Seducing powerful men into telling her all of their secrets is Scarlett Ambrose's specialty. Ace Hardwood is probably no exception.
*
The gorgeous, confident and charismatic Scarlett Ambrose is perfect candidate to help Terrence Burke take down the...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Ace looked into her eyes, trying to read her thoughts.
All he could see in her face and in her sparkling blue eyes was slight nervousness, possibly apprehension, but also a lot of courage. He had guessed that that was where the conversation was going, but wanting her to come to it in her own time, he had said nothing.
Scarlett stared back at him, trying to do the same.
Her heart was hammering in her chest, erratically. She waited for Ace to pull back, to take his hands off of her and frown.
He stared at her, with an open expression, softy and sturdy. He slowly moved his hands down her arms and took hold of her wrists.
Pressing the pads of his thumbs to them, he waited.
"Why is your heart racing, Sky?" he asked.
Scarlett swallowed, noticing that he had used her chosen name and not her given name. It made her feel strangely happy that it seemed like he didn't care about her past, but accepted her for who she was at that moment. He acknowledged that she was Scarlett now; no longer Vanessa. She took one of his hands and pressed it to her chest, right above her heart. Slowly, Ace began to feel the drumming of her heart. He looked at her, waiting for an answer to his question.
When she gave it, it surprised him.
"Because you're the only one I've ever told."
Ace went immobile for a few moments and then, he straightened. He put his arms around her and held her to him as tightly as he could.
He gazed at her. "You have never told anyone your real name?" he asked.
Scarlett cupped his face with both her hands. She ran her thumb across his lips and shook her head, gently. In a whisper, she said, "Not even Grace. Only you know."
"Sky..." Ace sighed, but he was at a loss for any further words.
She looked back at his eyes that were questioning her and she nodded. "Ask me," she said, softly, "It's okay. Ask me."
Questions swarmed in Ace's mind, but he didn't want to overwhelm her. He held her close and kissed her until one question formed, clearly.
He pulled back. "What happened to Vanessa Wright?" he asked.
Her hands on his shoulders, gripping him tightly, she answered, "I left her when I left that town. I didn't want to be scared and shy and unconfident. I didn't want to depend on people. I didn't want to be her anymore. Vanessa Wright doesn't even seem real to me anymore. She really is someone I used to know."
