Page 57 of She Was Made for Me

I step through the arched doorway and out to the path beyond, not bothering to see if Kyle is behind me. This won’t end well, because he won’t let it. He won’t lethimself.

Manhattan glitters across the river, a picture-perfect postcard laid out before me. To my left the Brooklyn Bridge looms large, an imposing tower of brick with cables that stretch across the water, sparkling against the black backdrop of night. I turn and wander toward the Bridge, my thoughts spiraling, my body still thrumming. I’ve never felt so exhilarated, so intoxicated—and it’snotfrom the half a glass of wine. It’s from Kyle’s body, pressed to mine. It’s from the way he let himself lose control, just for a moment, to take what he wanted. It’s from his words—Fuck yes, sweetheart, get off on me—that make me whimper, remembering them. No man has ever said anything so filthy to me; no man has ever instructed me to take myownpleasure. It’s always been about theirs.

I shiver, even though it’s not cold, and wrap my arms around myself as I gaze up at the bridge in all its glory. Despite everything, I can’t help but appreciate how beautiful it is. What a feat of engineering it must have been in its day.

I feel a presence beside me, and don’t have to look to know it’s Kyle.

“It was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it was built,” he murmurs after a long, painful pause.

I sigh, my heart heavy. Kyle might be insanely good-looking in that sexy older man who commands a room kind of way, but it’s more than that. It’s his love of history, his passion for old buildings. It’s the way he cares for me when I need it—like the fact that he likely followed me right now so I wouldn’t be alone out here in the darkness. So I’d be safe.

Unless…

I turn to him, searching his face. “All those times you looked out for me; when you built me a desk, when I cut my hand, when you made me take a night off work… did you do all that because Dad asked you to?”

“No.” Kyle finally lets his gaze meet mine. “I did them because I wanted to. I care about you.”

I nod. I believe him. Because I care about him too.

“I also care about your dad.”

My heart sinks. I know what he’s going to say, and I don’t want to hear it.

“And if he knew…” Kyle shakes his head, casting his gaze out over the water.

“But…” God, this is frustrating. “I get it might be awkward for Dad, but also, you and I are both adults. Why would you even have to tell him?”

Kyle’s gaze whips to mine. “Because I would.”

“So you’re going to tell him we kissed?” I press. “You’re going to tell him you had me pinned against a wall, that you almost made me—”

“No,” Kyle cuts in emphatically. “We stopped before anything happened.”

“It doesn’t feel like it. It feels like something already happened.”

He wipes a hand down his face, looking agonized. “Well, we need to pretend that it didn’t.”

I huff incredulously. “I don’t want to pretend, and I don’t think you do, either.”

“I’m going to have to.” A muscle ticks in his neck as he glares at Manhattan, and I reach tentatively for his arm.

“Kyle—”

“I think you should go out with Owen.”

His words stop me in my tracks. An icy coldness trickles down my spine. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

He turns away, but I don’t miss the deep scowl on his face. “No. I think…” I can hear the way he has to force the words out. “I think it’s for the best.”

I stare at the back of Kyle’s head, fury churning through me. It’s one thing to say nothing can happen between us, but to tell me to go out with another man—as if I’ll simply follow his instructions? As if I don’t have a say in my own feelings? My own needs?

I want to scream at how stubborn he’s being, but I know that won’t help.

I feel jealous and possessive…

His words ring in my ears, and I clench my fists in irritation. I think of the way he practically pushed Owen out the front door, the anger that flashed in his eyes when I told him Owen had asked me out. I think of the way he kissed me back there, how hard he was for me, how he was getting off on me getting off. He’s wrong—wedidn’t stop it, we were forced to stop. Who knows how far it would have gone if the lights hadn’t come on.

No. He doesn’t want me to go out with Owen at all.

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