Page 84 of Breaking Her

I hurried to catch up to Harris before he realized I'd stopped to talk.

I didn't trust him, but apparently, I trusted him too much.

In my defense, I did not think he would do or could do what he did in broad daylight.

But I did get into his car without a fight.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-FOUR

"I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along."

~Rumi

PRESENT

SCARLETT

I woke up feeling rested and almost . . . peaceful. Crying yourself to sleep apparently made for a good night's rest.

It didn't hurt that my head was pillowed tenderly against a familiar chest. That I could hear the deep, throbbing beat of Dante's heart. It was so comforting that I had myself half convinced I was still sleeping.

It was one thing to wake up with him, another to be comforted by it.

What strange new world was this?

I couldn't believe he was real, that this was. That after all of the war we could have a moment of real peace.

Or that we were looking at trying to carve out some kind of a future together.

But was this even that? Or was this just another temporary reprieve?

I didn't know and I didn't want to think about it. Instead, I allowed myself a moment, a few, a dozen, a hundred, to revel in the arms of the only man who would ever own my heart.

His bare torso was warm, firm, and very real, but I ran my hands over him like he might disappear.

I could touch him now, and not as a way to hurt or wound. My hand on his chest spoke of the ownership I had been denying myself for five rough years.

Five hopeless years. Five hateful years. Five lost years.

"Morning, angel." His voice came out of his chest in a touchable rumble that spoke of deep affection. He kissed the top of my head, his familiar hand stroking over my hair.

I shut my eyes, letting myself enjoy it, letting myself acknowledge just how much I needed it.

This would take some getting used to. I was still afraid to even hope I might get the chance.

"Mm," I mumbled into his chest. It didn't mean anything, just a general sound of contentment.

He shifted me onto my back, propping up on one elbow close to my side.

I touched his face. Part of my mind was still in that fuzzy place between sleep and full cognizance. "Are you real?" I whispered it like I was afraid someone else might hear the silly question.

He grinned, shifting closer. His free hand grabbed one of mine, bringing it to his lips. He placed a soft, open-mouthed kiss on my palm. His eyes smiled as he dragged the hand down, cupping it over his very happy morning erection. "Is that real enough for you?"

I glared at him.

He threw his head back and laughed.

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