Page 29 of Hard Wired

Dominic slid the frames away from her face. He was a little blurrier. She inched forward to see him better, which was perhaps the whole idea. His scent was even stronger in her nose, drawing even more desire from her belly. Her pelvis rocked slightly against him, her clit craving his touch.

His features weren’t as flawless close up, yet they were somehow even more arresting. Dark eyebrows and ample lashes, a small hump in the bridge of his long, sloping nose. She ran her finger down it, then touched his cheek. There was a hint of stubble already growing in. His eyes were gentle and thoughtful as they studied her right back.

“You’re pretty,” she whispered. “As you already know.”

“Not as pretty as you.”

“Liar.”

“Sometimes, yeah. But not about this.”

He kept glancing at her mouth. But he still didn’t kiss her. She braced her hands on either side of him against the couch. Her body rocked forward again, this time meeting the bulge in his jeans. He gripped her hips, stopping her forward motion.

“Tell me about your tattoos.”

Ugh, why so much talking?

But she did like that he was asking about her. He didn’t have to, so maybe he truly wanted to know.

“I started on them when I moved to L.A. I was eighteen.” She pointed at the black silhouette of a dove with outstretched wings on her bicep. “This was my first. The symbolism is far from subtle, but I still like it.”

He touched the dove. “And what about these?” His fingertip moved over patterns of thorny vines, flowers, and leaves. Tingles of pleasure spread over her skin.

“Sometimes I ask for a specific image. Sometimes I’m just the canvas.” She trusted her artist completely, so she didn’t always have anything particular in mind. The surprise was part of the fun, waiting to see what he’d come up with. Somehow it always matched her mood and personality.

“What’s this one?”

Her newest. “A heron.”

“You sure? I think it’s a crane.”

She scowled. “It’s a heron.”

His eyes danced. “If you say so.” His fingers strayed beneath the straps of her tank. “Wish I could see the rest of them.” Dominic leaned forward to kiss her shoulder. The touch was soft, softer than she’d imagined he could be.

Then he sat up and cupped the back of her neck, those dark eyes hooded and intense. He brought his lush mouth to her lips. And her mind checked out completely.

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