The look of relief on Poppy’s face tells me everything I need to know. Not only is she stripping now, but she’s obviously got other shit going on in her life.

Well, now that I’ve found her, I sure as hell won’t let her get away again. I should never have let her in the first place, but it was the only way I knew I could keep her safe. From me.

I watch her, wanting to ask what happened in the last three years to get to this point. But also not wanting to ruin the sudden shift in mood, not wanting to change whatever it is that has her leaning against me as the train flies through the dark tunnels of the city.

Hooking my arm around her neck, I pull her closer, leaning down and pressing a hard kiss to her head’s sweet scent.

She turns to me, tilting her face up, and the swell of her tit brushes my chest. I’m acutely aware of the fact that she has no bra on. And now that the image of her taut nipples is burned into my brain, I’m suddenly not able to think about anything else.

Shit.

This is exactly why I left in the first place. She’s fucking irresistible. I’ve wanted her for years. And I always knew it was wrong. I couldn’t live with her another day without acting on the impulses that drove me mad.

But here I am taking her back to my apartment on the Upper East Side. And she’s no longer that young girl she used to be. She’s all woman, lush curves and carnal need. I see it in her eyes as she stares up at me. There is no mistaking that look.

There is no way this won’t end badly. And I feel powerless to stop it.

But I’m damn well going to try.

“Dom,” she says softly, reaching up to brush my hair off my forehead. “I’ve missed you.”

A stab to my heart. So fucking sweet. This girl is going to be my demise.

Her fingers trail down my face, tracing over my jaw, her eyes hungry as she takes me in. It would be so easy to forget for just a moment why this is wrong. Why it can’t work. To dip my head down and taste those full, pouty lips. To slip my hand under her shirt and tease those nipples that are hard pebbles beneath the thin white fabric.

“I missed you too, baby,” I grit out, unable to take my eyes from her face. I swallow as she turns more to face me, so close, her mouth mere inches from mine.

Poppy takes my face in her hands and reaches up, dropping a feather-light kiss on my cheek. I feel my jaw tick with the insane amount of restraint it takes to remain still as she watches me with those big baby blues.

Her hands drop to my chest, her fingers gripping my shirt as if she’s afraid I’ll disappear again. What she doesn’t realize is that I suddenly feel powerless against her. That after a lifetime of fighting it, seeing her tonight, having her here next to me, I don’t know if I’m able to fight the need that draws me to her. I always held onto control by a thin thread, and it feels like it’s about to snap with her soft, warm hands on my body.

If not for the fact we’re on a public train, I don’t know that I could keep it together, keep from devouring her. And I’m stupid enough to be taking her back to my apartment.

My eyes sear into hers, and her breathing becomes more labored, her chest heaving against mine, torturing me. Her eyes are dark with lust. It’s a fucking good thing she never looked at me like this when we were younger. I would have ruined her.

I lift my hand to her porcelain face, brushing my thumb over her lips then winding my fingers into her blonde waves. “You have no idea what’s going through my mind right now. I shouldn’t take you home with me.”

Poppy’s mouth parts on a gasp as she studies my face. “Tell me.”

I take her hand from my chest and press it against my raging hard-on, showing her exactly what I’m thinking, what she does to me. “You may regret agreeing to come with me.”

She shakes her head, licking her lips and crushing my last bit of resolve to do the right thing. Her hand tightens around my stiff cock, and I groan.

But her words completely do me in.

“Regret is the last thing I’m going to feel. I’ve wanted this as long as I can remember.”