Page 53 of An Overdue Match
Well, well, well. Wasn’t this an interesting development. He’d noticed her curiosity over his tattoos before. Each timeher gaze raked over one of the artistic pieces on his body, it felt like sweet torture. A caress without being touched.
He flexed his muscles and was inordinately pleased when her throat bobbed and her breath hitched. She was not as unaffected by him as she would like him to believe. On the contrary, she seemed to be just as drawn to him as he was to her. The only difference was, she was fighting the attraction.
“See something you like, Evangeline Aphrodite Kelly?” he asked in a low, husky voice.
She licked her lips, blinked, then tore her gaze away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He chuckled. “Sure you don’t, sweetheart.” He leaned closer to her and whispered, “Ask nicely and maybe I’ll let you see more.”
She pushed her shoulders back and gave him one of her prim Southern belle looks. “I’m not your sweetheart, and my middle name isn’t Aphrodite.”
“Seems to me your parents missed an opportunity.”
“Why do you say that?”
He reached out and traced a finger down her jaw in a featherlight touch. “You definitely should’ve been named after the goddess of love and beauty.”
She flushed and pulled away. “Save your flirting for a woman who will fall for such malarky.”
He only heard her with half his brain. The other half was processing the feel of Evangeline’s skin. He’d never felt anything so soft and smooth. Almost as if...
He tracked the contours of her face. The soft swell of her cheekbones down to the outline of her jaw. Every inch of skin was sleek and silky.
Tai worked on bodies every day. He knew the shape of people, the feel. The touch of coarse hair and of fine and the fact that the human form, even women’s, grew the slightest amount of fuzz on their faces.
Not Evangeline.
Without thinking, Tai reached out and gently cupped her upper arm, letting his hand trail down her elegant limb until he gripped her fingertips.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Her voice was thick and breathless.
Smooth as butter, every inch of her.
But now wasn’t the time to puzzle out this new piece of information about his Angel. Not when she was staring at him with wide eyes, equal parts accusation and poorly concealed longing.
“Tell me your middle name.”
He wasn’t sure why he was so hung up on knowing her full name. There wasn’t any rational reason, although there wasn’t any rational reason why she’d keep it a secret from him either. Which was maybe why it was so important? Her middle name seemed to be more than just a name between them now. It signified a wall. When she finally told him, it would mean that she finally trusted him.
She took a step back in answer, and he sighed. He pushed off the counter and pivoted to stand square with her. “Just so you know, you’re wasting your time trying to match me with someone else.”
Her mouth opened and closed a few times before firming into a thin line. “Fine.” She picked up an unused mug and replaced it on the shelf in one of the cabinets. “But if you had showed Bella even an ounce of interest, maybe turned on the charm that you so love to shower on me, then you would’ve had her eating out of your hand.” Her hair bounced along her shoulders as she slightly shook her head. “I’m not sure why you didn’t,” she muttered under her breath.
“I’ve told you why.”
Her brows furrowed, the pinched edges drawing Tai’s attention.
The shape of them was lovely, but the texture...
He could’ve kicked himself for not noticing before. How had he missed it? His tattoo license should be revoked for his lack of observation. Evangeline’s eyebrows were tattoos. Temporary ones, at that.
She stared at him, confusion written on her face. For goodness’ sake, he needed to stop letting these revelations about her derail him so much. She was going to think he’d missed the plot completely.
He lowered his gaze to delve into the depths of her green eyes, the jeweled tone so rich an emerald would be jealous. “Despite what you think, I’m not a flirtatious man by nature. I only act this way with you. You bring out whatever charm you see in me.”
He let his words sink in, hoping that she heard him this time.
“What about you?” he finally asked.
