Page 86 of Just One Night Together

“We definitely should,” she replied, then reached up to kiss him.

* * *

How couldit be just as good the second time?

If not better?

How could sex with Haley get bettereverytime? Damon couldn’t understand it. He seldom seduced any woman more than twice. He usually had his fill by then and was ready for a change. It wasn’t about novelty or variety. It was because after the second date, women started to ask questions. They wanted to know more about him, delve into his secrets and deepen the connection. Damon knew that wasn’t for him, so he voted with his feet.

The difference with Haley, he realized as he held her after their second bout of lovemaking that night, was that she hadn’t waited to start asking questions. She’d been delving into his secrets even before he’d met her, doing her research and checking the files. In a way, she had a head start on things and he hadn’t been ready for that.

She dozed a little against his chest, her hair a glorious tangle in his hands, and he was content to just be with her. Was it because there was no pending battle? No threat of her finding out the truth about him and running away?

Or was it because he doubted she’d ever run away from him?

Not Haley. She’d come after him when she thought he was wrong.

Damon pressed a kiss to the top of her head. There was something reassuring about her determination to confront him and challenge him. Her persistence was something he admired, especially when she told him something he didn’t want to hear. She had guts.

As much as he knew he couldn’t deliver what any woman wanted on a long term basis, Haley made him want to try.

That in itself was pretty amazing.

In fact, he wanted to change her mind about commitment and true love. He wanted to kick this Garrett asshole to the curb and show Haley that love could last, if it was nurtured by the people involved. He wanted to prove to her that love didn’t always end in tragedy, that it was worth believing in more than just the moment.

He wasn’t entirely sure where this urge came from, but he trusted it. He wondered if his mom was inspiring him to take a chance on love, to win Haley’s heart and keep it forever. He hoped so. Natasha’d had really good instincts about people and she’d liked Haley, without even knowing much about her.

Haley stirred and looked up at Damon, pushing her hair back as she smiled. She was still flushed and her eyes were sparkling. He noticed a couple of details to add to his drawing. “That was great.”

Damon nodded. “Seems to be a pretty consistent result.”

She laughed. “Is that what’s been going on? A consistency test?”

“Of course not.” He couldn’t resist her lips and bent to kiss her once more. As ever, she wrapped herself around him, welcoming him, offering all that she had to give. She was so generous and kind that he suspected he’d always be shaken by the honesty of her response.

He could get used to it.

He wanted more than a moment with her.

She sighed contentment when they broke their kiss and ran a hand over his shoulder. She outlined his tribal tattoo with a fingertip, then glanced up at him through her lashes as if she was suddenly shy. “Why this design?”

“What do you mean?”

“Tattoos often mean something. I don’t understand this one.” She flicked another look up at him, as if she sensed that there was more to it than met the eye. “What does it mean?”

“Nothing,” Damon admitted without intending to do so. “It’s just big with a lot of ink.”

She watched her own fingertip as she outlined the design. “Because you wanted to cover up another one,” she guessed, and he knew better than to be surprised.

“The guys on my team all got the same one when we were deployed. I didn’t deserve to wear it any more.”

There. He’d said it out loud. He hadn’t admitted that since he’d gone to the tattoo parlor for this one.

“What was it?”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s history now.”

Haley looked at him, her expression skeptical, but Damon didn’t want to argue about this, and he didn’t want to talk about it any more. His chest was tight with the memory and he knew he had to distract himself from the path that led to his worst nightmare.

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