Page 73 of Property of Camo

“I am a hard man, baby; rough around the edges is a fucking understatement. Jagged would be a better word. My life has always been led a certain way, then you stepped in front of me and everything fucking tilted. You spun me around, and I needed to get a grip on things before I let you ruin me, so it was settled that we would fuck, but I would not let my soul latch onto you. That was fucked up on my part. If I had thought about it, I should have stayed away from you but there was this pull that kept me coming back. What I did that day was messed up, and I promise you that it will never happen again.”

I tuck a strand of dark hair behind her ear, her eyes close at the tiny contact, and hope fucking blooms in my chest. My soulroars that we are stepping in the right direction. Her eyes open and I swear to all that is the gods, my heart stops.

“I am not sure I can forgive you yet, Reece.” Her voice is barely above a whisper. “You really hurt me, but I know that we both need to move on from the past and pain.” Tears fill her eyes and I fucking hate it.

Cupping her face, I lean down, pressing my lips to hers. She is stiff at first then she softens, sighing against my mouth. I love the feel of her mouth against mine. The taste of her sends my body into overdrive, but I push the need to have her down. She is still hurt, plus I know that I have to beg and grovel to get her to trust me again.

“I can’t believe I am going to say this shit, and if you tell the brothers, I will fucking deny it.” I rest my forehead against hers. “No sex, until you trust me.”

I hear her breathing at my admission, then she pulls back, looking me in the eyes, seeking truth to my words when that is all she will find. My soul knows what I did was wrong on so many fucking levels. I need to show her that I meant what I said when I claimed her, that she is mine and I will prove it to her.

Her brow dips, and she bites her lip, making my dick twitch in my pants right before she says,

“That could take some time.”

Sucker punch but a worthy hit.

26

Skyla

Sleep fades as I slowly come awake, feeling a wall of heat behind me. I am momentarily stunned, thinkingwhat the hell is happening, then I take in the room and my body relaxes.

I am in Camo’s, no Reece’s, room.

Taking in what I can see from my position, you can tell this is a room of a single man that needs a woman’s touch to break up framed photos of bikes and other naked women posters that dot the walls, along with candles in mounted holders.

Being in his room and him taking care of me the way he is, is making it harder to fight the swirling emotions.

Shit, I had locked that emotion away, but it seems that Reece has found the key.

“I can hear you thinking, baby. What had you stiffening just then?”

Squeezing my eyes closed tightly, I take a deep breath, steadying myself before I speak. "Reece, it's hard for me to admit this, but thinking about you with other women hurts memore than I thought it would. I know we weren't together, but it doesn't change the way I feel."

I gingerly slide down the bed onto my back, turn my head to face him, looking into his eyes, searching for understanding, which I find.

It shocks me because Camo was always a hard man to read, but now, seeing him looking at me like he knows what I am feeling makes me see that he is trying. Only time will tell, but I know for sure that I can’t let my guard down around him just yet.

“I get that, baby. There is nothing I can do about my past, but we can only control the shit from now and going forward. You just have to trust me, and I know that is hard right now, but I am done hurting you, baby. Done pushing you away.”

He looks me dead in the eyes as he says this and hope blooms in my chest, so I nod, not wanting to taint the moment.

A smile graces his lips, and I fight to hold in a sigh. Did I ever say how freaking handsome and sexy Reece is?

“What is your surname?” I ask, making him blink, then smile.

“Copeland. Reece Copeland.”

“Reece Copeland,” I test his full name on my lips, which makes him smile.

“I love my name on your lips, baby, and soon I plan on making you scream it for the rest of our lives. But first.” He jumps off the bed, making me giggle.

“What are you doing?” I watch as he strips out of his boxer briefs.

My mouth waters seeing him naked; it has been so long since I have felt him inside of me, and I miss it. My core tightens at the sight of all that tanned skin, pulled tight over his muscles.

“We are showering, then I am going to make my woman some breakfast.”

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