Page 34 of Forbidden Flame

Daphne gave me a sad smile. “It’s not that. Or maybe it is. I don’t know. My life isn’t my own. For now, I have my daughter to think about, and my life is on the farm.”

“I get it. But tonight, it’s just you and me. No brothers. No cousins. No feuds. No worries.”

Daphne smiled wide as she dug into her salad. “That sounds amazing.”

We ate and talked. It felt intimate even though we were seated at one long table. It was difficult to talk to anyone farther down, so it felt natural to talk to Daphne, and no one would question it.

When we were finished eating, my arm rested on the back of her chair, my fingers playing with the ends of her hair. I wondered when I’d get a chance to see her after tonight. If she’d take me up on my offer to spend the night.

I felt like we were teetering on the edge of a cliff.

Gia crouched between our chairs. “Would you two go out and dance? I’m asking the bridal party to get the dancing started.”

I pushed back my chair. “We can do that.”

“Thanks. You’re the best, Cole,” Gia said before moving to the next couple.

“Shall we?” I asked as Daphne took my hand. “It sounds like we’re being ordered to spend time together.”

I led her to the floor once again and pulled her into my arms. I wished the night would never end.

The future rolled out ahead of me, painfully empty. I had work but nothing else.

Daphne had been clear that there wasn’t a place for me in her life, but I wouldn’t give up hope that we could figure something out.

Chapter 8

Daphne

I couldn’t believe I was in Cole’s arms again. This time, in front of his entire family. It was almost too good to be true that we were expected to be together tonight. That we could touch and talk without anyone thinking twice about it.

“Did your cousins give you a hard time?” I was thinking they must have, or he wouldn’t have put on a front about my pies.

“That’s all my cousins do. It’s like their favorite pastime. But I didn’t tell them anything personal. After I dropped you off at your van, I went back to the hot tub and cleaned up.”

“I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble for you.”

He pulled me closer. “I think you’re the definition of trouble. Of all the people I had to like, it was my enemies’ youngest sister.”

I gazed up at him. “I could say the same about you.”

“Is that what makes this feel like so much more? It’s dangerous for us to like each other?” Cole asked.

“I agree; the forbidden could spice things up, but that wasn’t my motivation that night.”

“What was it then?” Cole asked.

I thought carefully about my answer before I spoke. “I liked you. I felt a connection, and for once, I felt free. I could do whatever I wanted for one night. It didn’t have to mean anything.”

“What if it did?” Cole asked, his gaze intent on me.

“I know what you mean, but we can’t.”

Cole spun me on the dance floor and dipped me.

Laughing, I said, “I didn’t know you could dance.”

Cole shook his head. “My cousins signed me up for dance classes once to be dicks.”

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