Page 82 of Never You

This whole situation is confusing for a whole lot of reasons, but I do believe him. I do believe he wouldn’t hurt me on purpose.

“I know,” I hush against his lips. My hands move up, holding his handsome face between my palms. My fingertips run through his rough five o’clock shadow, and without thought, I press my lips against his.

The act feels good. So good.

Like his lips are made for mine. Like his body is forever molted to be draped over me, fitting like a glove. Before this week, I couldn’t imagine taking anything from LA but a distant memory, let alone staying in touch with anyone.

Now when I look into the future, all I see is him.

Jared James Jensen.

He’s clawing his way through my dead bolted heart, and the scary part is that he’s succeeding. Holding a crowbar up in the air, he’s almost through the door. I can feel it. And it’s scaring the shit out of me.

It’s like safety and danger, twirling around in a daunting hurricane, ready to lift me up and never let me go.

As if he can feel my fear seeping from my body into his, he slowly pulls back, tugging me closer against his chest.

“What are you so afraid of, baby?”

That you’ll leave like everybody does? That you’ll find out I’m damaged goods?

That I’m falling for you…

“Stop,” he commands gently in my ear. His lips land below my ear, pressing a sizzling kiss on the sensitive spot. Feeling the warmth of his lips against my skin makes my thighs clench together as I close my eyes and fist his shirt in desire.

Fucking hell, I’m terrified of being with this man.

But fucking hell, I want him in any way possible.

He grips my chin, tilting my head so he can look at my face. “Open your eyes.”

I do as he says, parting my lips and looking into his eyes. They remind me of the blue of the ocean, and for a second, I wishI could drown in them forever. Swim in the safety of his gaze, knowing he will hold my hand and have my back.

“I wantyou.Don’t think about anything else. We will figure it out, okay?”

I hold still, searching his eyes for any deceit or betrayal, to look for any lies, but I can’t find any. They radiate only truth.

“Okay,” I finally say with a cracking voice, knowing I don’t have a choice.

Neither of us seems to know where we are going. But it doesn’t matter.

I already know I can’t let go anyway.

24

Within twenty-four hours, my heart set its eyes on her, and there is no way back.

I can see the conflict in her gorgeous eyes. I can see the words sitting on the tip of her tongue. Silently asking for the clarity we both crave, because there is no hiding our feelings anymore. I can feel it running through my veins, and I can’t give her comforting words right now.

The ones where I tell her I want more than just this road trip. I want more than just this week. The ones where I tell her that I want to get to know her more and see where this goes. But my parents' expectations are lingering in my head, and I don’t want to drag her into the madness of the Jensen political family.

Not yet, anyway. I need to do this carefully, before they start to throw threats that will affect Rae’s family. Not to mention me being traded.

Who knows where I’ll be playing next year.

But I can’t let her go just yet.It’s too soon.

“I wantyou.Don’t think about anything else right now. We will figure it out, okay?”

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