Page 26 of Pucks and Books

My heart sinks. He hangs up the phone and then looks at me with disappointment shining in his blue gaze. “I have to ask for forgiveness again, Lou.”

“You gotta go?” I ask sadly.

“I do. Cruz drove his car into a ditch and needs my help getting his shit out and a ride home.” He rushes to eat his pizza and then downs his wine. He looks over to me, and his hesitation is apparent. “Can I call you later?”

I want to say he can come right back, but I don’t want to seem too eager—or pathetic. I don’t want him to know I’ll miss him the moment he’s gone. “I’d like that.”

We exchange numbers, and then I take off his shirt to give it back to him. He looks over my bare chest and then shakes his head. “I hate having friends.”

I chuckle at that as he throws on his shirt, and then he gathers me in his arms. “I owe you dessert.”

I grin up at him. “I mean, the appetizer almost had me unable to walk.”

He clutches my ass cheeks in his hands. “That was my plan all along.” He kisses me then, deep and all tongue. It’s hot, and I never want to stop. He runs his tongue along mine, and then he sucks my tongue into his mouth. He tastes like the wine he drank, and I want more. He presses his hips into mine, the hard line of his cock making it real hard to let him leave. I pull back slightly, meeting his heated gaze as he cuddles me tighter in his arms. He holds me so close, I rise to my tippy-toes, but I’m secure in his arms. He kisses my nose then my top lip before leaning his head on mine. “I’ll call you.”

I want to make him promise, but I can’t project my issues on to him. If he wants me, he’ll call or text. If he doesn’t, at least I had this afternoon. I can’t make him want to be with me. He either wants to, or he doesn’t. “Okay.”

He doesn’t move, though. He still holds me, grazing his lips along mine and holding me tight against him. I kiss his lip then his chin before nuzzling my nose into his neck. “If you don’t go now, I’m gonna climb you like a tree and make you mine.”

He squeezes me, chuckling as he kisses my temple. “Maybe that’s what I’m hoping will happen.”

Before either of us can give in to our desires, his phone rings once more. “Damn it.” He holds me with one arm while he uses his other to bring his phone to his ear. “Yo. Dude, I’m coming. Relax.” He hangs up before pressing his lips to my forehead. “I gotta go.”

“Okay.”

Reluctantly, he lets me go, but not without a long, vigorous kiss goodbye. The kiss is so hot, I consider doing as I threatened and climbing him like a tree to hump his face. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. To my dismay, he pulls away, and I grab my robe before I walk him downstairs. Our kiss at the door is quick and not what I wanted to say bye with, but his phone had started ringing again.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s fine.”

“I’ll call you,” he promises, and I want to believe him. I do. But this all seems too good to be true. He answers his phone and waves at me as he walks out. I shut the door once he’s through it and lock it. I lean my back against the surface, breathless, and then I press my hand to my chest.

My heart hurts.

I’m scared.

What if I never see Ciaran again?

CHAPTER 16

Ciaran

I can’t believe I left Louisa for this.

Cruz is cussing like a sailor as he clears out all his personal items from his car. He’s pissed, and I guess I would be too if a whole-ass deer had jumped into the window of my brand-new Camaro. When the officer told Cruz, “Welcome to Tennessee,” I think it only pissed him off more. I get it. He had bought the car for himself when we moved here, and he loved it. Cruz slams things around, shaking with anger, while I’m just thankful this is the reason he is in a ditch and not because he was drinking. Oh, and that he’s alive.

Though, I might kill him for causing me to leave Louisa.

The disappointment was apparent in her eyes and has me raging to kick my friend’s ass, but I refrain, helping him load my truck with his things. He is already pissed as hell, and picking a fight with him won’t help either of us. “Where were you? You never leave me hanging like that.”

Oh, so he’s picking a fight. Bet. “I was busy. My life doesn’t revolve around you.”

“You’re never busy,” he throws back at me, and I scoff. He isn’t wrong. I’m either working out, working on the ice, or reading, so I guess I have always been accessible. But today, I wasn’t. I wouldn’t have been tonight either if he hadn’t called. I would still be wrapped up in Louisa’s body, eating her pizza, and enjoying every bit of her. I’m actually wondering what she’d say if I called to come back over after I get Cruz situated. I think she’d welcome me back in her home, and I’m surprised by how badly I want that.

When I walked out of her place, I assumed the distance would help me think, really decide what the hell I am doing here. But all I can do is think of her. How her body responded to me, how she cried and moaned with her release, and how fucking good she took my cock. The little sigh she made when she lay on my chest has my stomach fluttering, as does the memory of how pleased she was when she watched me eat her pizza. How she wanted so badly for me to like it, when that was a given. The pizza was fantastic, just as she is, and I want more of both.

I want her, badly, and I think I knew that from the moment I saw her.

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