before Dash knew what hit him. Exactly the opposite of the single, long-term affair she’d had with Jason Kingsley, which followed all the right rules and a proper timeline and involved half-hearted kisses and promises. Something tingled at the base of her spine. She didn’t think anything with Dash would be half-hearted.
“We dated for about a year. We were married for three.”
Sienna blinked. Longer than she’d imagined. He must have loved her. She wondered what it felt like to be loved by someone like Dash, wild and unpredictable, with lean muscle and teasing dimples and blue eyes that looked right into your soul.
“I found out she was cheating on me with an old boyfriend. Maybe she was cheating the whole time, I don’t know and don’t want to know.” He waved one hand as if to dismiss Edie’s infidelity, their marriage, the whole conversation.
“Ouch.” Which of your tattoos marks that moment? She’d studied them over the last few weeks, the ones she could see, anyway. They weren’t random, despite what he’d said about the dragon. He had a whole history on his skin, there for the reading if she only took her time.
“The cheating would’ve been bad enough,” he added, “but she cleaned out my bank account and took my Mustang. First car I ever bought with my own money, and she took the title and screwed me.”
“Oh, Dash. I’m so sorry.”
“Live and learn.” His voice sounded casual, but his hands tightened on the wheel again. “I put her name on everything when we got married, so I couldn’t do much legally.” He started to say something else but stopped. “Last I heard, she’d gotten hooked on heroin, so it’s just as well things didn’t work out. People make bad choices, me included.” His gaze flicked to Sienna. “Honestly, I don’t talk about my marriage because I’m embarrassed by it. It’s better left in the past.”
She reached across the seat and touched his leg. “I understand. And I’m really sorry that happened to you.”
He pulled around the circular drive of the grand, three-story Villa Amore. The reception hall was the it place to hold any kind of event. Every window and doorway blazed with light. “And I’m really sorry you had to find out from Eva Hadley.”
“Don’t be. Everyone knows she’s the town gossip. I’m surprised she didn’t tell me weeks ago.”
Dash eased to a stop by the entrance. “What do you say we forget about everything else except having a good time tonight?”
“I say that sounds perfect.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dash hadn’t meant to tell Sienna so much about Edie, but once he started, the words came out like rain from a thundercloud. He wondered now if that changed how she saw him. Divorced before the age of thirty. A failed marriage behind him. Sienna didn’t seem like the type who failed at much. But maybe it didn’t matter. She’d be gone by the time summer rolled around.
The thought put a tight spot in the pit of his stomach that surprised him.
“It’s beautiful,” Sienna said as they walked inside. She looked around the ballroom. Long tables lined the walls and auction prizes covered them, fancy wrapped baskets and over-sized gift certificates mounted in frames. Pet Me! Love Me! Take Me Home! appeared everywhere Dash looked. The tightness in his stomach moved lower. Maybe they should choose a motto with less sexual innuendo next year.
An older man in a tuxedo emerged from the crowd, and Dash’s stomach turned over. Doc Halloran. Before he could turn or run or pretend he hadn’t seen Doc, the old man offered a hand. “Dashiell Springer, my man. How’re ya doin’?”
“Ah...” He knew Doc hadn’t had any contact with Al in over a decade. He knew the man probably felt the same way about his son as Dash did. But still, seeing the same Halloran eyes and the same lazy grin made his gut twist. “Hello.” He made himself shake Doc’s hand. “It’s been a while.”
“Sure has. Got a fitness question, if ya have a minute.” Doc tipped his head at Sienna. “Miss, can I steal him away?”
“Of course.” Sienna’s gaze moved from Dash to Doc, and he knew what she was thinking. Didn’t take a rocket scientist to read the tension between them. She reached out and squeezed Dash’s arm as if in reassurance. “I see a couple people I know from school. Let me go say hello.”
They moved to the side of the ballroom, and Dash’s chest went tight. He’d never seen Doc step foot inside