Rescuing the Bad Boy (Second Chance #2)(58)

“A hundred?” She would latch on to that number. Zero was too unbelievable. Hell, it was true and he didn’t believe it.

He laughed, but it wasn’t funny. “No, sweetheart. Not a hundred.”





Not a hundred.

Zero was impossible. One hundred was improbable. She hoped.

So, she guessed that was sort of comforting. But why did it matter? Why did she need to know now? Knowing would only make her think of the faceless, nameless women Donovan had bedded. And might make him think of them, too.

Plus, she’d already announced they were biding time until he left. Wasn’t like they were permanent. Pain crept into her chest and she willed it away.

What does it matter?

It doesn’t, she decided, focusing instead on what he’d said before that.

Could eat off me.

Mmm. She could.

Rough hands moved up and down her torso and this time, Sofie raised her ankles, crossed them over his back, and pulled him closer. His lips twitched with surprise. Probably thinking he was off the hook.

He was.

Getting him to say a number, admit there was even one girl in his bed since her, hurt her in a way that wasn’t logical. Because she wasn’t going to be with Donovan forever. She was going to be with him now. And hopefully a few more times before he left town. Once he was gone, he could go be with fifty more women—at once if he wanted.

He wouldn’t be her concern.

There was a certain freedom in knowing he was leaving. She thought about Faith’s speech about power, understanding her point. Caring was powerful. But not caring? That was just as powerful—maybe more. Sofie could use a dab of power to fortify her resolve. A whole truckload.

“There’s no one now. No one but you,” he said.

“Same,” she returned.

He teased her with a kiss. “No more Scott Torsett?”

A chuckle tumbled in her throat. “Not unless I want to see his nose broken next time I see him.”

“Naw.” Donovan kissed her jaw, then a path down her neck. “I was going to break his fingers.”

That shouldn’t be sexy. But it so was.

She had Donovan until he went back to New York. He’d leave like he did last time, but at least she knew he was leaving. She knew now, knew going in. That was something.

That was everything.

Tilting her head, she let his lips work down her neck, to her collarbone, until he took her breast in his mouth again. She arched her back, sensations electrocuting her limbs as she squirmed on the narrow table he’d plunked her onto.

“Hope this holds me,” she muttered absently.

He let her go, his lips leaving her skin, his expression not happy.

“You think you’re fat for some reason, and I’m telling you, Scampi, it’s starting to piss me off.”

“I didn’t say I was fat. But I know I’m not built like Faith.”

“No. Neither am I.”

Grasping her thighs, he spun her so she was lying lengthwise on the table, unbuttoned her pants, and drew down the zipper.

“Donny.”

“Let me look at how beautiful you are.”

Leaning on her elbows, she allowed him to tug her pants off, stunned absolutely speechless. Beautiful? She’d been told she had pretty hair. She’d been called cute. And her aunt Kay always told her she had a “healthy” build. Sofie knew she wasn’t obese, but she also knew in the hip/butt area, she could stand to drop a few inches.

But beautiful? Donny was beautiful. Practically a work of art. But her?

“Do you mean that?” she asked.

He tossed her pants aside and reached for her panties. She watched his eyes wander up and down her body. In response, her skin tightened.

“You don’t believe me?”

“I—”

“Zero.” His eyes left hers as he worked her panties down her legs. “Do you believe that?”

“Zero?” Surely he couldn’t mean…

Climbing halfway up her body, he flattened his palms on the table and got in her face. “You, Sofia Martin. You are who I’ve had in the seven years since I’ve had you. Yesterday in the laundry room. And here, in about ten seconds.”

Her mouth dropped open, went dry. She blinked.

“Lie back.”

“Donny—”

His fingers found her folds and stroked, long and slow. She was wet in an instant.

“Scampi. Lie back.”

Over her, his hair tickled her face and neck and chest while he kissed her body, his fingers wandering, slipping, sliding.

Sofie decided to let it go. To let the whole thing go. If he was lying about her being beautiful or that she was the last person he’d slept with, things would be almost simpler. She couldn’t handle that information right now. Didn’t know what to do with it. Problem was, she didn’t think he was lying.

While he worked her into a lather, she panted her approval. Moving her hands to his pants, she undid them and reached inside.

A brief male grunt came from his perfect mouth.

“Explains why you were trying to hold out,” she said.

His tongue delved into her belly button and she nearly shot off the table.

“Building endurance takes practice,” came his heated breath on her skin.