Page 36 of Home Town Knight

“I know.” I nibbled at her soft skin. “But it’s going to be so damn good.”

Our mouths hadn’t met again yet, but I could already taste her. Like last night, but infinitely better. No stopping us this time. Screw my work and responsibilities. I planned to lay her out on her bed and enjoy her until the sun was up. I’d deal with the investigation and the rest of my life tomorrow.

We’d both been through enough heartache in our lives that we deserved a night off. Didn’t we? Just one night to make each other feel good.

“No, Owen. This isn’t going to happen.” She pushed at my shoulders. Immediately, I lifted my head, out of breath just from her scent and her soft skin under my lips. Drunk on her, though I hadn’t had a drop of alcohol.

“I’m starting to like you,” she said, “and this is messy as it is. Sleeping together would make it all even harder.”

Of course she was right. And in this moment, a lot smarter than me.

“We’re complicated,” I said. My least favorite word of the decade. I sighed, taking a reluctant step back. Her finger hooked my belt loop, keeping me there, though she was looking down instead of at me.

“I wish we could’ve met some other way.”

“But you’re making the right call. The one I should’ve made.” I gently tugged her hand away from my belt and put some more space between us. I had a significant situationgoing on in my pants, so I scooped up my hat and coat to cover my crotch.

You’re an idiot, I told myself.

Someone could’ve seen us. Rumors would’ve multiplied. This was exactly the type of situation I normally worked to avoid. The very reason I didn’t date or hook up too close to home.

“Let me at least walk you to your cabin. As friends.”

“I think I’d better go by myself. I’m barely resisting you as it is.”

I laughed, even though I wasn’t seeing the humor. “That’s fair.”

Gen blinked. Lifted her eyes. “When will I see you next?”

“I’m not sure. I have a lot of work to do. Should be doing that now, in fact. Not that I blame you for being a pleasant distraction.” I made the mistake of glancing at her lips. They were stained pink from the red wine.

What was it about her?

Everything, some voice inside me answered. Every small detail of her that she had shared with me.

“Let me know what happens with the investigation?” she asked.

I nodded. “I’ll text you.” I gave her my personal cell. She’d only had my work one before. “You’ll let me know if you need anything?”

“I will.”

“Goodnight, Gen.”

“Night.” She reached up to brush her hand along my face, following the touch with a soft kiss to my cheek. A pale shadow of what I really wanted from her. But it was all I was going to get.

I forced myself to turn on my heel and get out of there.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Genevieve

As soon asOwen was out of sight, my head fell back against the wall, and I huffed in frustration. I hadn’t wanted to send him away. I would’ve much preferred to do the opposite.

If I had, we would be on our way to strip naked in my cabin right now. I would’ve tasted that mouth that drove me crazy, roughened by the early evening stubble on his chin. The calluses on his hands. I would’ve gotten to find out which sides of Owen came out in bed.

Would it be the sweet, sincere side? No, I had the feeling his wilder edge would take over. The Owen who had made out with me in his office. The reckless part that had wanted to ignore all the reasons we were a bad idea.

That wild side of Owen was hot as hell.

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