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"I knohere she lives," Saldana said quietly

I caught the undercurrent One of his exes? I knew about Heather, now Maris, and who else? If there were a few more, he rivaled me for busted relationships

A half smile curved her mouth "I suppose you do I don’t recoh You’ll need protection and there’s nowhere safer than right here You can borrow the guest apart so nice?" There had to be a catch

Saldana frowned at me even as she replied, "It often proves helpful to have people in my debt, Corine You would do well to reht Her kindness concealed a mercenary bent Oddly that reassured lass, I decided to accept her offer

Before standing, I downed o up?"

"Certainly Jesse knows the way It was a pleasureSaldana, she added, "By the way, you’ve carried the weight of a lie your whole life Your father didn’t leave He was taken More patterns than you know bind you and your former lover"

I would have turned, askedthe dark hallway toward some stairs "That was etelse I don’t think you’re in any shape to do another reading, and anything else would be" He trailed off, letting ht ask

I shivered "Thanks"

Between residual nausea and the tequila spiking through my veins, I felt both euphoric and shaky Saldana kept his hand on , where he opened the first door We stepped through to a flat I could only describe as witchy, full of cut crystal figurines and blue velvet

Two more steps and I collapsed on the overstuffed couch Jesse sank down beside h he didn’t knohat to do but wanted to do soed a smile but it came from a place that hurt, newly raw

"I should have warned you Twila can beintense And she is assuredly not to be trusted, but she isn’t one of your eneerous one"

"Enemies You say that as if you’re sure I have loads" I tried to laugh

His bitter chocolate eyes turned somber "You’re too wary for it to be otherwise, Corine I’ve never met anyone more"

Broken? Closed? I waited for the word confir inside because that wouldin dire need of fixing

Then he shook his head His arm came around my shoulders, as if he’d finally made up his mind what he should do "Lean on ht"

I suspected he’d said that many times over the course of his checkered career, but in that ainstto the steady thump of his heart Bit by bit, the nausea receded, left me with the dull throb of my seared hand

An eined I’d wind up with such a thing? That suggested an avuncular relationship, but the way he held th and his heat, perhaps a little too ined leading hiined rough breathing and the sweet tangle of limbs

Jesse rested his chin on my hair until I sat up "I’ht in his eyes, I could tell he sensed hts He licked his lips and pulled his hands away fro about this," he said hoarsely, "is that I don’t always knohat I want I feel what other people doand it’s hard to separate their desires from my own, particularly when it’s raw lust It’s easier when it’s a girlish crush since I’m not susceptible to those But sheer, animal sexyeah I’m prone to that"

I didn’t touch him, but I wanted his mouth, and he knew it "Then you already know I’m in the mood for a quick, hard fuck I don’t want sords or promises I want a hot body on top of ood idea"

Jesse exhaled shakily He swayed towardbetter by the second"

"Would you wantmy impulses?" That was it, I realized "Am I your type?"

Soul of Discretion

"I don’t know," he said in frustration "No, I didn’t take one look at you and i you on ht now you look fine and you srowl

My heart pounded Much as I wanted to give over, I couldn’t Part ofwhether I had and quite another to do it I also couldn’t lay doith Jesse without knowing for sure he wanted me back Me, not an echo of my own lust--that seemed too close toto do that, I et on with it and not catch soood idea," I repeated "I’et some sleep"

Saldana dropped his head into his hands and his voice caht I think I’ll take a shower"

My knees trembled as I retreated Any more of him and I wouldn’t be responsible for my actions; too bad, because I didn’t really want to be Deep down I’d love it if he tookelse, this proved he intended only h He truly hed over that as I shut the door behind me