Page 28 of Kiss Me, Sweetheart (Something Borrowed 2)

He hated the hurt in her eyes, and the slight tremble in her lip, but this was who he was. He wasn’t going to change for anyone.

“Enjoy the rest of your night.”

Chapter 8

It was Saturday, and Rylie was fuming. Dustin hadn’t been into work the rest of the week. He’d told Kelly that he had a virus and was sick in bed.

But Rylie knew better. He wasn’t sick; he was pouting. If he was sick, then she wouldn’t have seen Paula Kramer sneaking out of his house this morning with her heels in her hand and her hair looking like she’d spent all night with Dustin Kent’s hands in it.

This had nothing to do with the fact that he’d been avoiding her since his blow up at the grocery store, or that his bedroom was a revolving door. They had stuff to get done. He was her partner, for better or worse.

So his butt was going to work even if she had to drag him out of the house and lock him in the trunk of her car.

She marched up the steps to the house and knocked on the door. Victoria opened it several moments later, a wide smile on her face.

“Ah, Rylie, are you hungry? I can make you whatever you like.”

“Thank you, Victoria, I’m okay. I was actually wondering if Dustin was up yet.”

Victoria appeared slightly uncomfortable as she said, “Mr. Kent is still in bed, I’m afraid. He has been under the weather.”

I bet.

“Do you mind if I just go up and have a chat with him? It’s about work.”

Victoria’s eyes twinkled. “Are you sure you don’t want me to warn him?”

“Oh, no, I think the element of surprise is best. Where is his room?”

“Top of the stairs, second door on the left.” Victoria picked up her purse and car keys. “Just give me a two-minute head start. That way, he can’t fire me for not trying to stop you.” She pulled an innocent look and said, “‘I had no idea she was going up to your room, sir. I’d already left to run your errands.’”

Rylie laughed softly. “Good call.”

Victoria saluted her, and Rylie waited until she heard the front door shut before she started for the stairs. Artistic photographs and paintings adorned the white walls instead of family photos, and the second floor felt sterile and cold. She opened his bedroom door and stopped dead in her tracks.

He was naked. Buck naked, on his stomach with the sheet tangled just below his round, gorgeous ass.

Rylie hadn’t expected to find him so exposed. She almost turned tail and ran, but something caught her attention. His bare back was exposed and as the sun streaked through the gap in his black-out curtains, she saw the white crisscross scars on his skin. Her heart squeezed as she counted dozens of them.

She took an involuntary step closer and before she knew it, she was standing next to the bed, looking down at the right side of his face. The muscles were relaxed, his lashes thick, and his mouth open slightly as his breathing came out hoarse and deep.

God, he really was such a beautiful man and he had obviously suffered. No wonder he had a hard time making connections with people and could be such a giant pain in the—

“Watching someone sleep is fucking creepy, you know that, right?”

His deep voice startled her so much that she lost her balance and started backpedaling. Her heel hit a knot in the wood floor and it snapped off with a crack, sealing her fate. She toppled backward and crashed into a table in the corner before she reached the floor. The skirt of her dress had flown up, as the cool draft on her bottom proved, and she wanted to sink into the floor.

Well, I did see his rear end. Only fair he sees mine.

“Jesus, Rylie, are you all right?”

She could hear the laughter in his voice as his feet padded across the room, but she refused to look up. She had already seen enough of him.

“Yes,” she groaned. Her hip was throbbing as was her arm. When Dustin squatted down next to her and took her chin in his hand, she tried to fight back the tears as he raised her gaze to his.

“No, you aren’t.”

She squeaked as he slipped his arms around her shoulders and behind her knees and lifted her straight up from the floor.

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