Black

“Did she bring in a purse?” Dante asks.

“No. It’s in the car. Can you get the door?” Rex asks, striding through the house as though I’m light as feather.

The door opens and a gentle hand strokes the top of my head. “Feel better, pretty girl.”

I blink up at Dante. His warm eyes are so tender and kind. How did I not see it before? The high cheekbones, thick brow, and the gold flecks that sparkle in his dark brown eyes. I want nothing more than to reach out to him, pull him into my arms, and beg him to be part of my life.

My lips part, prepared to say something, but the moment passes as Rex rushes from the house, intent on getting me home.

Tossing the car in park, I lean my head back against the headrest and watch Shae sleep. Poor girl broke out in tears as soon as I got her in the car, and somewhere between my mother’s house and mine, she cried herself to sleep.

I don’t care what she says; I don’t believe for one second that any part of tonight had to do with an upset stomach. It was more than that. I can feel it. Her emotions were too raw. Despite what she thinks, Shae has never been good at hiding her feelings. I could see the pain in her eyes when I buckled her in. It was a deep pain, so much more than a little bit of food poisoning, which is what she insists is wrong with her.

There’s a soft tap on the window, and I look up to find my doorman, Sam, standing outside. Pulling the keys from the ignition, I slide out and hand them to him.

“Everything okay, sir?”

“She’s not feeling well.” I make my way around the front of the car. Opening the passenger door, I unbuckle Shae, making sure not to jostle her too much, and lift her into my arms.

“Do you need me to get you anything, Mr. Ambrosi?”

“No, thank you, Sam.”

Shae stirs in my arms, mumbling something I can’t quite make out and then settles against my chest.

Once we’re in the condo, I kick the door shut and walk down the dark hallway, not bothering to turn the lights on because I’m taking my girl straight to bed. As gently as possible, I lay her on my bed, pull off her heels, and tuck her under the covers. Worried that she might wake up feeling sick again, I line up a bottle Pepto, some Tylenol, and a bottle of water next to her side of the bed. Then I brush my teeth, strip off my clothes, and climb in beside her.

Her breaths come in short, even pants. The worried lines on her face from not long ago have now smoothed, and I run a finger down her cheek, wondering when I fell in love with

her.

Because I did fall in love with her. Hard and fast and without any control of the landing.

It hit me hard tonight. The intense need to take care of her and protect her—the worry I felt deep in my bones, a feeling unlike any I’ve ever experienced.

I reach for Shae, pulling her in close, needing to feel her body pressed against mine. Excited and scared about how I’m feeling, I want to wake her up, tell her everything that’s running through my head, but I can’t.

Shae is a flight risk. Yes, she’s expressed how much she cares for me, but she’s holding something back. Something big. I can’t explain it, but I can feel it, and I refuse to give her the words—give her that sort of power over me—until I know exactly what she’s hiding.

Until that time comes, I vow to show her. Every single day I will make it a point to show her how much I love her, show her that she can trust me and that I would do absolutely anything for her. Our relationship may be new, but our connection is strong, and there’s not a doubt in my mind that she’s the woman for me.

“Rex,” she murmurs, nuzzling her nose against my chest.

“Shhh.” I stroke my fingers through her hair, something I’ve learned she likes. It soothes her, helps her sleep. “I’m right here.”

With the only woman—besides my mother—I’ve ever loved wrapped around my body, and my heart overflowing with all of these new, crazy emotions, I drift off to sleep.

I wake up in the morning to light cutting through the window and my favorite song being sung slightly off key. Rubbing my eyes, I stretch and slide out of bed. I slip on a pair of boxers and pad down the hall.

The closer I get to the kitchen, the louder the singing gets, and when I round the corner, there’s the most breathtaking view. Shae stands at the stove, flipping bacon. Her dark hair is piled on top of her head, though a few loose strands have worked their way out and tumble down her back. She’s wearing one of my T-shirts, and it hits her just below the ass. The music fades into a long guitar riff, and Shae takes a moment to shake her ass, causing the shirt to lift, and that’s how I know she isn’t wearing any underwear.

My cock stiffens, and I have to adjust myself at the sight of her creamy skin. With the tongs to her mouth like a microphone and one hand in the air, she twirls in a circle and startles at the sight of me standing across the room.

“Oh my gosh!” She presses a hand to her chest. “You scared me.”

“Please.” I wave my hand, motioning for her to continue. “Don’t stop on my account. I was enjoying the show.”

The apples of her cheeks turn bright red, and she ducks her head, redirecting her attention to the bacon on the stove.