Page 44 of Branded Betrayal

I shove that thought away fast.

“You look beautiful tonight, by the way. Did I mention that?”

“You did. When you picked me up.”

“Well, you look so good, I need to tell you again.” His thumb traces circles on my palm.

Heat rushes to my cheeks. “Thank you.”

Our entrées arrive a few minutes later.

“So what made you decide to relocate to Denver?” he asks, stabbing a piece of chicken with his fork.

“I loved growing up here in Whiskey Creek,” I say, gripping the edge of the tablecloth. “But after my parents died, I just . . . I needed some distance. I shouldn’t have stayed away so long, though.” My shoulders tense, and I push the reason why I stayed away to the corners of my mind. “I missed out on a lot with my brother and aunt. That’s something I have to live with, but I wish I’d have done things differently.”

Because part of me really does. It would have been hard, but I should have been strong enough. I wasn’t. And I really hate that I wasn’t.

“I get that,” he says. “And I know you’re beating yourself up over that. But you can’t. Life takes us in different directions for lots of reasons. You were supposed to go to Denver, maybe to heal. Maybe because you couldn’t heal here in the place where you lost so much.”

“Maybe you’re right.” I take a long swallow of wine. Unfortunately, it doesn’t dissolve the lump in my throat. I force a smile at him. “I’m just going to run to the restroom real quick.”

“Take your time.” Tyler smiles, that open, genuine smile that should make my heart flutter.

It doesn’t. Because my heart is just too broken. Not that he’d ever know that his words just opened up all of those past wounds again, and now they’re raw and gaping.

I round the corner and slam face-first into a hard wall of thick muscle. “Excuse m—”

A gasp tangles in my throat.

“Savannah.” Blaze’s voice is low and rough.

His eyes drop to my dress. Suddenly, it feels too tight and way too revealing. When his eyes slide back to my face, something dark flickers in the depths.

We’re standing too close together in the narrow hallway. I should step back. Or go into the bathroom and lock the door. Or just about anything other than standing here, gaping at him in his tight black T-shirt and low-slung jeans.

“Saw you with the vet.” His jaw tightens. “Looking mighty cozy.”

“That’s none of your business,” I snap, my mouth finally deciding to work again.

“He had his hands on you.” His voice drops dangerously low. “Touching what’s not his.”

“I’m not yours, Blaze. I never was.”

Something flashes in his eyes. I can’t tell if it’s pain or anger. Maybe both. “You think I don’t know that?”

He steps closer until he’s backed me against the wall next to the bathroom door.

“What do you think you’re doing? I’m on a date.”

“I don’t know.” His hands press against the wall on either side of my head. He’s not touching me, but my God, I can feel him everywhere. His heat, his desire, the tension crackling in the air between us. “I’m trying to stay away from you. I’m trying to do the right thing for once in my damn life.”

“Then stay away,” I say, my voice quivering.

“I need to.” The sound is ragged, broken, defeated, and it lances my heart. “And I’ve tried. But watching him touch you, watching you smile at him like—”

He breaks off, jaw clenching so hard I can see the muscle jump.

“Like what, Blaze?” I whisper.