Page 35 of A Dash of You

“My flowers…” I snort. “They’re ruined, and they’ll probably die now, which is really sad.”

“Hate to break it to you, dove. But your flowers were already dead.”

Did he just call me dove?

“Of course they were.” I roll my eyes, hissing when I throw myself back onto the couch.

“What’s wrong with your back?” He places the washcloth down inside the water.

“Nothing.”

“Let me see.”

“No.”

“No?”

“I have a dress on.”

“So?”

“So… I don’t need you seeing my goodies.” Though when I think about it, the idea is not that appalling.

He raises his brow and stands. “Your goodies?”

“Yeah. You know. Ass. Tits. Those things.”

He blinks. “I’ve seen those things before.”

The knowledge of him having seen other women naked sends a green swirl of envy for them in my stomach.

“Yes. That part is obvious. Look at you.” I wave a hand over him, but he doesn’t so much as blink. “That being said, you’ve never seenmenaked.” Though I recall the day of the hose incident. I wasn’t naked, but damn close. He just blinks with the same unamused expression. “Ugh. Fine.” I slowly rise, turning so my back is facing him. I then drop the straps to my dress, flashing him a sight of side boobs.

My body slightly jerks when his fingers brush the skin on my back. I close my eyes because it feels pleasant, and it’s not likehe can see my reaction. It’s tempting to lean back into his touch, soaking in the warmth that is Logan... Logansomething. I don’t even know his last name.

“I should have killed him,” he mutters under his breath, barely audible, but I heard the harsh yet satisfying words that cause my heart to flutter.

“Thank you. For stopping him. For this. I don’t know what I would have done if…” I stop myself, not wanting to imagine or say the words.

He sighs. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there sooner,” he says in a regretful tone, cleaning the scrapes on my back.

We fall into a comfortable silence, the heat of his body warming mine. Am I meant for this town? It makes me wonder if I can survive without Jason. Without the walls of his mansion trapping me inside.

“Always in trouble, aren’t you, dove?”

There’s that name again.

“Honestly, at this rate, you should open a tab for always having to save me.” I turn my head slightly, witnessing him applying ointment to an applicator. He’s educated on how to tend to wounds.

“I don’t mind.” The baritone in his voice is smooth, rocking me senseless and heat forms on my cheeks. Damn, he is always doing that to me.

After he patches up my back with gauze pads, he slides the straps up my shoulders, one by one, ever so carefully, and I shudder. It’s an instant reaction, not at all a bad one, but this man’s touch is paralyzing.

“Thank you,” I tell him, standing there before him, his gaze penetrating me. “I’m going to head back over. I don’t want to overstay my welcome after all you’ve done for me.”

He opens his mouth to speak, but I stalk off toward the door, not giving him the chance. I’m not sure why. Maybe I’m afraid of the response.

When I open his front door, I nervously scan the area outside, clutching the doorframe.

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