Page 36 of Playing with Temptation

“For taking me on as a client, even though I didn’t want to work with you initially. For coming with me on this trip. For being the voice of reason when I needed it most.”

She didn’t speak. Instead she leaned in closer, meeting him halfway as he captured her warm mouth in a kiss. He slipped his fingers in her hair, his tongue tangling with hers.

Kendra wrapped her arms around him and lifted onto her toes, as if trying to capture more of his mouth. One hand trailed down her back and over her backside.

He missed the feel of her body, pressed against his, and the taste of her sweet mouth. The way her body fit perfectly against his. The elevation of his temperature and the rapid beat of his heart whenever she was in his arms.

How could she not miss this?

Nate gripped her bottom, pulling her tightly against him, enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed together.

He swallowed the soft gasp that escaped her throat in response. She dropped the can opener. The sound of it crashing against the hard tile floor startled them both.

Kendra pulled away. She retrieved the utensil and returned to the work of opening the cans, her eyes focused on her task. “Thank you for saying that, but hold your gratitude until I get the results you’re looking for. Because I will.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Nate sighed and went back to stirring the contents of the skillet. Bits of garlic and onion had burned. “But regardless of what happens, I want you to know I’m grateful for what you’ve done. I appreciate you. I didn’t say that enough when we were together. It’s a mistake I won’t repeat.”

“Thank you for giving me this shot.” Kendra’s eyes met his. “Most exes wouldn’t be so gracious.”

Nate’s heart sank in his chest. He resented the fact that their romantic relationship was firmly in the past. A harsh reality that made his chest ache. Kendra seemed content with it. Able to turn her feelings on and off at will.

The hunger that consumed him wasn’t reflected in Kendra’s eyes. There was desire, but not the abject need that arose whenever he thought of her. Certainly not with the ferocity with which he felt it. If she’d felt that strongly about him, she would’ve jumped at his proposal to try again.

Despite the bulletproof force field she projected, Nate was sure her true feelings were buried below the surface, where she could keep them safe.

Even if she refused to acknowledge her feelings, Nate knew Kendra still loved him. It was evidenced by a thousand little things. The affectionate tone of her voice, the dreamy gaze when their eyes met and the soothing touch of her hand. It was couched in all the words she couldn’t say.

This time, though, he needed to be sure before he poured out his heart to her.

He loved Kendra, but he wouldn’t make a fool of himself again. He couldn’t endure the pain and humiliation of another rejection. The feeling of his heart being pierced by jagged, broken glass.

This time, he needed to hear her say the words first. That she loved him and needed him in her life. That she wanted to be with him.

“You’re not just an ex.” He loosened bits of browned sausage and garlic stuck to the bottom of the pan. “We have a son together, and we were best friends for most of our lives.”

A sad smile barely lifted the corner of her mouth as she scraped tomato paste from a can with a small rubber spatula. “That’s why we’re such good co-parents. Maybe we aren’t exactly friends now, but we have that foundation to rely on.”

Now it was his turn to snort.

“What did I say wrong?” She set down the empty can, then started to empty the next into the skillet.

“Co-parents. That term is a joke. It implies both parties are equal parents, but that’s not really possible, is it? One person is always left on the outside, looking in. Wishing they were there in those photos. In the moments that matter. The ones you’ll never get back.”

Kendra looked thoughtful as she opened one can of tomato sauce, then the other. She poured both into the pan, then carried all of the empty cans over to the sink and rinsed them before tossing them into the recycle bin.

“This isn’t how I envisioned my life, either, but it’s the best option we have.” Her tone was faint, apologetic. She wiped her hands on a towel. “Things could be a lot worse. Every day, I’m thankful Kai has you in his life.”

---