Page 43 of That Kiss

“We need to talk.”

“I don’t think we do.” She picks the dance steps back up. “You had your chance.” She twirls around me then back out onto the floor. When she comes back around again, I snake my arm around her waist and pull her close to my body, following the steps with her.

“Let’s try this again,” I squeeze her against me, our bodies practically molded together. “I owe you an apology, honey, and that’s what I’m here to do.”

“Stop.” She pushes against my arm and I release her, following her off the dance floor. “I’m not interested in your apology or whatever other bullshit you want to feed me, Deck. I just want to have a good time and shake my ass, okay?”

“And you can, after I apologize.” She knows there’s no winning. She looks down to where I’ve now placed my hand on her. I know it’s desperate, relying on tactics I know she can’t resist. I step closer, my lips at her ear. I lower my voice to that deep whisper she loves: “We both know you can’t say no to me.” That pink blush creeps up her neck as she lifts her chin to look at me. For a second, I’m convinced she’s going to kiss me, but then the lust-filled haze passes from her eyes.

“You have two minutes.”

I don’t waste any time as I tug her out the back door of the bar, making sure we’re alone.

“Look at me.” I tip her chin up. “The way I treated you, the way I didn’t just tell you up front that I like you, that I want you, that I need you . . .” Her lips part and her breath quickens. “The way I behaved was childish and hurtful; you didn’t deserve that. I wasn’t being the man you deserve.”

“And now I’m supposed to just forgive you and fall into your arms?”

“I didn’t say that.” I drop my hand and slide it into her hair. “But I want to prove to you what you mean to me.” I lean forward slightly. “I never touched her like I’ve touched you.” She pushes my hand away and steps around me.

“So, what? She’s gone now and you’re just going to act like we can pick up where we left off?”

“I don’t expect that, no, but we both know this deserves a second chance.”

“A second chance?” She laughs. “We never had a first chance, Deck. We snuck around and hooked up. You couldn’t even bring yourself to admit you liked me or even offer to take me on an actual date. It was a booty call to you.”

Anger flares in my chest. “It wasn’t,” I snap. “It wasn’t a fucking booty call, Juniper. I know you’re hurt and pissed—I get it—but you’re lashing out. You don’t want to admit there’s something here, because that’d mean you’d have to put yourself at risk—you’d have to put your heart on the line, just like I’m doing right now.” Her mouth opens and then snaps shut. “Yeah, we’re the same person, Juney . . . both too scared to ever commit, running from the one thing that’s been right in front of us this entire time, but we’ve been too scared to go after it.”

“Don’t,” she says as I step closer to her. “Don’t say shit you don’t mean just to get me back in your bed.”

“I’m not.” I take another step toward her, closing the distance between us again. “You’re the one I want, Juney—the one I’ve wanted for so long. I can’t tell you how many nights you’ve haunted my dreams, how many nights I’ve woken up praying you’d somehow be in my bed.” I press my nose against her hair, nuzzling her as my hands slide their way up her body. “I need you,” I whisper the words again.

“No.” The word is firm. “You’re still the same, Decker—the same fuckboy who can’t figure out what he wants, and now that you can’t have me?—”

I drop my hands. “Are you kidding me? I’m not that man anymore! That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Do you know how many nights I’ve had to physically hold myself back from getting to you? Even when I lived a thousand miles away, I’d replay driving back here to you and practicing what I’d say over and over again. I repeated that speech in my head a thousand times. I have spent every single fucking day and night trying to run from you—from us, from that kiss—all those months ago, and I can’t.” I’m practically begging. “I can’t take this, Juney . . . I don’t want to run anymore.”

Her chin quivers, her eyes filling with tears as her bottom lip begins to tremble. “And yet, you never did come to get me. You never gave me that speech, Decker. Instead, you kissed me, knowing how I felt about you, completely fucking up my entire world, and then you ran.”

She steps around me and back into the bar, the sound of the heavy metal door scraping the door frame then slamming shut—signaling she’s gone.

Chapter 18

Juniper

“Welcome, everyone, to the annual Fall Fest volunteer meeting. I want to say thank you to those of you who are also working on building the parade floats and the behind-the-scenes sets, in addition to your regular volunteer hours.”

I don’t have to look far to spot Decker. He made sure he arrived at the last minute and took a seat in the front, just kitty-corner from me so that he’s perfectly in my line of vision. Since our last conversation Thursday night, I haven’t spoken to him, and I’ve made sure to ignore his texts and calls. I return my attention to Celeste Slade, Deck’s aunt, as she launches into her speech.

“Some of you have already been assigned a booth to work because you either reached out to me or one of the other ladies on the board.” Decker turns his head slowly to look at me, lifting his arm and placing it on the back of the empty chair next to him. I glance at him, giving him my best I’m completely unfazed by your presence here look. “As for those of you who haven’t received your assignment, we have four sections in this room based on events. We need an equal amount of people to sign up for each.”

Celeste goes through the rest of her speaking points before instructing those of us without an assignment to gather at one of the four tables in the back. I worm my way through a small group that’s blocking the center and settle on table two: game management. I figure if I’m going to be stuck working a booth for four hours, I might as well have fun playing games with kids.

“Oh, Juney, sweetheart, you’ve already been assigned a position.” Celeste cups my elbow, pulling me away from the table.

“I have? I didn’t reach out though.”

“I know, but Bernice did. She requested that you help work her beer tent with Decker.” I’m about to protest when Celeste stops me right in front of Deck and Bernice.

“Hey, there she is.” Bernice smiles. “Deck said you told him you wanted to help me this year, and I can’t thank you enough.” She puts her arm around my shoulder. “I was just telling your dad the other day how bad this herniated disc has gotten in my back.” I glance over my shoulder to see Deck looking back at me with a huge grin.

---