“This is all bullshit. He’s a dude I’m fucking. That’s it. We’re not getting married or anything. It’s just a few weeks.”

Erin sighed, annoyed. Once she finished up she came out and sneered at Raven before she started washing up. “You be quiet. I’m not one of those people who can’t see past your crap. This is already different. You’re not eighteen. This isn’t the first man, or woman, who made you come. Some stuff just is. You can walk around it and say it’s new, and it clearly is. But that doesn’t change what it is. Sometimes you just know from the start.” She turned to Raven as she started to leave. “And you’re not a coward, so stop running away from it.” 

9

Jonah hit the button to have the car answer his ringing phone. He was on his way over to Raven’s to pick her up. He’d tried to coax her into sleeping over and she’d refused.

He didn’t get to where he was by taking no for an answer, but he knew strategy well enough to understand Raven had deeper reasons for not wanting to sleep over than how much she liked her own bed. And he was beginning to know her enough to detect the edge of something he’d have to be careful about getting her to reveal to him.

It was Levi, his voice coming through the car speakers. “You have the day off? It’s a Monday. Are you sick?”

“Nope. Taking a vacation day. Is there a problem?”

“I was going to see if you were free for lunch. I have to be at the courthouse downtown in a few hours.”

“Raven and I are heading up to look at leaves and have lunch.”

Levi got quiet and Jonah wished his brother could see how hard he’d just rolled his eyes.

“Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you this weekend at dinner. You going to bring her?”

“Are you suggesting she’s not good enough?” Considering how much Levi had gone through with Daisy he’d be surprised if his brother could have the balls to take any other tack with Raven than acceptance.

“No. I’m suggesting she’s not . . . bring-home-to-Mom material.”

“I don’t plan to bring her around until we’ve got some more time under our belt. Not because she’s not bring-home-to-Mom material, as you say. But because she’s going to need some preparation before I expose her to the Warner household.”

“So this is serious?”

Jonah sighed again. “Yes. I didn’t think it would be when I first met her. I thought she was beautiful. I wanted to bed her and get a new tattoo. But it’s more. I can’t explain it all. I’m still processing it really.”

“Why so suddenly now? Why her?”

Agitation rode him. “I can’t do this while I’m driving and I’m coming up to her block anyway. But she’s different. There’s so much more to her than you see at first glance.”

“I’m not attacking you. I’m on your side so don’t take that tone with me. I’m trying to understand.”

“So am I.” He didn’t bother trying to find a parking spot. It was nearly impossible in that part of town and he had no intention of calling her and meeting her at the curb as she’d suggested.

“Let’s have drinks on Wednesday. After the board meeting.”

“Sounds good.”

He found a pay lot and then headed across the street and down the block to her building.

Fifth floor, corner. The place wasn’t bad at all. The building was safe enough, though he’d have preferred a doorman.

He tapped on her door and moments later she opened it up with one brow hiked.

“Ready?” He breezed past her into her place and she closed the door behind him. At least she wasn’t going to push him out and slam it in his face. He knew he was being pushy. Knew it was out of her comfort range too.

“I don’t know that I would have pegged you as this tidy.”

Tidy was an understatement. The place was organized. Everything in its place. Her shelves . . . “Are these organized by color?”

“I told you I’d meet you outside.” She took a book from his hand and put it back and he grinned before hauling her close for a kiss.

“I wanted to come in to get you. I am not the man who will honk at the curb.”

“Mm.”

“Not just color, but alphabetically and by color. I’m impressed by this level of obsessive detail.”

“I like things in order.” She grabbed her jacket and a bag. “I have snacks. Shall we go?”

“Wait. Give me a tour.”

She gave him a very fine side-eye as she sighed. “It’s a studio. This is pretty much it.”

He moved around, peering at her shelves. “What are these?”

“Sketchbooks. Books. Photo albums. The usual.”

He pulled one out and she shifted, clearly uncomfortable. “May I look?”

She licked her lips, chewing on her bottom one a moment. “Sure. They’re just sketches, nothing special.”

But they were special. Page after page of drawings. Sometimes they were of people or landscapes. Sometimes they were clearly ideas for tattoos. But they were all amazing.

