Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 128260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“Brought up what, Grace?” I asked quietly, moving closer to her, her words making the anxiety in my chest fade slightly, hope taking over. This was my chance. I might not get another. “Feelings? Feelings that never faded?”
She closed her eyes for a couple beats. “Don’t.”
I stopped. “Don’t what?”
She gave her head a shake. “Just don’t,” she whispered, her hand gripping the door handle as though she was going to flee.
Stay. Don’t go.
“Call it off, Grace,” I ground out, suddenly filled with intense possessiveness and purpose. Fuck skating thin lines. I’d just trampled right over one. But… fuck… why would fate bring us back together only to have us part a second time? I didn’t want to say goodbye to her again. There were reasons I should, I knew that. But all the reasons other than her damn fiancé seemed far away and unimportant.
Give her a reason to stay. Ask her not to go. You have something to offer her now, where you didn’t before.
She choked out a bitter sounding laugh. “Call it off?”
“Yes, your engagement. Call it off,” I said, moving in closer and putting my hand on the back of her neck and gently pulling her toward me.
Her eyes moved down to my lips and she didn’t pull away. “Stop,” she whispered, sounding desperate, her voice cracking.
I stilled, hissing out a breath, and then moved back, letting go of her. A small sound came from her throat right before she thrust her face into mine, taking her own hand and wrapping it around the back of my neck to pull me in closer. Our lips connected and a shuddery sigh passed between us. I had no idea who it originated from. All I knew was that the mixture of lust and relief that flooded my body at the feel of her mouth on mine was so intense that I vibrated with it.
She slipped her tongue into my mouth first as she scooted closer so that our chests were pressed together too. I swallowed the sexy sounds she made as our tongues met and tangled, tasting each other, stroking and caressing. I refamiliarized myself with the taste of her, the feel of her mouth moving on mine, the tiny sounds she made. God, I had missed this, everything about her, everything—
She pulled back on a small sob. “This isn’t right. I knew you were going to do this to me,” she said, her voice breaking.
I was silent for a second, gathering myself. A zing of hurt stabbed at my insides. “Do this to you?” I asked. “Buttercup, I think you were the one who jumped me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I…you! I…” She made a frustrated sound of anger in her throat and started reaching for the door of the cab.
I reached out and grabbed her hand. “Call it off,” I repeated again, only this time I said it quietly, as gently as possible. This was all wrong. I wanted to pull her back into my arms and make my case. Give me time. Call it off. Give me time.
She stared at me for a couple beats, threw the door open, and fled inside her house. I watched her door close behind her.
I started up my truck and roared off. “Fuck!” I yelled. That had not gone well.
CHAPTER 24
Grace
I slammed my front door behind me and took a deep, shuddery breath. That had not gone well. The worst part was that it had gone well for a while there. Very well. I had had fun with him. I had laughed more than I had in a long time. But then that damn sexual tension slipped in and ruined everything. How had I even doubted that it would? This was Carson Fucking Stinger I was talking about here. I had duped myself again because I wanted to go out to dinner with him. I was such an idiot. And I had kissed him. Oh my God. That was cheating. I had cheated on Alex. And Carson was right—it had been me who jumped on him. I had told him to stop and he had, and then the stark disappointment that had rushed through me was so intense that I practically attacked him—as if I were suffocating and his mouth contained lifesaving air.
I had come to such a good place where Carson was concerned. We had parted the first time knowing we couldn’t be a part of each other’s lives, but under the circumstances, we had said goodbye on the best possible terms. And I had been thankful for the role he played in my life. When he came to mind, I thought of him with…fondness, I guess, and yes, perhaps some lingering sadness too. But now? Our most recent parting had not been on good terms. And just like that, my peace was totally disrupted.