Page 23 of Hard Wired

Dominic was staring at the instruments on the wall, his profile contemplative and melancholy. “You’ve got my life story now. Want to tell me yours?”

His eyes flicked down before she was ready. Long lashes, those near-black irises that almost blended into his pupils. His gaze hit her right behind the belly button. Pure longing, both in his eyes and in her response.

God, this was bad. She had to do something before she wound up a puddle at his feet again.

Sylvie reached for one of the violins. “May I?”

“Sure. Touch all you want. I won’t stop you.”

Right. She gently gripped the instrument to keep her hands steady, then picked up a bow from a nearby shelf.

“Going to try to play it?” he asked, all amusement.

“Why not?”

Try? Ha. She’d show him.

Sylvie plucked the strings, taking her time with tuning it. Nobody had touched this poor baby in so long. But she was going to make it sing.

She placed the violin below her chin and the bow against the strings.

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