Page 53 of The Death Dealer

Trevor caught her hand and pressed it to his heart. “I want to tell you about Deni.”

She tried to tug away, but he tightened his grip. “You don’t have to, Trevor. I understand you love her.”

“Loved. Past tense.Sheleft me, Dalli, and I had to come to terms with it long ago.”

“But if she hadn’t, you’d be married by now.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” He shrugged and tangled his fingers in her thick mass of hair. When she tipped her head back into his hands, he massaged her scalp and thought about the problems Deni and he had faced. Whatever came to mind, he allowed Soleil to see. “She didn’t love me enough to stay and resolve whatever was wrong in our relationship. What did that say about our long-term success?”

“I can’t speak for her, and I certainly don’t know you well enough to comment on your past relationships or how you areas a person. But from what I can tell, you’re determined and loyal. You deserve the same.”

“Maybe I let my insecurities show.” He met her desire-laden eyes and dropped his gaze to her parted lips. “Standing here with you, I’m not sorry she left.”

Trevor lowered his head, hesitating for a heartbeat for her to meet him halfway, andthen he claimed her mouth. His languid exploration wasn’t to fire passion, although he felt it—and hers. The kiss was more about his need to connect with her. To show her what he couldn’t put into words: how much he cared, how precious she’d become to him, and the budding hope he felt for what could be a beautiful future between them.

She fisted her hands in his hair and held on tight as if she feared he’d change his mind and leave herstranded,alone in the hallway.Backing her against the wall, he pressed thefulllength of his arousal into her.

“I want you, Dalli. That’s not in question,” he said between nibbles along her jaw. “You’ve bewitched me to the point I want to cast aside my fears and take a chance.” Capturing her earlobe with his teeth, he lightly bit down before straightening to look at her passion-flushed face. “After neutralizing the threat to you and Spring, we’ll revisit this. All right?”

She frowned. “This, sex? Or this, us?”

He grinned. “Both.”

“Oh.”

“You seem disappointed.”

“Only because I want the sex right now.”

He barked a laugh and pressed a quick, hard kiss to her mouth. “I love your honesty.”

“I don’t know how to be any other way,” she said in a vulnerable voice. “I know I’m not your normal type, Trevor. I get it. But I can’t stop what I feel for you. What’s growing. I mean, Iwill.I’ll learn to if it’s not what you want. I’ll prune that shit off at the base. But?—”

“I love the way you are, Dalli.” He stroked her petal-soft cheek. “Whatever type I had before is no longer what I desire to have in my life. AndI don’t want you toshut your feelings down. I want them to continue to grow until they consume us both. Like mine are.”

“Why the sudden about-face?”

He could read her distrust and readily acknowledged to himself it was warranted. “After speaking with you and Damian, I’ve concluded that life is full of risks. I don’t want to miss out because I fear losing you. If I do that, I’ve already lost.”

Her sunny smile warmed the cold places of his soul. “I love that you’re willing to try.”

“It’s scary as fuck,” he admitted.

“I know. For me, too.” As she traced his lips with her fingertips, her look became thoughtful. “If whoever is after me succeeds, it’s not because of your supposed curse, Trevor. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with whatever I stumbled into. Please tell me you understand and won’t take it to heart.”

“They won’t succeed,” he promised grimly.

“But if theydo, it’s not on you.”

“If they do, I’ll be inconsolable, Dalli.” He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. “Thoroughly destroyed.”

“You haven’t known me long enough to feel that way.”

“And yet, I do. You’ve wormed your way into my heart.”

Trevor was sayingeverything Soleil wanted to hear, yet she didn’t trust what he felt was real.

“Is this a transference of your feelings for Deni?” she dared ask. He jerked back as if struck. The dismay on his face hurt her, but she had to point out the possibility. “You loved her, Trevor, and I look like her. You thought the sameexactthing yourself at lunch.”

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