Page 71 of All Our Secrets

My back heated where his hand rested as he led me to the elevator. Once we were inside and he smacked the button, I whispered, “You were harsh.”

“Better to be that way. I don’t want to give her hope when I shouldn’t have dated her to begin with.”

My shoulder bumped his forearm when I leaned closer. “What do you mean? You regret dating her?”

“Yes. Leave it at that.”

I leaned into him, frowning. “Say, do you likeanyone, you big grump?”

His gaze roamed over my shoulder, heating the spot until I put distance between us. The intensity went up a thousand degrees as I fought to rub his stare off my skin, to cool the flame still burning just below the surface. He turned his focus to my face, sending static arcing across my skin. It was electrifying. Wholly sexual.

I couldn’t face him anymore, so I peeked down at my sleeping son. Was I imagining that desire in his eyes? My clit pulsed like it had its own heartbeat, and I exhaled.No.I saw the hunger simmering there. Silas must be ravenous for what I needed too. He must have caught the lust bug from me.

Oh sweet baby Jesus.

There was no way I’d leave Tennessee without ruining our friendship.

∞∞∞

“Come on, you lazy shit,” Devin huffed as he waved Silas over. “Get on the go karts with us.”

Silas sat on the bench beside me as I patted T.J.’s back.

“Why do you always nag?” Silas shook his head at Devin.

“Afraid of losing?” Steven baited Silas next, which got a snort out of him.

Devin exhaled, then whined to me next. “Tell him to have some fun, Peyton. He might listen to you.”

I could feel my cheeks flame at his words. A spike of fear hit my bloodstream. Devin hadn’t sounded resentful or anything, but why would he say that? That I had sway over Silas?

“Yeah, Peyton. Tell him,” Sarah joined in. The others in our group laughed. All except Becky and her cousin’s wife, who watched me far too intently.

I sat straighter because of it. “Why don’t you join them?” I asked Silas.

He tilted his head down. “I’m good.”

I studied his profile as he watched the men load into the go karts. He placed his hands together between his spread legs as he slouched forward. He seemed full of energy, like a kid who wanted to be let loose. Was it because he thought I would be bored without his grumpy presence beside me? That assumption stole the air in my lungs. I sucked in a breath quickly. “Hurry.” I smacked his thigh. “Before another group gets in line behind them.”

“I’m not leaving—”

“I want to see you win,” I egged him on. “Or wreck as many as you can.Pleasetake out Devin. He needs to be knocked down a peg.”

My heart roared in my ears while Silas stared into my eyes, as if he could see me. The me I tried to keep hidden, that felt all the things I shouldn’t for him. When he broke the connection to join the men, I couldn’t help but watch him.

Sarah plopped down in his spot the second he left.

My shoulders slumped. “Don’t. It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“What am I thinking?” She quirked a brow.

“Forget it.” I shrugged. It wasn’t something I could explain anyway. Nothing I said would change the fact that I wanted to do something that felt like a betrayal to my husband.

“Theodore’s gone, Peyton, and King is a good—”

“Like I said, it’s not what you’re thinking. If there’s anything, it’s a physical response to someone who keeps appearing in my life.”

Sarah’s brows furrowed as she shook her head. “It’s not, but if that’s what you wish it was, stop now.”

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