Page 60 of Wasted On You

He shifted his feet, obviously uncomfortable, but his eyes never left hers. “The same reason anyone gets together. She was available, and so was I. Val is no different than any of the other women I’ve hooked up with.” He rubbed his jaw. “Look, if you want a play-by-play of every single woman I’ve been with since you’ve known me, then whatever this is right here isn’t going to work.” His eyes were searching, and she felt as if he could see into her soul. It was a sobering thought that this man had so much power and didn’t know it.

“I’m no angel. Never claimed to be. I like women, and they seem to like me. But all that is history. I don’t want anyone else. Haven’t wanted anyone since I tasted you last fall.” His eyes burned. “You wrecked me that night, Wilkens.”

His words fell across her skin in delicious waves. “You haven’t been with anyone since us?” She found herself asking the question, even though she was pretty sure she didn’t want to know the answer. Because there was no way he’d been celibate for a year.

“There’s been no one.” He took a step forward, those dark eyes of his boring into her very soul. “I can’t get you out of my fucking head.”

Heat erupted between her legs, a slow, steady throb that would drive her crazy if she didn’t do something about it.

“I don’t know what Val did to you. I’m sorry if I should, but?—”

“I don’t want to talk about Val anymore. She doesn’t matter.”

It hit her then.Val didn’t matter. And maybe she’d been using Val as a wall to put up between her and Mike Paul. A way to protect herself. A way to punish Mike Paul even though he hadn’t done anything other than be himself.

“Ivy,” he said hoarsely. “I don’t want to fuck this up.”

Slowly, she let out the long breath she’d been holding. “I want you,” she admitted. “Right now. Right here.” She paused. Could he hear her heartbeat? It felt like a damn drum pounding inside her ribcage.

He said her name in a way that made her lady parts sing. “Jesus, you’re making it hard for me to be the good guy. The one who walks away when he should.”

Before he could move or say another word, Ivy closed the space between them and reached up. She grabbed his face, stood on her tiptoes, and finally pressed her mouth against his. He groaned into her but didn’t resist when she melted into him and deepened the kiss.

It didn’t take long for Mike Paul to take over, his tongue aggressive and then gentle as they tasted each other. His hands were in her hair, on her back, then slid to her butt. He held her in place and kissed her until her head swam and her knees buckled. She swayed against him, the throb between her legs so intense she groaned in frustration. Ivy gyrated slowly, smiling inwardly when she felt his erection, so when he tore his mouth from hers, she was confused.

“What?” she managed to say as she blinked up at him. His handsome face stared down at her, his expression dark, his eyes smoldering.

He swore and touched her bottom lip with his thumb. “I want you so fucking bad, and it’s killing me to step away, but I can’t do this. You’re engaged, and that’s a line I can’t cross.”

Ivy felt as if a bucket of cold water had just been dumped over her head, but instead of cooling her off, it sizzled and only made matters worse. She was drunk on desire, heavy with need, and more than a little irritated at the turn of events.

“You didn’t sleep with Anna Parker?” she asked, voice rough.

“Really? That’s what we’re doing?”

“Millie Sue told me she used to come into the Sundowner asking for you.”

He sighed and shook his head. “Not until she left Dave. I swear it.”

“Tracy Bell?”

“Never touched her.” He winced. “Well, there was that one time, but she wasn’t herself. It was only a kiss, and she started it. I ended it and walked away.”

“Crystal Hines?”

“They were split. He was screwing his office assistant. Folks just didn’t know it yet.” His mouth tightened, he was obviously pissed. “Is that what you think of me? That I’m that guy? The one who would screw a married woman and not give a shit? I’ve never been a dick. Never lied to anyone. I’ve always been upfront and honest.”

What the hell was wrong with her? Ivy didn’t want to go over ancient history. Not now, anyway.

“Let’s forget about everything but us. Nothing matters except what we both feel right now.” Ivy let out a shaky breath and raised a questioning eyebrow. “Don’t you want me?”

“The fuck kind of question is that? You know I do.” Mike Paul was wrestling with something. “But if this is going to work, you need to break things off with Lafferty.”

“It’s not…I can’t…I…” Shit, who knew that Mike Paul had such a strong moral compass? “There are things you don’t know. Things I can’t talk about. Not now, anyway.”

“What things?”

“I can’t tell you. Please, just trust me on this.”

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