Page 28 of Only One I Ever Wanted

“Kinda like you coming back to the valley,” I said quietly. “Are you sticking around?”

My heart pounded in my chest at the question as I paused at the yard. A stolen kiss or two was nothing—and could stay nothing—if she was only here as a stopgap.

While she thought it over, I snapped out the huge towel with turtles on it.

She settled on the center of it, tucking the skirt of her dress around her. “The minute I crossed the town line, the last of the sadness I’d been carrying around dropped away.” She leaned back on her forearms. “I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do yet, but I know I like this. I like reconnecting with my old friends.”

“Is that what we are?”

I’d tried so damn hard to be friends with her when we were kids and deluded myself into believing it. I didn’t want to be friends now.

Not at all.

“What if I said no?”

I swallowed. “Because you want something else? Or want me to kick rocks.”

Her lips twitched. “Kicking rocks is not part of the equation, Sullivan.”

“That’s good to hear.” I leaned into her. “Because I’m not feeling at all friendly.”

To hell with the garlic breath.

I brushed her lips with mine. I could feel the smile in her kiss and while the sun streamed through the canopy of leaves overhead, I let myself enjoy her. Let myself not worry about my business, Danny, my parents, or the fact that she used to be married to my high school best friend.

I cupped her cheek and tipped her head to go deeper.

The soft moan nearly undid me.

It had been a damn long time since I’d touched anyone, let alone the woman who had sneaked into my dreams as a teen. And here she was on a blanket under the same trees from all those years ago.

Only this time shewasn’tkissing Booker.

And I didn’t have to pretend I wasn’t into her.

She brought her hand up to cover mine. “I’m a bit rusty,” she said against my mouth. “I’ve only been with one man.”

I growled into her mouth. I hadn’t meant to kick it up a notch. Not here, where anyone could see, but knowing that made something rise up inside of me—and not just my rapidly hardening cock.

The sounds of running feet and Trouble’s bark made me pull back.

She opened heavy-lidded eyes. “More, please.”

She was going to actively kill me.

And there was no way I’deversay no.

“Stay after I put Danny to bed.”

With a blink, her hazel eyes cleared, and she nibbled on her lower lip. “I’m seriously rusty and know nothing about children,” she whispered, then she looked over her shoulder at Danny and Trouble tripping over one another on the patchy grass. “And should we talk about this in front of him?”

I grinned. “Number one, he sleeps like the dead.” I eased around to kiss her neck. “Handily.”

A soft smile spread across her face.

“Number two, I’m very, very patient.”

Her breath hitched and I willed my far too happy dick to take a chill pill.

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