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Thankfully, she’s too busy to notice my amusement and is busy tugging on my shirt, praying I’ll let her strip me bare.

I don’t hesitate to comply.

I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I can’t fight this. Can’t fight her.

She reeled me in, picking me apart with ease.

Finding my weakness.

Hell, she is my weakness.

And she proves it by leaving a tattoo on my soul whether I wanted her to or not.

Chapter Thirteen

Beau

I’m layin’ on Noah’s naked chest in the middle of the family room. My fingers are dancin’ over the exposed ink along his chiseled pec and left arm.

“These are beautiful,” I breathe, not sure if he hears me.

Noah places a soft kiss against the crown of my head. “You’re beautiful.”

I giggle to myself, causin’ his chest to rumble, too.

“Whaaat?” he whines. “Don’t you believe me?”

“I believe you just got laid and are obligated to say how amazin’ it was and that I’m easy on the eyes. That’s what I believe.”

Noah sits up before hoverin’ over me as I lay with my back against the cold wood floors.

“Look at me, Beau.”

My teeth dig into my lower lip as I do what I’m told.

“I didn’t want to sleep with you. I didn’t want to complicate things. I didn’t want to want you... But I do,” he confesses. “I want you so damn bad, Beau. Don’t you dare ever question that. I didn’t want you for a casual lay, okay? I don’t know what the hell this means, but don’t act like it didn’t mean anything. Because it did. It meant something to me. You mean something to me.”

He looks down at me with those same hypnotic eyes that hit me like a wreckin’ ball that first day in the diner. I don’t know what to say.

Hell, I don’t know if my voice would work if I did know what to say.

Instead, I reach up with my left hand and put it on the back of his neck before tuggin’ him closer. Thankfully, he complies, usin’ his tatted arms to cage me in on both sides of my head while he inches closer to me. Leisurely. Carefully. Givin’ me the illusion that I’m in control, when we both know he could crush me with his strength.

When we’re a breath apart, I touch my lips to his slowly, softly, the exact opposite of what we just experienced together only moments ago. This time, I don’t hide my emotions from him, I put them all into that damn kiss. Lettin’ him see the real me. The one that’s scared to let someone in again. To trust someone.

And he takes it. He takes it all. One soft nibble at a time. One slow slip of the tongue. He touches me like I’m precious. Holds me like I’m a gift. Treats me like I’m to be cherished.

And all the while, he makes me wonder if maybe, just maybe, true love is in the cards for a girl like me.

Chapter Fourteen

Noah

I’ve been ignoring Shane’s calls. I don’t know why, it just doesn’t feel right to talk to my buddy about my life back home when I’m busy with my life in this sleepy little town.

It’s not that I’ve given up on the tattoo shop, it’s that I can’t admit to myself that I haven’t given up on the tattoo shop.

It’s not fair to Beau. And she deserves the world.

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