Page 102 of The Broken Note

I freeze.

Dutch stares at me, a challenge in his eyes. Waiting.

I think of his fingers sliding down my back. His lips on my neck. His bruising caresses.

This heavy, penetrating heat sweeps over me. It’s sticky on my skin. Like rain. The kind that presses your clothes into your body and makes you want to open your mouth and drink.

Dutch’s gaze tempts me to do bad things. Very bad things.

I shrug out of my jacket, glad to rid myself of the layer.

I’m getting hot too.

He studies my every move, looking for something in particular.

I won’t give it to him. Whatever he wants. Whatever he’s searching for. He’ll never have it from me.

“Your housekeeper, Martina, was at Redwood the day of the fire. Did she really not see anything?”

Dutch’s lips press into a thin line. He slips his shirt over his head and tosses it aside.

I’m surprised. Does he know something about the fire?

The thought gets blurry when I slide my eyes over his inked skin and abs.Damn, he’s ripped.Dutch notices me drooling and cocks this annoying grin that makes me want to punch him.

I quickly drag my eyes away.

“Why did Vi run away that night? The real reason. Not the B.S. one you gave me.”

My heart pounds. I’m not telling him about mom. He doesn’t need to see that side of my brokenness. I won’t let him touch those shards.

Reaching down, I try to remove my shoes.

“You’ll take those off last,” he commands.

My eyes burn as I glare at him.

He stares back at me, daring me to defy him.

I’m shaking, but it’s not from anger.

It’s need.

Pure, white-hot desire.

I want to undress.

I want to see his eyes, the way they glint, the way they darken.

Letting him look but not touch.

Letting him want but not have.

It’s enough to turn me into smoke.

Slowly, I grab the zipper at the back of my dress and slide it down. The metallic teeth unlatching inch by delicious inch makes a noise that swells through the room.

Dutch’s face is taut. He holds himself tensely, fingers fisted at his sides, need hot and evident on his flushed skin. Sweat drips down the back of my neck and I see perspiration dotting his forehead too.

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