Page 54 of The Death Dealer

“I’ll admit the delayed realization that you resembled each other was shocking,” he said with a nod. “But I can discern the differences between you.”

“Differences like what?”Goddess, shehated to pry, but her need to assure herself she wasn’t sloppy seconds was vital.

“You’re not,” he said darkly.

“Not—Oh!” For a second, she’d forgotten he could see her doubts. The mind-reading thing was problematic.

“And it won’t remain a problem because you’ll learn to cloak your thoughts.” Glancing down, he clasped her hand and brought it to his lips to kiss her knuckles. “The first major difference between you is your raw honesty, Dalli. I appreciate it more than you know.”

She nodded but remained silent, waiting for him to elaborate.

“The second is your sunny disposition. Hindsight has shown me how temperamental Deni was. She always expected others to elevate her moods.” He shrugged and looked out the window, not releasing her. “I never wanted to admit it, but living with her was hard sometimes. Never knowing what I’d get when I came home from a job.Initially, she was happy to see me, butin later months,she was often demanding, wanting to know where and who I’d been with.”

“She didn’t trust you?”

“I think that was a huge part, but I didn’t understand it. Never, in the seven months we were together, did I givehera reason to believe I was unfaithful or a liar.”

“No. If anything, you’re brutally honest,” Soleil agreed.

He shot her a sharp side glance, swiftly analyzing her response. Her openness spoke for itself.

“Thanks,” he replied with a wry smile. “Yes, you’re similar in looks, but you’re in no way like her. Other than your ability to bake a mean pie.”

She laughed. “You’re saying you only love me for my baked goods?”

“No. I’m saying I love you for your beautiful soul, Dalli.”

As the truth of his words washed over her, she sucked in a breath. “Trevor. You don’t know me. You can’t possibly love me.”

“I know you,” he said. “Your heart is full, yet you continually make room for more things and people. You care for everything and everyone around you at the expense of yourowncomfort.” He ticked off the facts using his fingers. “I know you’re obsessed with Kate Bateman’s steamy historical novels. You’d also rather be in a greenhouse, with your hands in soil, than anywhere else on earth.”

“Wrong.”

His brows snapped together. “What?”

“I love my greenhouse, without a doubt. But I wouldn’t rather be there. I’d rather be in your bed,”shesaid with a saucy grin and a poke ofhischest.

He matched her grin and raised her a wicked chuckle. “Fair. But to continue?—”

“You don’t need to. You’ve got the main points correct.”

Ignoring her, he drew her against him and said, “I know you have a pure soul but a bawdy laugh that turns a man’s head and makes him rock hard. Or maybe that’s just me.”

“It feels like you, for sure.” She delighted in his groan as she rubbed her hand up and down the length of him through his jeans.

“Don’t start what you can’t finish, Dalli,” he warned.

“Who said I can’t?”

“I have to be in the dining room in two minutes.”

“Can you get off in that amount of time?” she askedcuriouslyas she continued to stroke him.

“If you continue to do that, I can.” With a sigh, he eased her hand away. “But then I’d have no energy left to heal Lily.”

Soleil smiled as she tucked her arms behind her back. “Far be it for me to suck all your energy from you.”

“Jesus! Don’t say suck, or it’s never going down.”

---