Page 12 of Walk Off

She was doomed to always crave his touch and only his touch.

“Are you having fun?” Rick asked as they swayed to the music.

“Yeah, it’s been a great night.” That was both the truth and also a lie. The wedding and marriage of her friend were the great parts. Seeing Kyle again was less than stellar.

Although, that wasn’t really true either. As much as she was fearful of what would happen when she told him about Jasmine, she’d wanted to see him again for so long. He was the only guy who ever made her feel special.

Not that there had been any other guys.

She was embarrassed to say that Kyle Dulanay was the only guy she’d ever had sex with.

It had been so long that she might as well be a virgin.

She’d attempted to date the last couple of years but none of the guys interested her. She’d go out with them a few times, but as soon as they kissed her, she’d end things. Their kisses were not what she wanted.

They weren’t Kyle’s kisses.

His sweet and tender, but also urgent and possessive kisses, were all she wanted to remember.

“Excuse me,” a voice said from behind her. A voice she heard in her dreams every night. “Do you mind if I cut in?”

“Um.” Rick looked at her to see if she cared. “I guess that’s fine.” He loosened his grip around her waist and stepped back. “Thanks for the partial dance.”

Kyle took his place, standing in front of her and pulling her close, as he wrapped his arm around her body. His beautiful brown eyes were full of something that looked a lot like jealousy. “Are you trying to make me jealous? Because it fucking worked.”

She looked around at the people near them. No one was paying them any attention but it still wasn’t the place to make a scene. “How can there be jealousy when we haven’t seen each other for eight years?” She spoke softly so that no one overheard them.

“You’re telling me you’d be okay if I asked some other woman to dance? If I held her close and whispered in her ear.” As he spoke, he pulled her even closer until their bodies were touching and his mouth lowered to her ear, his lips grazing the shell.

A shiver ran through her. “Yes.” God, when had she become such a proficient liar?

Probably the day she’d broken up with him with heinous lies and then hid his baby from him. And she’d been lying ever since.

“Really.” The word was drawn out and seductive in her ear. “And if I ran my hand up her side and then back down before palming her ass, you’d have no problem with it?” His hands took the path of his words, but just before he reached her butt, he stopped.

She whimpered at the lack of his touch against her ass.

He laughed deeply. “You can lie to yourself but you can’t lie to me.” He pressed his lips against the underside of her ear. “Your body is giving you away.”

Oh God, she’d missed his touch so much that just these small touches were lighting her on fire. “Kyle, you have to stop.” There was no power behind her words because she, most definitely, did not want him to stop.

“Are you in a relationship? Dating anyone?” He lifted his head and his eyes held hope. So much hope that she’d say no and give in to what he was asking.

This was her chance. She could lie and say she was. Tell him that she had a boyfriend. Make this all stop. It was the easy way out.

She didn’t seem to want easy.

She only wanted him.

“No.” She shook her head once. “There’s no one.”

His eyes darkened and he leaned in closer, his lips so close to hers. “There’s no one for me either.” Of course, she knew that. She’d followed his career and his personal life through the years. She’d seen him with women but not in a couple of years. He mostly stayed out of the limelight except for when it came to baseball.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “This can’t happen.”

“Tell me why,” he pleaded as his fingers branded her hip through her dress, her body so desperately wanting to give in.

“It’s been too long, we don’t even know each other.” That was the only excuse she could come up with. It was also lame, and also a lie. She might not know everything about him but he was still the guy she’d fallen in love with. She knew that much.

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