His wide grin lit his face, and he held out his hand. “There’s more to see inside. Come with me and I’ll show you.”I hurried forward, suddenly wanting to close the distance between us. He met me at the stairs, his hand still extended. I slipped my palm into his and let him tug me up the steps. He pulled me close, pressing a kiss to my mouth.“I’ve been waiting, Liv. I was getting worried. When I saw you outside, I thought you changed your mind.”“Sorry,” I breathed against his lips. “I was sort of lost in my thoughts.”I felt his smile. “I’ll let you make it up to me.” He dropped a kiss to the end of my nose. “Now let me get you inside so I can kiss you properly.”“Okay.”He led me inside, taking my jacket and bag. As soon as the door shut, he swept me into his arms, his mouth covering mine. His kiss was long and passionate. It said “Hello, and I missed you. I’m glad you’re here.” The way his arms held me close made me feel safe and welcome.I wanted to be greeted that way every day.

For the first time, I fully saw his scars. I had felt them before and even glimpsed them, but this was the first time I had actually seen them up close. Deep and long, they ran down his shoulder and back, a crisscross of pain he carried with him at all times. Gently, I ran my fingers over the grooves. He stiffened at my touch.“Does it hurt?” I asked.“No,” he replied. “Your touch never hurts.” He drew in a long breath. “They’re ugly, though.”I leaned down and feathered kisses along the marred skin. I traced each line with my mouth, making sure to touch every one. He shuddered in long spasms that raced down his spine.I pressed my mouth to his ear. “Nothing about you is ugly, Van. Your scars are a part of you—a part of your past that makes you who you are.”“Who am I?” he asked, his voice so low, I had to strain to hear him.“Mine,” I replied. “You’re mine.”He turned his head fast, capturing my mouth and kissing me hard. He buried his hand in my hair, holding my face close as he rav

Liv was a warm weight on my chest all night. She slept with her face buried into the crook of my neck, her breath little puffs of air on my skin. Completely draped over me, she brushed her toes over my calves, reminding me of the difference in our size. Her small stature belied the inner strength she possessed. I loved her independence, but even more, I loved when she allowed herself to be vulnerable with me. I knew it was a side of herself she showed to few people.The sky began to brighten, darkness giving away to diffused light when she woke, her body shifting. She lifted her head, sleepy and beautiful, already smiling.“Hi,” she rasped, her voice thick with sleep.Keeping one arm around her, I ran my finger down her cheek. “Hey, Livvy.”She snuggled closer, burying her face beside mine on the pillow. Her voice was muffled when she spoke. “I fell asleep on you.”“Yes, you did. I liked you sleeping on me.”“Did I, um, drool?”I chuckled. “It was the best part.”She slapped my shoul

All is fine. Take your time.Jordan came in, carrying two cups of coffee. He set one on my desk. “I spoke to Sandy. She’s sending the guys down. I told her not to bother escorting them.” He frowned. “Danishes aren’t ready. I’ll go grab some later.”I smirked. “Not ready, or you didn’t want to be forced to share them with the people from WIN?”He winked. “You know me too well.”I ran a hand over my face. “I haven’t even looked at the file. Yesterday was crazy.”I had gone to the building with my dad, checking and measuring the various kinds of molding. Afterward, we had met with the company about matching the stain and the cuts. I had spent the afternoon putting out fires at one of the other places I was trying to finish up so I could concentrate on this huge project for Bentley. I had ended the day by meeting with my crews and turning over some other projects to my most trusted foremen. I would be available if needed, but as Bentley said, it was time to test their wings. The way he wa

She sighed and stepped back from my embrace. “And what lesson would it teach my daughter, Van? To run when things are tough? To walk away is easier than to stay and be strong?”“Sammy doesn’t need to know about this lesson,” I growled. “I’m worried about her too. What if that asshole makes trouble?”“He didn’t want us before, he doesn’t want us now. He is here to show me he’s still the ‘man’ and in control. Frankly, I don’t care.”“You’ll have to deal with him for a while—it’s not an overnight job.”“So will you.” She pointed out. “Way more than I will. Can you handle it?”“As long as he behaves. If he steps out of line, I can’t promise anything.”She regarded me anxiously. “Van, Chris is the kind of person who uses what he knows against people. If he thinks something upsets you, he’ll find a way to do it, if only to piss you off.” She paused, searching for words. “If he knows we’re together, a couple, he’ll use it. He’ll say things to upset you. Make snide remarks about me. Talk abou