Page 65 of Fast

His answer doesn’t shed any clarity on what’s changed since we drove home from the wedding.

“Yes. No. I—It’s complicated.”

Complicated.

I hate that word, and I can’t hide my irritation.

“Complicated? That’s bullshit.” I bite out. “If you changed your mind, just say it. I’d rather you be honest with me, Chance.” Saying that to him costs me a lot. I’m terrified of being rejected by him, but I’m not going to let him jerk me around.

“I didn’t change my mind, but?—”

“Then kiss me.” I challenge him.

“Fuck.” Chance shakes his head, as if he was fighting some kind of internal battle.

It’s over in the blink of an eye.

His lips are on mine, urgent and demanding. He presses me against my bedroom door with his much larger frame, his hands roaming my body.

It’s a frenzied kiss, hot and hungry. Chance devours me. He kisses me as if he needed me, like he needs air. His hands are roaming down my body, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.

When he breaks the kiss, I’m a panting mess. My whole body is throbbing, need courses through me, hot and urgent.

“Chance,” I beg. “Don’t stop.”

His forehead is resting against mine, his ripped chest heaving as he struggles to calm his breathing.

“I don’t want to stop, baby.” His hand covers my throat, as the pad of his thumb caresses my pulse point. “But I have to.”

It doesn’t make sense.

I know he wants me. I can feel how hard he is in his pants.

“Please, Chance. I don’t understand.”

He laughs, but it’s a jaded, bitter sound. “I don’t understand either. I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you, Zara. But Dad just told me that whatever is going on between us has to end.”

Now I’m even more confused than I was a second ago. “Why?”

His low, gravelly voice sounds pained. “Some bullshit about us being siblings now. He expects me to treat you like a sister.”

“A sister?” I gasp, horrified. “That’s ridiculous. We aren’t little kids anymore. He can’t expect us to act like siblings.”

Chance’s thumb reaches my jaw, his fingers cupping the back of my head, exposing my neck to his lips.

The contact with his warm, open mouth causes a wave of liquid heat to rush between my thighs.

“This is what I want to do to you, baby.” He pants, his blue eyes like two deep, dark oceans. “I want to kiss you, touch you. I want to be inside you.”

I want all those things too. “Maybe we can talk to him together?” I say. “I want all those things too. He can’t dictate how we feel about each other.”

There’s a moment of hesitation as he considers my words. “You don’t know my dad, Zara. He’s a great guy, he’s been a good father. He gave me and my brothers everything, especially after we lost our mom so young. But there’s another side to him. When he makes up his mind about something, he rarely changes his mind. It’s like the motorcycle ban. He decided motorbikes are the devil, and there’s nothing that will make him see things under a different light.”

It shouldn’t surprise me that he fell in love with my mom. They have that trait in common.

“He can impose laws on the town, but he can’t dictate how we feel about each other.” I argue.

There’s a beat of silence between us. “I told him that, but he didn’t want to hear it. He told me and Ares to keep our hands off of you.”

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