Page 23 of Sizzling Desire

Hudson crosses his arms, leaning against the hoop. “You care about her, Kane. Whether you want to admit it or not. I’ve seen the way you two are around each other…you love to hate each other. It’s not just tension. There’s something real there.”

I run a hand through my hair, feeling his words settle in. “I don’t know, man. She told me it was a mistake. That itneverhappened. Her words, not mine.”

Hudson laughs, shaking his head. “Yeah, and you bought that shit? Come on, dude. Women don’t just hook up with a guy they know and then ‘pretend it never happened’ unless they’re trying to protect themselves. Grace is probably just as freaked out by whatever’s going on between you two as you are.”

I stare at him, my chest tightening with the truth of it. Gracie and I have been dancing around this thing for so long, I never stopped to think about what it might mean if we stopped fighting it. If I stopped fighting it.

Hudson picks up the ball and passes it back to me. “Look, I get it. You’re focused on the arson case, work, and all the wedding stuff. You’ve got a lot on your plate, but don’t let that be an excuse. Don’t let the right person slip away just because it’s messy or complicated. Trust me, man, you’ll regret it.”

I dribble the ball a few times, the thud of it against the pavement grounding me. Hudson’s right. If I keep pretendinglike this thing with Gracie doesn’t matter, like I don’t care, I’m gonna regret it for the rest of my life.

I nod, letting out a long breath. “Yeah. Maybe you’re right.”

“Of course, I am,” Hudson grins, grabbing the ball from me and taking another shot. “Now, come on. You gonna stand there and brood all night, or are we playing ball?”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “Let’s play.”

But even as we get back into the rhythm of the game, I can’t stop thinking about Gracie, about what Hudson just said, and about how maybe it’s time I stop running from whatever this is between us and start figuring out what the hell I’m going to do about it.

Chapter 7

Grace

Jason is sitting across from me, the dim lighting of the restaurant, Lunaire, casting soft shadows across his sharp features. He’s handsome, no doubt about it, with that easy smile and those piercing blue eyes. His voice is smooth as he talks about his move to town a little over a year ago, and I should be completely engaged. After all, this is exactly what I wanted—a distraction, something new, something uncomplicated.

But even as he tells me about his last trip to The Keys, my mind keeps drifting. I nod at the right moments, smile when he throws in a joke, but in the back of my head, I keep thinking about Kane. I was doing that the other night when we met at Hooplas for drinks, too.

Jason’s a nice guy. He’s polished, refined, almost perfect on paper. But every time he says something, I find myself comparing him to Kane. It’s infuriating. Kane, with his rough edges, his sarcastic remarks, and that damn cocky grin that makes me want to slap him as much as it makes me want to kiss him.

"Grace?" Jason's voice pulls me back to the present, and I realize I’ve been staring at my drink, completely zoning out.

“Sorry,” I say quickly, forcing a smile. “I was just thinking about... The Keys. Sounds amazing.”

Jason smiles, clearly not catching on to my distracted state. “Yeah, it’s one of my favorite spots. Next time I go, I’ll have to bring you along. You’d love it.”

I nod, taking a sip of my water, but my thoughts are a jumbled mess. Next time? We’re barely through the first official date and he’s already talking about a next time. I should be flattered, but all I can think about is how Kane would never be this smooth, this... polished. No, Kane would probably mock me for something, make some offhand comments that would piss me off, and somehow, I’d end up wanting him even more.

"Yeah, I’d love that," I say, though my voice lacks the enthusiasm it should have. I know Jason’s a great guy, but something’s missing…we’re not clicking. I need a click.

Jason leans forward slightly, his elbow resting on the table, and I can tell he’s about to turn on the charm. “So, Grace, tell me more about you. What’s your story? I feel like I’m doing all the talking.”

I smile, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Well, I’m an accountant, as you know. I love my job, and it keeps me pretty busy.” I pause, trying to think of something interesting to say, but my mind goes blank. Kane’s voice, teasing me about my boring job, flashes through my mind, and I have to bite back a laugh.

“Busy is good,” Jason replies smoothly, his smile never faltering. “Keeps you on your toes, but surely there’s more to you than just numbers.”

I can’t help but think about how Kane would have responded to that. He’d probably make some snarky comments about me being a workaholic or tease me about how I probably organize my sock drawer by color, and as much as it would irritate me, at least it would feel real. With Jason, everything feels... easy. Too easy.

“You’re right,” I say, trying to shake off the nagging thoughts of Kane. “There’s definitely more to life than numbers.” I force a laugh, hoping it sounds natural, but inside, I’m a mess.

Jason smiles again, leaning in a little closer, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone. “I’d love to find out more about what makes you tick, Grace.”

I smile back, but the warmth I should feel isn’t there. The truth is, while Jason is charming, attractive, and saying all the right things, he doesn’t make my pulse race. He doesn’t make me feel... anything…nothing close to what Kane does. Then there is the wholeI’m pregnant with another man’s childthing. I think I’ll leave that little tidbit until the next date.

“Maybe I’m just a puzzle,” I say lightly, trying to steer the conversation away from any deep, meaningful territory I’m not ready for.

Jason chuckles softly, his fingers brushing lightly against the stem of his wine glass. “I’m good with puzzles.”

I nod, but my heart isn’t in it. I try to focus on Jason, on the way he’s looking at me with genuine interest, but my mind keeps pulling me back to Kane with his frustrating smirks, his infuriating ability to piss me off, and the way he kissed me like he couldn’t get enough of me.

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