Page 31 of Beneath the Sapphire Sky

Like hell.

He scrubbed the towel over his face more harshly than necessary. She washisBelle.

But she’s not, is she?That nasty, insidious voice piped up in the back of his head.

He shook his head to rid it of that thought. She’d asked him to be her first.

Him.

The goofy grin was back. He’d had no idea she still had her V-card. She told him everything, they both did. Or at least, he thought they did.

For some reason she’d been embarrassed by it, like it was a problem or something. The possessive he-man inside him thought it was pretty damned great.

He rubbed his hands on his hips. Time to go back out. Sudden nerves bounced around deep in his belly. Why on earth would he be nervous now,afterthe act?

“Because you’re nuts.”

She’d liked his body. He wasn’t so blind that he couldn’t see that. But liking his body and wanting something other than one hot night were two very different beasts.

He opened the door to head back out, all the while willing his body not to embarrass him before he found out if he was staying or headed home tonight.

*

Belle covered hermouth andsqueedinto her hands like a teenager when the bathroom door closed behind Dante.

Oh. My. God.

She’d already known she’d love whatever he did to her, because, seriously, it wasDante.

But … wow.

Sure, it had been pretty uncomfortable at first. That went without saying. But once she’d managed to relax and get past how weirdlyfullit felt, he’d rocked her world.

Shesowanted to do that again.

She sat up and looked around and scrambled up the bed. She grabbed the pillows that had been scattered by their messing around and tried to straighten the bed into some semblance of neatness, then sat herself smack in the middle and faced the bathroom door.

She let the sheet puddle over her hips, not wanting to looktooneedy by flailing about on top of the sheets naked.

A laugh bubbled up at that. A wanton sex siren she was not, regardless that Marilyn Monroe was her goddess. She wished she could take a leaf out of that book and have the confidence it took to do so. She’d love to see if she got a positive reaction from him if he found her bare-ass naked and waiting for him, showing it all off.

She tugged up the sheet to cover her boobs then dropped it again. Covered boobs, or not?

She raised her knees instead, slapped a hand over her face, and shook her head. Honestly, anyone would think she was a complete noob at this stuff.

The slight telltale squeak of the opening door brought her head up. She couldn’t help the sigh that left her lips at the sight of him naked.

Perfection on a stick.

Dante obviously heard the lusty sigh. A lopsided grin spread across his mouth, revealing his dimple in one cheek.

Classy, Isabel. Classy as.

Her gaze dropped to his hips. She licked her lips and bit the bottom one at the sight of him.

Maybe hewouldlike to stay the night, after all.

She glanced away, embarrassed to be caught staring. Dante’s weight dipped the bed next to her and his face appeared in her periphery. She had to look at him or make things even more awkward.

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