Page 78 of Real's Love

His beautiful eyes closed me off and he angled his face away from me.No. I didn't want to lose the way he was looking at me. My hand shot out, anxious to cup his scarred cheek, but I caught myself and closed it. He let go of my other hand and started to step back.

"It's not your scars," I said hurriedly.

He frowned down at me, looking confused.

"What?"

"You… you turned your head. Your scars don't scare me."

What are you doing, Theory? He was about to leave. Let him leave!But I felt my breathing ease and my body relax as he moved toward me again.

"Explain," he ordered gruffly.

I looked up at him, my tongue trailing over my lips as I tried to find the words.Fuck it. Just say it.

"You're so... big."

He sighed and moved closer to me. "Shorty..."

"I'm s?—"

"I would never use my size against you, Theory. That ain't me."

I should have left it at that. So, imagine my surprise when I asked, "What would you use it for?"

His eyes glowed with a sudden heat that I swore pulsed through my body.

"To protect you." A step closer and then the rough pad of his thumb was stroking my cheek. "To please you."

Whew, child!Sensations I hadn't felt in years swamped me as my mouth went completely dry but another part of me grew soaking wet. I turned around, my body jerky as I opened the water and poured it over the ice. I gulped it down, not stopping until the glass was almost empty. I poured the rest, then almost jumped out of my skin when a hand crept around me and gently grabbed the glass. I faced him as he drank, the smooth column of his neck moving with his swallows. I'd never thought that shit was sexy, but now...

What is wrong with you?I asked myself as he set the glass down. We stared at each other for a minute as a small shiver shook me. He really was fine as fuck, but I could see the shadows of violence all over him. I couldn't entertain this—whatever "this" was.

"Well, it was nice to meet you..."

My voice trailed off as I realized I didn't even know his name.

"Targen," he said in that deliciously deep voice.

"Targen, but I gotta prep so my sister and I can cook."

Again, those eyes shuttered on me. Again, I felt the loss. I bit my lip, then went for it.

"Unless you want to help," I blurted.

He looked on each side of him, then pointed at his chest. It was so cute that I laughed.

"Yeah, you. Just don't sneak up on me, okay?"

I meant that. For some reason, I believed him when he said he wouldn't hurt me, but I still needed my space. He smiled, and I swear the sun brightened.

"You got that," he said.

Looking up at him, I returned his smile. We stood there like two goofies until one of the back doors suddenly opened and my cousin Shep stepped into the kitchen from the door that opened into the solarium. His ass had probably passed out drunk back there. Seeing the man behind him wiped the smile from my face and made my blood run cold.

"Theory?" Targen said softly.

I shook my head as tremors seized my body.

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