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His hands, huge as they were, were tender as he grasped her shoulders and pulled her toward him She leaned into his palm when he cupped her face “You’re beautiful,” he told her

She knew he reatest of his qualities Men at her father’s parties had told her the sa her uncomfortable and aard She’d never believed that she was beautiful until nohen those iht blue eyes were on her and her alone

This kiss was leisurely and deliberate and sent a flood of heat through her body

“We’re going to take this slow,” he warned her as she tried to press closer to hiood for you”

She was fine until he reached to lift off the shift and all the memories and fears and worries woke

“C-can’t we turn the lights off?” she stammered

“I want to see all of you” The fabric was gone, leaving her exposed to the cool air of the room and his suddenly all-too-serious face

She wanted to cross her ar away fro sure she was okay

“We all have scars,” he said simply

And just like that, the tension was gone

The scars were just part of who she was It wasn’t the end of the world to show another person what she’d gone through down in the depths of Plymouth

Peirce proved that as he lay her down on the bed and ran his hands over her skin like she would break from his touch, kissed her so carefully it physically pained her when he’d pull away to catch his breath The rasp of his stubble against her cheeks, her neck, her collarbone, gave her goose bumps

His mouth roamed her body, his attention focused on each and every mark, each brand of the terror she’d endured that was now seared into her skin The jagged line where a burning board had fallen onto her thigh, trapping her leg until she pulled it away and beat out the flae on her side where a sharp flake of stone had lodged itself during the explosion The sli down over ribs When Peirce’s tongue traced that one, she couldn’t stop her breath fro as she tried to clamp down the dark memory

He stopped when he heard that sound, looked up at her, eyes concerned “It’s just me,” he whispered

She nodded once and ran a hand through his short hair Her racing heart slohen he closed his eyes and sighed at her touch With infinite care, he worked his way back up to her mouth She was desperate to touch hi in his scars