Page 44 of A Match Made at Christmas

“Hayes, I—”

But he didn’t let her finish. His hands framed her face and he closed the gap between them, letting his lips softly graze hers, so gentle they seemed to ask for permission. Her mind spun. There was no going back now, so she might as well enjoy it—she kissed him back, and not gently, but the way she’d been dreaming of doing for years now. She gave herself over with such complete and reckless abandon, her stomach somersaulted again, and she completely forgot they were sitting in Dante’s office.

She drank him in as his hands wound around her back, pulling her body to his, her hands tangled in his hair, lost in each other as if they were the only two people in the world at that moment.

When he finally pulled away from her, she was breathless and stupid with desire.

But in a flash, Hayes’s expression turned worried—brow furrowed, mouth slightly agape.

Pru’s heart plummeted into her belly.Was it a mistake? Does he regret it?

“Pru—I’m sorry—we—”

But before he could finish, she glanced at the screen and saw that Peggy had stood up. Hayes’s phone dinged a new text.

“She’s leaving,” Pru said.

Hayes read the text and nodded. “Yep, she is. She said she had to go, but we could reschedule.”

Pru stood. “We have to stop her.”

Hayes glanced back to the screen, where Howie still sat, looking fuzzy and forlorn. “Maybe too much interference is a bad thing.”

She watched as Peggy moved out of the frame. “You’re just going to let her walk away?”

He sighed, seemingly indifferent. “Maybe it’s too late for them. Maybe we were fooling ourselves to think they were supposed to be more than friends.”

She took a step back. “Hayes, what are you saying?”

He turned, like a rat in a cage. “You’re my best friend, Prudence. And I just screwed everything up. Nothing will be the same now.”

Pru searched for a reply but came up empty. “I’m going to go find Peggy.”

She darted out before he could stop her and before he could see the tears streaming down her face.

At least she had her answer. She and Hayes were never supposed to be more than just friends.

And now, thanks to a moment of weakness, they may not even be that.

Chapter 14

Like a Chicken

Hayes watched her leave. He didn’t go after her like he should’ve. He just stood there, like an idiot, regretting and not regretting his impulsive decision to kiss her like she was oxygen and he was underwater.

What was he thinking? It was Pru.

The truth was, that kiss had terrified him. The feelings it mined inside of him were fierce and unwavering, like a dam had burst and the rush of water took over. He’d never felt this kind of pull to another person—not even Kara, and for a long time he’d thought he’d loved her.

He knew better now. What he’d felt for his college girlfriend was simply infatuation. Nothing like what he was feeling now, and even still, that breakup had been brutal—could he possibly be ready to try again?

No, Hayes didn’t do relationships, not the kind Pru deserved. Once they went down this path, that was it.For as long as we both shall live.

He wasn’t ready. They weren’t ready. And it would be a miracle if she ever talked to him again.

He whipped out his phone and sent her a text:

I’m so sorry,Pru. We need to talk.

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