Page 18 (2/2)

“Damn it!” she muttered

She bent i for the papers, and he chased after one that had been caught by the wind, taking it several feet away

“I’ll get them,” she called “Please don’t trouble yourself”

He captured the drawing and picked it up, turning back to her

“It’s no trouble at all I’m sorry if I startled you”

She let out a shaky laugh as she extended her hand for the paper “You did that for sure”

He glanced down, taking in the drawing as he started to hand it over to her and then blinked in surprise when he saw himself on the paper

“What the hell?” he

“Please just give it back,” she said, her voice soft and urgent

She sounded scared, like he was going to freak out, but he was more mesmerized by the small expanse of her side that had been bared by the loose-fitting top when she’d reached for the paper

On her right side he’d glimpsed a tattoo that was vibrant and colorful Like her The brief gliotten told him it was flowery, almost like a vine, and that it likely extended a hell of a lot farther up or down her body Maybe both He wished like hell he could see more of it, but she let her arm drop and the hem of her shirt settled back to the waistband of that full skirt, depriving him of further view

“Why were you drawing me?” he asked curiously

Color invaded her cheeks,her skin rosy She had fair skin, just barely kissed by the sun, but with her hair and those gorgeous aquamarine eyes, it looked beautiful She was beautiful And evidently very talented

She’d drawn hi hihtful expression, the distant look in his eyes She’d drawn him as he’d stood there, hands shoved into his pockets That moment of self-reflection, and clearly that was evident in the drawing It er had been able to capture his mood in just a few moments That she’d seen him in that vulnerable moment and had picked up on what he hid from everyone else in the world

“It was just an is Whatever captures my attention”

He saze fro ahim with the possibilities

“So you’re saying I caught your attention”

She flushed again It was a guilty flush, but also one that was telling She was checking hi her out Perhaps more subtly, but then subtlety had never been one of his strong points

“You see features I was itching to get the face and it was obvious you had a lot on your mind I find people are a lotthe, the picture wouldn’t have been the same”

“It’s very good,” he said slowly as he dropped his gaze to once“You have a lot of talent”

“Can I have it back now?” she asked “I’m late”

He looked back up, lifting his eyebrow in question “You didn’t appear to be leaving until you sawtoward you”

“That was several o, and I wasn’t late then Now I am”

“What are you late for?”

Her brows drew together in consternation and then her eyes flashed in annoyance “I don’t think that’s any of your business”

“Ash,” he said at her pause at the end “My name is Ash”

She nodded but didn’t say his na to hear his name on her lips

He reached forward, brushing his fingers over the collar at her throat “This have anything to do hat you’re late for?”