Page 56 of After You

She focused on his chin rather than his eyes. “I haven’t really been avoiding you,” she hedged. She had been. Completely. Because that was way easier than pretending she didn’t want his attention and pushing him away when he touchedher.

He stepped close and tipped her head up with a finger under her chin. “You have. It makes it very hard to romance you when I never seeyou.”

She swallowed. “Yeah, well, sorry if I haven’t been making it easy for you to tortureme.”

She said it with a frown but Kyle grinned, his frustration seemingly fading. “Torture?”

“Like that’s not your intention?” she asked, looking into hiseyes.

“If you mean do I want to make it extremely hard for you to go back to Seattle, yes, I do,” he said, his expression serious now. “If you mean do I want you to hurt a little bit being back here and realizing everything you’ve missed, I definitely do.” His voice went a little husky and he leaned in closer. “If you mean do I want you wound tight and wanting it all back, absolutely.”

Holy crap. She just wasn’t used to this intense side of Kyle. Yes, he’d always been focused and determined and driven when it came to things like grades and taking care of his family—and hers—and accomplishing his goals. But he’d never turned this edgier side on her. But then, he’d never needed to. She had always gone according to plan. There had been no trying really necessary.

That thought jolted her. She’d never been the subject of his intense, slightly frustrated, determined focus because she’d been easy for him and fallen in line and hadn’t needed any extra attention or effort? But a second later she had to admit that yeah…prettymuch.

And she also had to admit that she liked the extra attention and effort. And that was really dangerous.

“You really want me sorry?” Hannah asked softly.

“I really, reallydo.”

“Can I just tell you that I’m sorry?”

“Show, don’t tell, Hannah,” he said. “Just like with your grandma. You have to prove stuff sometimes.”

Yeah, she supposed that was true. And she found herself going up on tiptoe, gripping his shoulders, and kissinghim.

It took less than a second for Kyle to respond. He took over the kiss, his hands tangling in her hair, his mouth opening, his tongue demanding her surrender. Which she gave without a single qualm. He gripped her head and flat-out plundered her mouth. For nearly two full minutes. Then he pulled back, rested his forehead against her, and asked raggedly, “What wasthat?”

“I thought I heard someone coming,” shelied.

“Oh?” He didn’t believe her, she knew. “But you’re supposed to be resisting.”

“But I can’t push you away if you’re not up close to start with,” shesaid.

He stared into her eyes for a long moment. Then he shifted and took her hands in his. He put her palms against his chest. She could feel his heart hammering and it sent a thrill through her. “Okay. Push meaway.”

“In a minute,” she said, her voice husky. She just wanted to feel him for a second.

“God, you look…so different.”

And she remembered what she was wearing. And that she had a spot where she’d dropped whipped cream. And that she had no makeup on. And that her shoes didn’t match her outfit atall.

She stiffened, but Kyle didn’t relax his hold. “Hey, I like it,” he toldher.

Her hand went to her hair. She’d pulled it up because she hadn’t been able to wash it that morning. It had been a rough couple of days. She’d been having pain that she attributed to stress and to sleeping in a new bed. Kade had done some treatment on her a few hours ago and she was better now, but still definitely not the put-together girl Kyle would remember. “I’m kind of a mess today. I just couldn’t…get myself together.”

He frowned, clearly concerned. “Youokay?”

“I’m…” She pressed her lips together. She wasn’t sure how much to share withhim.

But for some reason, she wanted him to know that she hadn’t been avoiding him because she hadn’t wanted to see him, but rather because she just wasn’t what he would expect. Yeah, maybe that was a good thing to let him in on. “I have some neck issues,” she said carefully. “Ongoing. They flare up from time to time and the last couple days have been a little rough.”

His frowned deepened. “Neck issues? Likewhat?”

“Do you remember the car accident I had a few yearsago?”

“The one when you were doing your last rotation?” he asked. “Yes.” Then his eyes narrowed. “It was worse than you said it was, wasn’tit?”

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