Page 27 of Sizzling Desire

I laugh, shaking my head. “Just… someone I had dinner with the other night.”

Kate’s eyes widen in delight, and she practically skips over to me. “A date? Grace! Why didn’t you tell me you were seeing someone?”

“I’m notseeinganyone,” I correct her, but I can’t help smiling. “It was just dinner. A client from the office. He asked me out, and I figured, why not?”

Kate’s grin doesn’t fade. “I bet he’s hot, isn’t he? I can tell by the way you’re avoiding me.” She laughs.

I roll my eyes, but I can’t help the slight blush creeping up my cheeks. “He’s... good-looking, sure, but it was just dinner. Besides, I just turned him down for a second date.”

She crosses her arms, giving me a knowing look. “Well, I’m happy you’re dating again. But, um…” Her voice lowers as she leans in conspiratorially. “What about Kane?”

I let out a groan. Of course she’s going to bring up Kane. “What about him?”

Kate raises an eyebrow, giving me a pointed look. “Come on, Grace. Everyone knows there’s something between you two. Are you seriously telling me nothing’s going on?”

“Yes, I’m seriously telling you that there’s nothing between me and Kane,” I insist, though the words feel heavier than I mean for them to since it’s a boldface lie. I’m pregnant with his kid. “We don’t even like each other, but we’re going to get along just for you and Hudson.”

Kate gives me a skeptical look. “You expect me to believe that you two don’t like each other? I’ve seen the way you two look at each other.”

I sigh, feeling my frustration bubble up. “Kate, I’m serious. Kane and I don’t have anything. It’s not that complicated.” Oh…it issocomplicated.

Kate eyes me for a moment, clearly not convinced. “If you say so,” she finally replies, but I can hearthe doubt in her voice. “But don’t sell yourself short, Grace. It sounds complicated to me. Sometimes the best things come out of the most complicated situations.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I mutter, but I can’t help but think about Kane, about the tension between us that never seems to go away. Still, I push the thought aside and focus on the excitement of the dresses and the wedding.

“I just hope you enjoyed yourself on your date.” Kate says, squeezing my arm gently. “And if the next guy turns out to bethe one, I’ll be the first to toast at your wedding.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “It was just dinner, Kate. Let’s not go planning my wedding yet.”

But even as I joke, my mind drifts back to Kane. Why does it always come back to him?

Chapter 8

Kane

The salty breeze rolls in off the harbor, ruffling my hair as I step out of Hooplas, my head full of half-formed plans and too many damn thoughts about Grace. I’ve been telling myself to let it go, to walk away, to focus on literally anything else, but I swear, the universe is laughing in my face.

Because there she is.

Grace.

Walking along the harbor like some vision designed to torment me, her dark hair pulled into one of those messy knots that always drives me insane. She’s wearing a lightweight sundress that clings in all the right places, swaying around her hips with every step. She looks like she belongs here—like the ocean, the breeze, and the sunlight were made to wrap around her.

And she’s completely oblivious to the fact that she’s ruining me with every step.

I should keep moving, climb into my truck, and drive away, but before I can talk myself out of it, my legs are carrying me toward her.

I’m screwed because there’s no way I’m ever walking away from her.

I call out, “Grace!”

She freezes mid-step, her shoulders stiffening like she’s bracing for impact. When she turns to face me, her eyes narrow, the corners of her lips twitching in that way that means she’s either about to smile or kill me. Maybe both.

“Kane,” she says, her tone flat. “Shouldn’t you be terrorizing someone else right now?”

I ignore the jab, grinning as I close the distance between us. “Funny, I was just about to ask you the same thing.”

She rolls her eyes but doesn’t move, which is as good as an invitation as any in my book. “What do you want?”

---