Page 9 of Posing for the Artist Wolf

“Things change,” I finished for him. “People change.”

Kai’s eyes met mine, a flash of understanding passing between us. “Your brother?”

I nodded, a lump forming in my throat. “Derek made his choices. I can’t keep trying to save someone who doesn’t want to be saved.”

And who didn’t care what damage he left in his wake.

Kai went still, save for flexing his hand. He didn’t lift his head, but I still got a front row show to the shadows that passed over his face, there and gone in an instant. Guilt. Regret.

He cleared his throat. “Can you shift a bit? Maybe sit up?”

I nodded, pushing myself upright. The couch creaked beneath me as I adjusted, hyper-aware of Kai’s gaze. My skin prickled with goosebumps that had nothing to do with the cold.

“Like this?” I asked, tucking one leg under me.

He shook his head, standing. “Almost. Just...” He approached, hesitating before reaching out. “May I?”

My breath caught. I managed a nod.

Kai’s touch was featherlight as he guided my chin, angling my face. His fingers trailed down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. He paused at my shoulder, gently turning me.

“There,” he murmured, his eyes flicking to mine. “Don’t move.”

My heart threatened to pound out of my chest. Heat flooded my face, my core. My eyes darted to his mouth, wondering. Wanting.

But I held perfectly still, trapped by his stare. My breathing sounded loud to my ears. I felt exposed, pinned in place by his eyes. Vulnerable.

Eager.

Then his fingers brushed my hair aside, exposing the nape of my neck. A sharp intake of breath. “What’s this?”

I knew exactly what he’d found. The tiny bat tattoo, dangling upside down behind my ear. One of my many tattoos, but that one always felt like a surprise for someone to discover. The sheer closeness needed to see it, touch it...

“My good luck charm,” I answered, trying for casual.

“Did it work?” His fingers returned, tracing the shape. My breath hitched.

I turned my head slightly, meeting the heated brown of his eyes. “I think so. I’m alive, aren’t I?”

He chuckled, the sound vibrating through my body. Then, with gentle firmness, he used a finger to tilt my chin back to its original position. “Be still.”

The command sent a shiver through me. I felt him retreat, but every nerve ending remained aware of his presence. I felt him everywhere, and his proximity lit me up inside.

Kai returned to his seat, the chair creaking under his weight. I held my pose, every muscle taut with anticipation. The scratch of pencil on paper filled the air, punctuated by the crackling fire and our uneven breaths.

My skin tingled where he’d touched me. The ghost of his fingers lingered on my neck, my chin. I fought the urge to shiver, to break the stillness he’d crafted.

A sharp intake of breath broke the spell. Kai’s hand spasmed, the sketchbook tumbling from his grip. It hit the floor with a dull thud.

“Shit,” he muttered, flexing his fingers.

I lurched forward, concern overriding the charged atmosphere. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, but the tightness around his eyes betrayed him. “It’s fine. Just a cramp.”

“Bullshit.” The word slipped out before I could stop it. I softened my tone. “You should stretch it out.”

Kai’s jaw clenched. “I said it’s fine.”

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