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happening between my mouth and his was
    somehow the only thing that mattered to him in the entire world right now. He used his tongue, his teeth,
    and somehow lured me even closer so that I could feel the rapid rate his heart was pounding out against the
    flattened palm of my hand where it rested on the burning surface of one of his impressive pecs. I could
    taste all his vices as his talented tongue danced across my own and glanced against the sensitive curve of
    my upper lip. There was the tang of tequila, the acrid hint of cigarette smoke, a tinge of sorrow, and the
    unmistakable residue of injury caused by wounds self-inflicted by his stubbornness and fear.
    One of us groaned and the other sighed heavily, and just as I was about to forget myself, forget why I
    was here and who this tattooed and inconsolable boy was to me and do something idiotic and unforgivable,
    there was a pounding knock at the door that had both of us jerking apart. His gaze was wild and hazy with a
    mixture of passion and confusion. I pulled back and jumped to my feet like that fire that was inked all over
    him was alive and could actually singe me.
    I was breathing hard and felt like I wanted to maybe kick him or fall back on top of him and kiss him
    all over again. The banging on the door increased in intensity and I cleared my throat and shoved my now
    messy, tangled column of hair over my shoulder.
    “Your pizza is here.”
    He just looked up at me like I had landed from another planet. He ran his tongue across the damp curve
    of his lower lip and lifted an eyebrow at me, like he was daring me to say something, like he was savoring
    the taste I had left on him.
    I glowered down at him and turned on my heel to head toward the door. I should’ve listened to my
    instinct that had yelled at me as loudly as it could that I should just leave well enough alone. The past
    belonged buried in the Pandora’s box of hurtful memories and savage misconceptions I left it in. Nash had
    no place in my here and now. No matter how gorgeous I thought he was, no matter that he was the best
    kisser ever or how desperately my libido was screeching at me that I needed to know exactly where those
    wings on his stomach and hips disappeared to … I knew there was more under the surface of him, and it
    wasn’t very pretty.
    “You taste like a bar floor that hasn’t been scrubbed clean in a month.”
    I snagged the half-full carton cigarettes he had sitting on the breakfast bar that divided the kitchen from
    the living room and waved the box at him over my shoulder.
    “I told you that you needed to quit. Stop acting like a spoiled brat. Yes, people you love being dishonest
    sucks, but you’re an adult now, so deal with it accordingly. You said your uncle took you in, believed in
    you, taught you a craft you clearly love, so focus on all that he did do and not what he didn’t do because
    you don’t know how much longer you might have with him. Man up, Nash. It’s how we deal with the
    things that hurt us most that defines us.”
    I pulled the door open just as the pizza guy was getting ready to pound again and slipped around him. I
    heard a shuffle of bodies, male voices muttering to each other, and I was almost out the security door when
    I heard the neighbor’s sultry voice float across the hall.
    “Honey, if you’re gonna have this much traffic on a daily basis, you need to invest in a doorbell.”
    I paused just long enough to look over my shoulder. Both Nash and the pizza guy were staring at her in
    all her toned and glorious beauty. I rolled my eyes at the obvious display. Nash flicked his gaze in my
    direction and then back at the beauty queen.
    “Who are you, exactly?” He sounded less discombobulated, less scattered.
    “I’m your new neighbor.”
    I heard him chuckle and it made me grind my teeth together as I pushed through the door.
    “Welcome to the neighborhood.” I didn’t need to see him to know he was grinning at her, and that she
    was