“I’m fine,” I assured him, but he must’ve caught something in my answer, and his face turned deadly serious. We were standing together in the space between the open door and the seat, his bigger body looming over mine. When I looked up at him, attempting my best placidly detached smile, the evil glint in his eyes told me he saw right through me.

“Are you still mad about me knowing the music you like?” He didn’t even try not to be all cocky about it. God he was so big. It was like being cornered by a building.

“No,” I said, making sure that my nose got nowhere near that dip at the base of his throat. He always smelled a little bit like chlorine, no matter how freshly showered he was. It was familiar and comforting—and disorienting—because Theo’s smells had never been my smells. Nothing about this man had ever belonged to me, but I knew him, and since he’d shown up here in Texas the lines of who we were to each other kept getting blurred. I couldn’t afford that kind of distraction right now. “I was just surprised you could name artists born after the Great Depression,” I fibbed before scrambling into the passenger seat. He didn’t call my bullshit, just stood there staring at me too hard and too long, until I had to look away.

“You’re thinking about my tattoo, aren’t you?” He pushed off the side of the car and closed my door before I could react.

“I am not!” I balked as he got in on his side, hoping my face would do me a solid and not get super red. “I was making a mental list of what I need at the store.”

“I thought you only wanted Cheez-Its and Oreos.”

“Yes, but—” I spluttered, making him laugh that new sexy Dallas laugh, which had a worrisome effect on my privates.

“Just admit you were wondering where it is?”

I huffed and turned my attention to the window.

“How had I never noticed you’re obnoxiously conceited?”

“It’s on the notch of my hip. In the front.”

“I did not want to know,” I lied, squeezing my eyes shut. I tried very hard to keep the image from forming in my head. But it was impossible. It was in full color right behind my eyelids. All that smooth tan skin with the colorful rings etched onto it and only inches lower his...

“You’re imagining right now, aren’t you?”

“If I didn’t need my face for this stupid show, I’d hurl myself out of this car.” I was all short of breath and he was loving it.

“Oh, Alba Phaedra, am I getting on your nerves?” How had I completely missed the man was a full-fledged clown?