Page 56 of Walk Off

All she could focus on was how he’d included her in who he wanted to spend time with. Not just

Jasmine.

Her heart was cracking open like a goddamn egg. “Jasmine would love to spend as much time as possible with you. I explained to her that you would have to leave soon and she understands.”

He took a tentative step closer. “What about you?”

She shook her head once. “Of course, I understand that you have to leave for baseball.”

He tilted his head, a small gleam in his eyes. “That’s not what I’m asking. Would you love to spend as much time as possible with me?”

Breath whooshed out from her lungs. “Kyle, we talked about this. Jasmine has to come first.” She hated those words. Hated saying them and hated how they felt on her tongue. If she could choose to have any life in the world, she would choose one that included both Jasmine and Kyle.

“Spending time together with our daughter isn’t giving her false expectations. It’s showing her that two people who love her will always be there for her.”

It did funny things to her body to hear that he already loved Jasmine. Of course, he did. That’s who he was at his core.

“We have to keep it platonic,” she said strongly when what she really wanted to do was tell him to take her right there on the floor.

“Define platonic.” The gleam was back. Although maybe it had never left. She didn’t remember him being so playful and flirty eight years ago.

“No flirting or innuendo and absolutely no touching of any kind.” Those were good rules and should stop anything before it started.

He slipped his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. “If you say so.”

“I do and I think you know it’s for the best.”

“I’ll follow your lead on this, but I want to see you too. Not just Jasmine.”

She nodded. “Fine. You can join us every night for dinner, if you want. You can even come to watch Jasmine’s gymnastics with me, if you want.”

“I want.” His eyes heated for a split second before calming.

“We should probably go see what they're doing. Dallas and Edwin have been teaching Jasmine some soccer skills and she's gotten pretty good.”

“I can’t wait to see them.” He sounded genuinely excited.

She felt him directly behind her as she walked toward the large room at one end of the house that was basically a small indoor soccer field. When they reached the doorway and she stopped, Kyle’s front came into contact with her back. He reached out his hands to grip her hips, steadying them both. “Sorry about that,” he whispered in her ear.

Was it just her or was his voice seductively lower? And why were her panties suddenly wet?

She’d made the rules and here she was already wanting to break them. She had to stay strong. Not for herself, but for Jasmine. She could not complicate matters more by falling for Kyle again.

Who was she kidding? It wouldn't be falling again. She was and would always be in love with Kyle Dulanay.

Loving him and knowing she couldn’t be with him was her cross to bear for what she’d done. A punishment, of sorts, for lying and keeping his daughter from him.

She’d made her bed and she had to lie in it alone.

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