Page 25 of The Disputed Legacy
“Seeing you is the brightest highlight of my day,” I admitted.
“Boy, lay on the flattery all you want,” Margo grumped as she walked by, “but that ain’t gonna work with this one.” She jerked her thumb at Willow.
Then what will work?I was getting near the most epic case of blue balls that could happen.
“You’re sweet to say that,” Willow said, “but she’s right. Iamflattered, but I’m not in the right frame of mind to date anyone.”
I watched her, mesmerized by her sweet expression. It was a soft rejection, but she was standing her ground. This woman wouldn’t be swayed, and I had to admit that was hot. A woman who knew what she wanted? It was damned sexy.
Still, I had to wonder why she was so against giving me a chance. Had she been hurt before? Was she skeptical of me, particularly? If she knew who I was, that would be an intimidating factor, but she acted clueless about what family or power I belonged to.
I wasn’t used to being rejected, and it was an oddity I couldn’t understand.
“We could be friends,” she proposed after a long moment of quiet.
“Friends?” I caught myself from laughing out loud. Friends. Yeah, right. We could try that and just see how long that would last. The second she could see that I was this interested and ready to get her into my life, she wouldn’t want to leave.
Even though she was giving me an alternative option for something with her, I couldn’t shut off this frustration. What bothered me more was how hurt I was by her telling meno, thanks. I’d never endured this experience. And for it to come from her, it stung. I’d already been putting her on that high of a pedestal, thinking about her too much and letting her get under my skin.
“Yeah, friends.” She raised both brows in a silent question, almost as if she were second-guessing that offer.
I sighed, looking off to the side as she backed up to grab her purse from beneath the counter space. When she rounded the opening to the area, I stood up straight and watched her leave with a wave to Margo.
We didn’t speak as I walked her outside. Side by side, we moved together until we were on the sidewalk. I racked my mind for a reply to being friend-zoned. I wanted a lot more than being friends, but I was aware that I had to pace myself. I couldn’t risk scaring her off or pushing her. I didn’t know everything about her, but I was very aware that I had to take this slowly.
“Well… good night.” Before she stepped away, she leaned in close and pressed her lips to my cheek. An instant hit of need and warmth went through me. Just like when I’d captured her hand to stop her from writing an order on her pad, that electric zing snapped from the contact between us. That was how aware I was, how acutely tuned in to her touch that I could be frozenwith a small thrill at her reaching out to me at all. To take the initiative toward me. Tokissme.
It was a peck on my cheek, nothing more, but because it was her lips brushing against my skin, it felt like everything.
Grabbing her elbow lightly, I kept her close. Before she could step back, she had to lift her face to mine and answer me.
“What was that for?” I asked, my voice low.
With her almost flush to me, my hand on her arm and her gaze dropping to my lips as she exhaled a breathy sigh, it seemed like we had entered a private bubble. Like it was just the two of us staring each other down. The rest of the world faded and only this tense moment hung between us.
“What was that for, Willow?” I asked again as I slid my hand down from her elbow. It was a slow caress until I came to her hand. Then I squeezed it before releasing her.
She flinched a little from the grip on her fingers, as if I had her in a trance.
“You just said you wanted to be friends, then you kiss me?” I teased playfully.
My heart was thundering so fast from that simple kiss on my cheek. My dick was about to get harder yet with the idea of having her lips on me again—anywhere.
“Are you trying to play games with me?” I asked as I stepped back, watching her open and close her mouth as she sought an answer. “You’re sending me mixed messages here.”
“No.” She shook her head quickly, jerking it as she blinked. “No. I’m not. No mixed messages. No games.” She tucked the errant strands of red behind her ears. Shrugging as she glanced away and retreated a step, she cleared her throat. “I kissed your cheek. That’s all. As a good night.”
“Hmm.” I shoved my hands in my pockets, committing this moment to memory. The first time I’d gotten her truly flustered was a milestone as far as I was concerned.
“Nothing more,” she insisted with a nod as she backed up more.
Sure. Sure. Nothing more.
I saw it as everything more. A tempting sign that she wasn’t completely platonic toward me. It was just a peck on my cheek, but it was the first move made between us, and I would be damned if I had to interpret that as a sign of friendship and nothing more.
Where this beautiful mystery woman was concerned, I wantedeverythingmore.
“Good night,” I called out to her as she hastily turned around and walked away.
