Page 7 of Just Between Us

“Only she knows what’s right for her. That’s all any of us know,” he added.

I wondered if he had read my expressions a little too well and understood what I’d been thinking.

“What if what’s right for her isn’t right for anyone else?” I asked.

“That’s still something only she can decide on.”

Suddenly, it seemed that we both realised we weren’t talking about Annie and her choice of date for the evening. As much as I wanted to tell Rich there was someone I wanted who wouldn’t be right for anyone else either, the moment was gone.

I let my arms slip from their place in front of my chest. “I guess I should go since she’s not coming back.”

He opened his mouth as though he was going to say something but seemed to think better of it. “If that’s what you want.”

I stared at him, nipping on my top lip with my bottom teeth. There was nothing in me that wanted to move from the sofa beside him, to end the evening when we had almost kissed. But equally, nothing in me wanted to feel more rejection than I already did after having my best friend dump me to go out with a guy we both knew was beneath her.

CHAPTER EIGHT

RICH

Lucy looked defeated,and I didn’t know what to say to comfort her, or to get us back to the uncomfortable yet exciting place we had been heading before Annie called.

“I think it’s probably for the best,” she said grimly, and I didn’t believe that any more than she appeared to.

With a sigh, she pulled her shoes back on and stood. Straightening her clothes, she went to make a move to the front door.

“Thanks for the food and the company.” She smiled at me, but there was a different emotion in her eyes.

I nodded. “Thanks for looking after my burn for me.”

Her smile grew warmer at the mention of her playing nurse to me. “No worries. Like I said, give it some air tomorrow and I’m sure it’ll be better in no time.”

Absently, I traced over the bandage on my wrist and followed her to the hallway. A million and one thoughts were running through my mind like a damn freight train.

“It was nice to see you, and you know you’re welcome here anytime.” Internally, I was willing myself to shut the hell up, thinking and feeling more and more like an idiot older dad who just couldn’t stop talking.

Lucy paused before she opened the front door and looked at me intensely. “It was really good to see you, too.”

In that split second, doubt, fear, and everything else got left behind as the need to make her feel wanted overwhelmed me. Without thinking about it, I did the unthinkable and went with my gut feeling. Well, maybe a little lower than my gut.

Before either of us had a chance to back out, I leaned into her personal space and kissed her firmly. My hands cupped her face, stroking across her jawline. Her soft lips parted for me, but not before there was a moment of hesitancy.

Feeling the gravity of what I perceived to be a mistake, I pulled away. “Sorry…”

Just as I was about to take a step back and apologise profusely for my error in judgement, her hands caught hold of mine and she pulled me back in against her.

“No,” she whispered as she crushed her lips against mine.

The magnitude of the lust I felt for her washed over me like a tidal wave, and I moved us back, pressing her up against the wall by the door. My hands went back to her face, holding it tenderly before coming to rest at the nape of her neck, fingers entwining in her hair.

She grabbed at my T-shirt, pulling me hard against her body. Her tongue rolled over mine, dancing between her mouth and mine. There was a passion between us. I hadn’t been aware of the intensity of it, but it was boiling over, threatening to scorch us both deeply.

Our lips parted as we paused to catch our breath, and we stood there in silence, still pressed against each other.

Lucy was the one to break the silence. “Fuck.” Her grip loosened from my T-shirt and she traced over her lips with one hand.

I gave her a little space, waiting for her reaction to judge how best to handle the situation next. I knew what I wanted to do. It probably wasn’t what Ishouldhave wanted, but it was.

“Annie’s going to kill me.”

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