Page 20 of Unveiled

As expected, she laughed. Julia was absolutely radiant when she laughed. He noticed she did so with her whole being when it was genuine. Her fake laugh wasn’t even in the same zip code.

“Do you have any idea what it does to a man’s ego when the decision is that hard?” That wasn’t a joke, no matter how he framed it. He felt his face and hopes fall with his hands. She wasn’t ready and he shouldn’t have pushed her.

“Rush, no. I mean yes. I mean, shit. Deep breath in.” Then she paused to do just that. “Okay, let me try again. I want you, more than I’ve ever wanted any man. I mean more than just physically, too. That scares me. I’m just. . .hesitant because, you don’t. . .I mean—”

“Just spit it out, Babes. I can take it and we can move forward through whatever and however we need to.” Hope surged, but he cautiously stamped it down. She could be gearing up the old it’s me not you speech. He tried to stop his eyes from roaming her luscious body. Her nipples puckered under his scrutiny.

“I’m scared, too, so you’re not alone. I’ve yet to have a successful relationship. What a pair we make.” Rush grabbed her waist and pressed her body to his, kissing the crook of her neck.“We can learn together, Julia.”

“That’s just it, I can’t be with you as Julia. My name’s Tatum, and I don’t want you saying any other name while you’re touching me.” A wave of relief washed over him at the mention of her name. They’d figured most of that out from the picture and other info they’d gathered, but she didn’t know that. So, the fact she’d volunteered it when she did, moved him.

He felt her hands at his waistband. Her touch grazed his erection through the fabric as she unbuttoned his jeans, eliciting a hiss from him.

“Say the words as Tatum. Tell me you want this.”

“I want this.” Three words, three simple syllables, were all it took to flip his switch. He may not know the ins and outs of relationships, but he knew the physical aspects, and he was about to exploit that knowledge to his benefit.

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