Page 40 of The Healing Touch

His hands cupped her face, and he leaned in, his breath brushing against her very hot skin. “You can have your lie for right now,Krasivaya, but not for much longer. We need to talk, but you’re right. We have to go set up.”

When his lips ghosted over hers, it caused her eyes to spring open. He grinned and tweaked her nose. “Now, get your ass up, and let’s go get this done.”

She watched him call the front desk and ask for someone to bring a luggage cart to their room and to have the Jeep brought around. He seemed more sure of himself than he had when he came in. It was a subtle change, but one she noticed. He was up to something. She just hoped it didn’t involve ignoring her unspoken pleas to not break her heart.

At least he’d given her a reprieve. She didn’t want to face that conversation. It caused her physical pain. She went into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, trying to erase the signs she’d been a blubbering fool earlier. Her face looked haunted and her eyes bruised. It was a good thing she’d brought that makeup along.

Diving back into the bedroom, she found the makeup kit in her overnight bag. She made quick work of it, and by the time she was done, you’d never know she’d been a splotchy mess. She looked damn good. Becca knew she wasn’t ugly, maybe not beautiful, but she could turn a head or two. Especially with makeup as her weapon. Tonight, it would help to shield the unsure girl and give her a mask to hide behind.

No point in changing her clothes, though. She’d be filthy later.

“Shit.”

She looked up at Dimitri’s shocked utterance. His eyes were wide, the lust all bright and shiny. At least she affected him. There was that much to salvage her ego.

“What?” She cocked one hip. “Never seen a girl wear makeup?”

“Fuck, I don’t know if I want to take you over there with all those damn models or not.” His expression turned possessive, and he cracked his knuckles. “Fuckers better fuck off.”

“I’m Facebook friends with most of those models. Trust me, I’ll be the last thing on their minds.” She moved around him to answer the door and let in the guy who came to collect the boxes. She moved as far against the wall as she could when he passed. Her nerves were raw, and anyone she didn’t know could set off another attack. It wouldn’t take much.

“Trust me, sweetheart, you’re going to be the one thing they all see.” Dimitri stalked over to her, completely ignoring the teenager loading boxes, and placed his hands on either side of her head, trapping her against the wall. “But you don’t belong to any of them. Got that?”

Becca nodded, unsure what the hell he was playing at.

“Good girl.” He leaned in and kissed her hard, his mouth reinforcing his earlier statement. When he moved away, the bellboy cleared his throat.

“Uh…Mr. Kincaid, sir…”

“My Jeep is being brought around,” Dimitri said, but his eyes never left Becca. “Load it up, and we’ll be down shortly.”

“Of course, but you need to move so I can get this out the door, sir.”

The look Dimitri shot him could have curdled milk, but he moved, allowing Becca to do so as well. She gladly put distance between them, not understanding what game Dimitri was playing. He knew how she felt; she knew how he felt. There was no getting around it. The man needed to stop messing with her.

Dimitri watched her from beneath his lashes. She was clearly trying to suss out his intentions. Hell, he still had some reservations about this, and he needed to explain himself, but the thought of all those models coming anywhere near her sent him into caveman mode. He couldn’t help it. She’d thrown him when she’d come out, the makeup only enhancing her natural beauty. He’d wanted to lock her in the bathroom and demand she stay there the entire weekend if it meant keeping men away from her.

And there would be men. She was gorgeous, even if she didn’t realize it.

“You ready?”

He laughed at the nervous quirk in her voice. At least she was as nervous as he was.

“Yeah, babe. Let’s get this show on the road.” He waited for her to get her purse then snatched her around the waist when she tried to walk by. She wiggled, but he only held her tighter. “Stop fidgeting, Becca. I need help walking.” Lies, but if it kept her by his side, it was a white lie he could be forgiven for.

As expected, she immediately shifted into concerned friend mode and let him lean on her. “How are your legs? You left before you did any exercises.”

“I did them in the park. They weren’t hard to manage. It was just the massage I needed help with.” He steered them in the elevator and hit the button for the ground floor.

“Somehow, I think you had an ulterior motive there.”

He laughed outright at the snarky reply. “Who, me?”

“Yes, you!” She jabbed him in the ribs, which only caused him to laugh more.

This was what she loved, this easy banter they had even when they were upset with each other. This was the laidback man she’d fallen in love with.

The elevator door opened, and they walked toward the front door of the hotel. Mike, the guy from last night, was waiting with their keys at his little desk. He smiled at her, and she returned it shyly. Dimitri growled, and Mike quirked a brow. Yeah, she wasn’t the only one questioning all this possessiveness he’d found.

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