Page 146 of Be My Compass

Kastle

I hold Kaelyn’s hand as we leave the mansion behind. When I open her car door for her, she surprises me by grabbing my face and planting a hot, passionate kiss on my lips.

Her mouth is soft. So is her body as she presses into the hard planes of my own.

When she pulls back, I’m dazed. “What was that?”

“A taste.”

“A taste?”

Her smile is dripping seduction when she whispers, “You have no idea how sexy you are right now.”

Heat flashes through my body.

Damn.

This woman…

I can’t believe she’s mine.

My best friend means the world to me. Enough that I would walk through fire for her. That I would face my biggest fears to protect her. And it wouldn’t even be a second thought to me. To do that. To be her hero the way that she’s mine.

Kaelyn pushes me away. “Get in the car. We… you need to start driving or I don’t know what I’m going to do to you.”

Still buzzing from that kiss, I stumble to the driver’s side and put my hands on the wheel.

When I don’t immediately back out of the garage, Kaelyn turns to me, eyes spilling dirty wishes and demands. Lips parting in a quiet invitation. If I rolled up all the windows and pulled her into my lap, we would rock the car. Create a tiny earthquake in the space of this dark, luxury garage.

Kaelyn inhales a deep breath. “Drive. Drive now or I’m taking your clothes off.”

I hesitate, wondering if I should just lock all the doors and hope nobody wanders into the garage for the next fifteen minutes.

My phone rings. Shatters that thought.

I sigh and fish it out of my pocket.

It’s my assistant.

Kaelyn huffs. “Missed opportunity?”

“The meeting. I need to be there. It’s necessary that I show my competency now more than ever. Mom will try to have me outed after this.”

She fans her face. “Fine. Just roll down the windows. And don’t touch me. I won’t be responsible for what I do next if you touch me.”

I back out of the garage and leave the oppressive mansion behind.

Kaelyn’s eyes fix on my face. "You okay?”

“Yeah.” I tighten my fingers on the steering wheel. “Better than I thought I’d be.”

“You’ve been planning that move for a while, weren’t you?”

“Just in case.” I lick my lips. “I know when I’m being pulled around, I just… talk myself into accepting it. I didn’t want the day to come when mom made a request that was immoral or illegal and I didn’t have the power to say no. So I worked to earn that power.”

“You won the board over.”

“I staged a coup.”

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