Page 88 of They Break Beauty

“As I was saying about the ride… I haven’t felt that kind of real freedom for a long time. The kind where I just let go, being my true self without any fallout from the trauma of the past trying to yank me back into those shadows, as you call them. The only other time in all these years was what happened between us outside the bar—kicking your ass, then… the other stuff.”

“Kicking my ass… that’s a rewrite of recent history right there.”

She chuckled. “Have you ever lost a fight?”

“Once.”

She looked surprised. “To who?”

That was a story for another day, and definitely not something I wanted to get into now. So, I redirected. “Hmm, you know about my street fighting then?”

“I do,” she said, thankfully accepting the redirection.

“So, I’m not the only one with stalking tendencies?”

“I might have started looking into you once you made your presence impossible to avoid.”

“You also tagged me—or more specifically, my phone.”

Her eyes widened. “How do you—you hacked my phone. It wasn’t just a one-off so you could enter your number.”

“Had to keep an eye on what’s important to me. I would apologize, but looks like we’re even.”

“Not even close. Plus, you deactivated the tag before you left on your recent mysterious trip.”

“I did.”

“Noted that you didn’t deny the mysterious trip thing. So you didn’t really go to visit your dad then, like Colt said?”

“Aww,” I said, sliding my hands into her hair. “You were asking about me, hmm? Missed me, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” she answered, sinking into my touch and moving closer so I could get my fill of her hair.

“Wow, that was… unexpected. I thought you were going to deny the fuck out of it.”

“Not anymore.”

“Is that right?”

She smiled, then frowned at me.

“What?” I asked.

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?”

“Nervous?”

“About where this is clearly leading tonight? You swerved our conversation down a totally different path. Are you having second thoughts?”

I cupped her face. “Never. There could never be second thoughts when it comes to you, my Wildflower. But, yeah, I am nervous, I guess.”

“Wow, unexpected,” she said, echoing my words a moment ago. “Why the nerves? I mean, I know I am, but it’s largely because it’s been a really long time for me and I’m not exactly used to the rough that you prefer.”

I stroked her cheek with my thumbs. “That’s a shame, considering you were made for the rough, for letting go and unleashing that raw and too-long-repressed part of you. I’m sorry that need was never met for you. Well, a little sorry. Also happy that the real you wasn’t shared with anybody else.”

She chuckled. “You’re another level, you know that?”

“Oh, I’m well aware.”

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