Page 15 of Rush of Insanity

He chuckled, right in her face and squeezed her wrists tighter at the predictable thrashing. “That whore scent is you.”

She growled and tried to draw her knee up between them. That was it. He drew the line when his prized possession was being earmarked for assassination.

“Harper, that perfume is yours.” Not the one she was wearing today, but the one she’d obsessively worn a year ago. He’d purchased the brand online a month after she left, and slept with her scent on his pillows like a fucking homesick child ever since.

“I’m not wearing anything that smells like that,” she seethed, her gorgeous lips ruby red with vehemence.

“No. Not now, but you used to.” He narrowed his gaze, giving her a wordless warning not to pummel him as he released one of her wrists. “That whore scent is the perfume you used to wear when we were together last.”

He reached for the bedside table and riffled through the top drawer until his fingers brushed cold glass. “See.” He placed the square bottle on the mattress beside her head. “It’syourwhore sent on the sheets. Not anyone else’s.”

She remained quiet, her head resting on his pillow as she eyed the perfume with a frown. “Why do you even have that?”

“Because I love your whore scent.”

She shot him a glare. “Can you stop sayingwhore scent?”

“Merely using your colorful description, princess.”

She sighed and turned her focus back to the perfume bottle. “I still don’t understand why.” Her voice was soft, hitting him with another dose of her unexpected defenselessness.

“Because I missed you, and that whor— delightful scent was the closest I could get to having you back.”

Her lips parted on silent words, her body still tense beneath him.

Yes, princess, I’m serious.

“You were the last woman in this bed.” He rested his weight against her, needing to feel more skin against skin. “I couldn’t bring anyone else in here.”

This bus was his sanctuary. Pop icons and rock gods could tour with as many women as they liked. He was a solo artist for a reason. He enjoyed his peace and the time alone while travelling to the next city.

Harper didn’t realize the last tour was unique. He probably should’ve told her how monumental it was for her to worm her way into his private space. He probably should’ve told her a lot of things. But as soon as she’d walked away, he’d been relieved he didn’t.

“I want to believe you.” The tension dissolved from her limbs.

“But?” He couldn’t take the misery in her eyes. “I’ve never lied to you. I’ve only ever wanted to make you happy.”

They’d tussled like this many times and not once had vulnerability stared back at him like it did now. Something had changed her in their months apart. He just hoped it wasn’t something that would keep her from him permanently.

“Talk to me.” He rolled to his side, giving her space. “Tell me why you walked away.”

Those precious lips parted, and he held his breath waiting for an answer that never came. She rolled onto her stomach, covering flawless parts of her body and exposing him to the smooth curves of her delectable ass.

This new, sensitive part of her awakened something different inside him. It shoved aside the adrenaline bursts and heart palpitations and replaced the excitement with an eagerness to comfort her. He’d never felt it before. Not for Harper anyway. She had a way of wordlessly sayingfuck youto emotion and had always made him second-guess if she needed those sweet nothings other women craved.

“You purchased the perfume to remind yourself of me?” Her voice was a delicate caress over his ears.

“I did.” His pride was being battered. Pummeled. “I missed you. When you left, it knocked my legs out from beneath me. I had no idea there were problems between us.”

He couldn’t tear his gaze from her. He watched every movement, the way her shoulders slumped and her chest expanded with a tired breath. She wasn’t herself. He’d witnessed her exhaustion before. This was different. This was an entirely new woman.

“Can I ask you something?” She glanced over her shoulder, the picture of perfection.

“Anything.”

“When we were together, did you ever wish you were with someone who was less…”

“Crazy?” He chuckled. “Intense?” He leaned in and kissed her shoulder.Perfect?

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