Page 19 of Right Place, Right Time (Second Chances)
She stops short and crosses her arms over her chest. “Nuh-uh. No, you’re not,” she says, standing her ground and shaking her head. She’s adorable.
I stop walking and turn to face her. “Just a short ride around the block. I’ll go slow. I promise.” She starts shaking her head again. “Please,” I beg, holding my hands up in front of me like I’m praying. Next I’ll break out the pout, and I really hope it doesn’t have to come to that.
She wearily eyes my bike in the lot across the street.
“I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”
She looks up at me and something passes between us. I’m not sure what it is, but I want to find out. I know I should keep this girl as far away from me as I can, but I just can’t stay away. I’m drawn to her. The same way I think she’s drawn to me. I should tell myself to get on my bike, start riding, and don’t come back.
Starting something with Kate can only lead to trouble.
And that trouble is me.
***
I take the turns very slow, but Kate’s a natural. She’s glued to my back and probably cutting off the circulation in my abdomen, but she leans in on the turns and doesn’t make any jerky movements. She’s a great passenger, considering she was terrified to get on the bike. Once, on a straight stretch of road, I felt her relax a little and even lift her head from my back. Then we’d approached a bend, and she immediately latched back on.
I pull back into the parking lot of her complex and park, holding the bike steady so she can climb off.
“That was so much fun!” Kate squeals as she hops off, taking off the helmet.
“See? I told you.”
“I never said it wouldn’t be fun. I only said it was dangerous,” she points out.
She has a point. “Well I’m glad you liked it.”
“I did!” She jumps up and wraps her arms around my neck, giving me a hug. “Thank you for making me try it.” When the front of her body presses against mine, I freeze. Our eyes catch as she slides down my body and, again, that same something from earlier passes between us. My hands move from her back to her waist and stay there. I can’t seem to let go of her.
This time, I’m certain she feels it, too. I can see it in her eyes. I can feel it in the way her arms grip my biceps and her body remains pressed up against me. I’m lost in her eyes until they dart down to my mouth, and then I’m looking at her mouth…at her lips, shiny from her pink tongue having just swept across them.
I want my tongue to swipe across them.
“Jay,” she says. Her voice is husky with want, and I groan.
“This isn’t a good idea,” I tell her, knowing what she wants but still not letting her go.
“Just a kiss?” she asks, leaning up on her tip-toes and clasping her hands behind my neck. I hadn’t even realized they’d moved from my arms. I’m that lost in her eyes.
“Kate…”
I can kiss her, can’t I? There’s no harm in a kiss. Ifit’sjustakiss. It’s everything that comes after the kiss that’ll be trouble. My hands are still on her waist and I squeeze, pulling her firmly against me.
“Jay, please kiss me,” she begs, and my willpower breaks at the sound of her voice.
I lean my head down, briefly brushing my nose against hers before I claim her lips. They’re soft and supple and oh so sweet. I lick the seam of her mouth and she opens on a whimper that instantly makes me hard. She gasps against my mouth just before my tongue presses against hers. She tastes so incredibly sweet, and I wish we were anywhere but here…in a parking lot…where anyone can see us. Then I wish I was anyone but me…a man with a past unworthy of such a pure and perfect woman.
Reality slaps me in the face, and I end the kiss, pulling away from her. Her eyes are glazed over with lust, and her lips are swollen. I want to drag her into her apartment and have my way with her, but I can’t. I won’t. She deserves so much better than me.
“We can’t do this, Kate.” I step away from her and over to my bike, stowing the spare helmet.
“Why not?” she asks, her voice now belligerent.
I turn to look at her, and I want to smile at how cute she looks, pouting with her arms folded across her chest, but I know if I did she’d go all spitfire on me, and I can’t have that. It’ll make it harder to leave…I love it when she gets fired up. After reading those later letters from her, I’d been afraid she’d lost some of her light. But it’s still there. My sunshine is still there.
No, notmysunshine.
I let out a sigh. “Kate, you know why. I’m no good for you. There’s no sense in starting something that isn’t gonna be finished. You’ve got potential, and I’ll only bring you down.”
