Page 63 of Forbidden Love

Kylie was hard on herself, and I think it had everything to do with how she’d recently lost her job and moved back home, where she wasn’t sure her family respected her.

“We did it,” I said to her as I parked near the restaurant.

Neither of us made a move to leave.

“Is it enough, though?” her voice was small.

I shifted to face her. “It’s never contingent on any one thing in business. There are so many things we could try.”

A slow smile spread over her face, and I wanted to take a snapshot of this moment and keep it forever. “Yeah, okay.”

I leaned over and kissed her softly. I wished we were alone, and I could show her how proud of her I was, but my family was waiting for us.

Inside, we sat at the two large tables the hostess had pushed together. My family was loud and fun, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I watched as Kylie accepted praise from my brothers and her friends. With each passing comment, she relaxed more. I just wished she could see how great she was. She didn’t need to be in another country to be valued for that. She fit in here. Even if she always felt like an outsider with her family, she’d still have mine.

We ate pizza and salad until we were stuffed. Between the baseball games and the greasy food, everyone was ready to head home.

On the drive to Kylie’s cabin, a small smile played on her lips.

“What are you thinking about?”

She glanced over at me. “I’m looking forward to building that first dugout.”

I grinned. “I had visions of you in cutoff jean shorts and that white tank top with a tool belt.”

“Are you planning another run through the sprinklers?” Kylie asked.

I nodded. “It’ll be hot work.”

She let her head fall back and laughed.

My heart was lighter, knowing she felt better. I never thought I could care so much about another person that I’d put making her feel better above my own needs. I think I might have been falling in love, or maybe I was already there. I just needed to convince her that this was the place she should come home to.

When she sobered, she asked, “So you had had visions of me building dugouts before we hooked up?”

I didn’t like that she referred to our relationship as hooking up, but I let it go for now. “Can you blame me? A chick working with tools is hot, and it’s not just any girl. I’ve only thought about it with you.”

She smiled, and it reminded me a little of the girl she’d been. Back when she was freer with her smiles. “I could say the same about you.”

I wanted to show her how I felt with my body, even though I couldn’t say it with my words. Not yet anyway. I needed to deal with her brothers and make sure she was on the same page before I declared anything.

I had a feeling Kylie needed time to come to terms with what we were to each other.

At her cabin, we hurried to the front door, and Kylie unlocked the door, pushing it open. I slammed it shut behind us and pressed her against the door. I needed more, so I lifted her and kissed her like I was a man starving.

There was this urgency to our actions. Her hands ripped at my clothes, so I let her drop to the floor. Then we made quick work of our clothes. I remembered to grab a condom and lifted her again.

I slid inside, knowing she felt like home to me. It wasn’t the place or my family, but her. I wished she could see that. She needed to realize it on her own.

Everything felt intense. I couldn’t savor the feel of her walls surrounding me or the sting of my hair as she pulled it. It was like we were both racing to the finishing line. My muscles strained as I held her up, my hips snapping forward.

Kylie bit her lip against the moans erupting from her throat.

“I want to hear you.” With each thrust, I ground against her clit, silently urging her to get there before me because I was barreling toward the finish line.

I bowed my head so I could suck on her nipples, and a few seconds later, she detonated, spasming around me.

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