Page 19 of The House on Memory Lane

Chapter 10

Laney rolled to her feet and grabbed her yoga pants. “That was spectacular. We’re going to have to do that again before I head back to Chicago.”

She turned away from Kyle as he pushed himself up off the floor, busying herself with getting dressed and straightening her ponytail. She hated the nasty tug in her gut that told her she wanted more than one more time, that she hoped he might take that road trip next summer because she’d never get enough of him.

She hated she hadn’t seen it coming. It wasn’t love, but it was addictive, and that was too dangerous to be let loose. So by saying one more time she was just establishing boundaries, for both their sakes.

Kyle didn’t blink. “How about Boxing Day? When are you leaving? I’m busy tomorrow but yeah, I want to do that again.” He pulled her back against his chest and covered her abdomen with his big warm hands. “Maybe at the same time. And then I want to bury myself inside you.” He lowered his voice and brought his lips to her ear. “I love the feel of you wrapped around my cock. You’re so hot and tight. A perfect fit.”

She shivered at the image, wanting Kyle on top of her right there. “No fair, I have to go.”

Was it rude to suggest sneaking away from their families on Christmas Day for a hookup? Probably.

Definitely. Get a grip, Laney, you can go two more days without sex with Kyle. Good practice for the rest of your life.

“Yes, Boxing Day. I’ll come over. I think Evie’s taking the kids to Dale’s place for the day. And then … I’m probably leaving the day after that.” It was a little white lie, she wasn’t planning on leaving until the 30th, but things could change.

Kyle squeezed and she could feel him press his face into her hair. “Then let’s make our last time together a good one.”

When two days had gone by without hearing from Laney after her first visit to his house, Kyle had convinced himself that she just wanted to sleep with him once for closure. The possibility of not tasting her again pained him, but he needed to accept what she was willing to offer on her terms. But now she’d stopped by again. On Christmas Eve. He couldn’t help but hope that meant something. Because he wanted more. A lot more. The sex was off-the-charts, and if she’d be open to it, hell yes he’d drive to Chicago for a booty call. Probably more than once. He wasn’t stupid enough to think Laney would ever open her heart to him again, but he’d tried searching for love elsewhere and failed miserably. And broken yet another heart in the process. He was done hoping he might find his everything in another person, but he’d stumbled into something spectacular with Laney again. Something would have to be enough, and if he had anything to say about it, Boxing Day wouldn’t be the last time they were together.

His ringing cell phone snapped his attention back to the moment at hand. He glanced down the low reclaimed wood coffee table beside him and saw his niece’s photo on the call display.

“Do you need to get that? I can let myself out.” She was fully dressed again, a lingering warmth in her cheeks the only evidence that they had just devoured each other.

Kyle shook his head. “It’s my brother, I’ll call him once you go. Probably just wants me to pick stuff up on my way to my parents’ farm.”

“If you stop at the grocery store, be prepared for the third degree by Karen Miller.”

“Oh god, I’m sorry. Did you see her this morning? She likes to gossip, but she means well.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, I think she’s trying to be a good friend to you. I’ll be honest, I prefer the anonymity of the big city, but it can’t be said that people don’t care here. I also got asked if I’d seen you by a few people at the coffee shop.”

Kyle grabbed her coat off the floor and held it out for her. “Again, I’m sorry.”

“I don’t see what you have to be sorry about. It’s the nature of small towns.”

“It’s more than that,” Kyle shifted back on his heels. “My break up with Crystal was pretty public.”

She turned, her lips pursed.

“She, uh…she had the idea that I was still hung up on you.”

“And everyone in town knows this?”

He nodded, two awkward little jerks of the head, his gaze drifting over her shoulder.

Laney zipped her coat up and moved closer to the fridge, looking at the family photo taken at his parents’ farm. Crystal was partially covered by more recent candids of his niece and nephew. She peeled back one of the pictures to get a better look. His arm was wrapped around Crystal’s waist and she was leaning into his side.

“You look like a serious couple here.”

“We were. We lived together for a year.”

“What happened?”

“We broke up.”

“Why?”

---