“You’ve got a great deal of talent.”

“I’m okay.”

“Prolific too.” He indicated the multiple shelves.

“This is all of them. You know, since I was twelve or so. Some of the earlier ones . . . they didn’t . . . I didn’t keep those.”

“How long have you been drawing?” He led her to the sliders and then out onto the deck. The traffic in the distance was a hum, but not annoyingly so.

“Since I was six or so. We should go.”

“Your only appointment is me. And I’m right here. You’re my only appointment. No rush. Why weren’t you able to keep the ones from before you were twelve?”

“They didn’t let you bring a lot. When you moved to a new place. Later I started keeping them at school, or in my great-grandmother’s shed. But I didn’t know much the earlier years.”

He touched her then, sliding a hand through her hair, which she’d left loose around her face. “Awfully young to have to learn stuff like that. Did you lose her then? Your great-grandmother?”

“She lived until she was a hundred and one. But she”—her voice thinned but didn’t quite break—“she couldn’t care for me after I turned three. She had several strokes and she couldn’t get around well.”

“I’m sorry. Your mother?”

“Couldn’t be bothered. We should go.”

“You keep saying that. I want to know more.”

“Fuck off!” She wrenched herself back, eyes flashing. “I’m not a reality television show. I’m not your dancing monkey.”

“I never said you were. People share, that’s how they build relationships. I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to know you.”

She hated how he stood there so fucking calm after he’d rooted through her memories that way. Hated too that the way he’d touched her had calmed her, how hard she’d had to fight the desire to lean in and take comfort.

“So let’s get to know you then.”

“Go on. Ask. I’ve answered all the questions you’ve asked.”

She blew out a breath and tried to go back into her place but he stood there looking so reasonable she wanted to kick him in the balls.

“Look, I said I wouldn’t fuck anyone else while I was with you. But that doesn’t mean you get a full pass into my life. Into my memories. It sucked. Growing up the way I did sucked. It was horrible and I don’t want to talk about it for a reason. You didn’t grow up like that so I get how it’s a story to you, but it happened to me. It happened to me and I’m not giving it to you on demand.”

He moved to her slowly, but he kept moving until he’d gathered her up against his chest, holding her tight.

“I’m sorry.”

She hated how he got to her. Hated how easy it was for him to waltz in and get past all the walls she’d built to defend herself.

“We should end this. You’re looking for something I can’t give you.”

He snorted. “Be quiet. Let’s go look at leaves. Bring your sketchbook. I’ll buy you a glass of wine and lunch and make you come a few times before we go to dinner.”

He turned and did that thing with her hand on his arm, leading her inside.


Of course he had a car that looked like a panther. Sleek. Powerful. Tinted windows. He escorted her to it and opened her door. When he closed it to go around to his side, all sound from outside was gone.

The seats were soft leather and it smelled a lot like he did. It wasn’t necessary but she put her sunglasses on anyway, trying to find some way to filter him out.

“I like the sunglasses.”

Of course he managed to sound suggestive. He drove calmly, but in charge. Easing into traffic like no one better get in his way. And really they didn’t.

“Are you warm enough?”

Despite it being late October, it felt a lot more like November. But she’d worn a sweater and brought her jacket and gloves.

Soon enough though, her seat got warm.

“Jeez, are these heated seats?” She tried not to sound like she’d just eaten an entire bowl of ice cream, but it made her languid. Spoiled like a cat.

“I like luxuries. We established that. So when can I get the next piece done on my back?”

“I like to wait at least two weeks between sessions. I’ll look at it the next time we’re naked to see how it’s coming along. But I want it healed before I do the next part.”

“I like how you made that fun.”

She rolled her eyes, relaxing a little when she realized he wasn’t going to push about her past.

“That’s me. More fun than a barrel of monkeys. Though, to be honest the idea of a barrel of monkeys doesn’t sound fun to me. It sounds like there’d be fleas and bites and shit involved.”

“I do think Raven fun is better than that, yes.”

“Who even thinks that stuff up? Monkeys in a barrel?”

She noted that his mouth quivered as he tried not to smile. It was a seriously sexy mouth.