Page 58 of His Surrender

My pulse pounds so loudly that I’m certain he can hear it.

He stops only a couple of feet away. Close enough that I catch the clean scent of his cologne.

I have to tilt my chin to keep looking at him. His blue eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen them.

They aren’t angry or kind, but almost … hungry.

The realization sends a wave of warmth straight through me.

Neither of us speaks as the silence somehow says everything.

Finally, his eyes lift to mine. “You should probably finish changing.” The words are calm … controlled. Completely at odds with the way he’s been looking at me.

Only then do I notice the folded bills in his hand.

He holds them out. “The dress.”

For a second, I simply stare. “What?”

“Liana’s outfit.” His voice is rough. “You paid for it.”

I slowly reach for the money. Our fingers brush, making a spark shoot up my arm.

He doesn’t pull away immediately, but neither do I.

Another heartbeat passes, and then he releases the cash into my hand.

“I’ll have Brady get you a company card on Monday morning.”

I swallow. “Dean …”

He doesn’t answer. He just holds my gaze for one more long second, and then he turns, walks out of my bedroom, and quietly closes the door behind him.

The latch clicks.

Only then do my lungs remember how to work. I look down at the cash still clutched in my hand before pressing it against my chest.

My knees suddenly feel far less reliable than they did a minute ago.

What in the world just happened?

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

DEAN

Idon’t remember making it down the hallway. One minute, I was standing outside Aubrey’s bedroom door; the next, I’m inside my own, closing it a little harder than I intended.

The click echoes through the room.

I drag both hands through my hair and let out a long, frustrated breath.

“Fuck.”

What the hell was that?

I pride myself on control. From building my company and through losing my mother. Control has kept every emotion exactly where it belongs for the last nineteen years since she died.

Today, it slipped.