely have to take you out back and skin you
alive.
Anyone not knowing Ace would think he was joking.
Caden picked up the other two buckets.  And then I d have to kick your ass.
 You haven t been able to manage it yet.
 Might just be I haven t had the proper inspiration.
That, Tracker could believe. Caden was slow to anger and not much on fighting without purpose. But when he found one, the battle was to
the death, no matter what he had to go through to achieve the goal. He wasn t the forgiving sort.
 Uh-huh. Tracker motioned them out.  Have no fear, I m treating her with all the respect she demands.
Which was apparently none. What the hell had happened to the woman who had demanded he kiss her with love?
 Good. We ll see you later then.
Ace stopped at the door.  Almost forgot. Tia wants to know if you ll be eating at the house tonight.
Tracker glanced at the bedroom.  Tell her I ll let her know in a bit.
 Will do.
The door closed quietly behind them. There was nothing to do but go back to the bedroom.
She was where he d left her, kneeling on the floor, head bowed, still naked, still emotionless. He d rather see her in the middle of an
episode.
Tracker sat down in front of her on the bed. Ari immediately reached for the front of his pants. Hell, he was as bad as everyone else.
Taking without asking. He caught her hands in his, brought them to his lips and kissed the backs.
 Sweets? She didn t move.  Talk to me.
She shook her head and tugged her hands away. He let them go, seeing what she would do. She reached for his cock again and cupped
him through his pants. His cock, uncaring of moral issues, perked up. Again, he stopped her.
 Are you thinking of controlling me with sex?
That brought her gaze up.
 I ll take that look of surprise as a no.
He left her hand where it was, letting the pleasure trickle through him as he fought for words. The pleasure won. He grabbed her wrist,
ending the game.
A shudder went through her and he understood something. Desi was wrong. The way to go forward with Ari was not the way Caine had
gone with Desi. Tracker didn t know what was the right way, but that wasn t it. He looked at Ari s fingers, so pale compared to his. So elegant. She was a
lady. And his for a time. The scars around her wrists were an abomination, but not a surprise. He knew she d been bound, but looking at them hurt him,
anyway. Way down deep inside, in a place he d thought scarred over.
He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. He wasn t a man of words, but he needed to find the right ones to tell her what he felt
inside. Shit, he should have talked to Sam first. Sam could charm the birds from the trees. Tracker took a breath. It didn t make it easier. He d rather be
staked out on a cactus than do this. There was nothing to do but blurt it out. She d probably laugh at him anyway.
 Do you know, sweets, until you touched me, I never knew what it was like to have a woman touch me with caring?
She didn t look up. He pushed on.
 I ve had them touch me out of greed, out of passion, out of manipulation, but until you, being touched like that was just a cruel fairy tale
someone fed me as a kid.
Still no response. He took another breath and went for broke.  I liked it.
That got a start. He tipped up her chin. She wasn t laughing. Tears filled her eyes. For her? For him? For them? Hell, what did it matter? It
was all fucked up. He trailed his fingers to her cheek, trying to give her softness.  So much, I don t want to go back to being used.
Her lips worked. No words came out.
Sliding his hand back until he cupped her head, he rubbed his thumb over her mouth.  There s always been pleasure between us.
Nothing s happened in the last two days that makes me want anything else.
Vague thumps announced the arrival of the hot water. Leaning forward, he replaced his thumb with his lips. He gave her a gentle kiss
before reaching over to pull the coverlet off the foot of the bed and drape it around her.  That s all I want between us, sweets. Softness.
Her eyes searched his, but nothing in her expression gave away her thoughts. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]