Burning Daylight (Defying the Stars, #1)

by Emily McIntire

“Then don’t be a cunt.” My father chuckles. “You know what they say—you are what you eat. How is your wife, by the way?”

“You’re attractive. And you’re a guy. Statistically, I’m pretty sure that makes you a red flag.”

He nods. “See you when you come back.” “You’ll be waiting a while.” “Guess I’ve got a lot of daylight to burn, then.”

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” I purse my lips, thrown by the response. “That’s oddly profound.” He nods solemnly, his hand to his chest. “Winnie the Pooh said that.” “Of course he did.” I laugh. “Leave it to a stuffed bear to make you sound enlightened.” “There it is.” He grins. “That mean streak of yours. Still incredibly hot, by the way.”

“God, you’re like a lost puppy,” she mutters. My lips curve up, attraction flaring to life in my chest. Damn, she’s fun to rile up. She’s so wound tight and ready to snap. “Does that mean you’ll pet me if I’m a good boy?”

Her tone doesn’t piss me off, but it does make me think of how badly I want to fuck the attitude right out of her. How easy it would be to press her up against the wall and give her mouth something to wrap around besides the cutting words she loves to throw.

“I don’t normally do this, you know?” she says. The corner of my mouth lifts. “Good. I’m territorial.” “What’s that mean?” “It means you’re mine.”

“You’re going to let me make you come, right here on this couch, with my hand on your pussy like the filthy girl you are, aren’t you?”

“Maybe you just didn’t see me.” He takes a slow sip of his coffee without looking away. “Impossible.” “Is it?” “There’s no world that exists where I wouldn’t see you.”

“That sketchbook’s the east,” he whispers. “And you, Juliette, are the sun.”

“Because every time you smile,” I say, “every time you give me that little look like you can’t decide if you want to throttle me or kiss me, I want to keep you forever.”

“Yeah, Trouble. I’ll go anywhere with you.”

“I promise not to kill you if you promise to follow me around for the rest of my life,” he murmurs.

“I told you, Juliette. I’m going to paint you into everything.”

“I’m so in love with you, I’ve forgotten how to exist without you,” I say. “I love you like I was made to love you. Like I came into this world just so you could carve out my heart and leave yourself inside it.”

The truth is simple: I love her. Desperately. Endlessly. Irrevocably.

“I’ll paint you in the sky, Little Rose,” he promises. “Then I’ll write you in the stars, Trouble,” I whisper back. “That way we’ll always be together.”