Page 31 of Before We Fell

She finished shoving everything into her bags and yawned. Shaking her head, she said, “I should go.”

Right. Because it was late and she’d only come over to help me. Not stay the night. But damn, I wish it could have been different.

At least for a night.

“I’ll walk you home.” I stood from the couch and took her bag out of her hands, walking to the back door.

She was quiet as she slid into her sandals she’d left by the front door and as she met me, I opened the door, letting her go through first.

The back porch lights were on, but I still used the flashlight on my cell phone to help light up the back yard. Construction equipment and materials were scattered all over. The last thing I needed was her tripping over a chunk of wood I hadn’t yet cleaned up.

When we reached the path I’d cleaned out for her, she turned to me, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

“Thank you for making the path.”

I smirked. “Couldn’t have you showing up and bleeding all over my floor again.”

She nodded and stepped into the dark, narrow path. I hadn’t done much. “You thought I’d come back?”

I hadn’t even given much thought to why I’d done it. I’d needed a stress relief one day and with the kitchen demolished, I took to whacking down branches and brush instead. “Maybe I was hopeful, Miss Frazier.”

She shoved aside the row of hedges and small trees I hadn’t cleared and into her yard, spinning to face me. “Why do you do that?”

“What? Use your name?”

“My last name. All night I’ve been Lauren.”

I hadn’t even realized I’d done it, but instantly, I did know why. I’d been a dick to her the first few times we’d met, and I’d needed that barrier between us. A way to keep her from being the attractive neighbor and firmly Riley’s teacher. “Maybe I need the reminder.”

Arched brows. “Of?”

“That you’re Riley’s teacher and you’re not mine to have, even if I want it.”

At least for a night. I wasn’t in any place to have a relationship. It’d been so long since I’d considered one I didn’t even know how they worked anymore. I just knew I had other things to focus on.

“Oh. Right. Of course.”

She led the way to her house and once we reached her back patio, a small, simple cement slab with a metal table and two chairs, I turned off my flashlight and slid it into my pocket.

It was the darkness covering us, shadowing everything except us. It was the tease of her all night. It was her laughter. Her scent. It was her.

I did exactly what I just said I shouldn’t. Couldn’t. My hand went to her cheek. I slid my fingers beneath her ear, brushing my thumb against the warmth of her skin. “Lauren.”

Her hand curled around my wrist. She didn’t push it away. She didn’t pull me toward her. She gaped at me, mouth parting, lip sliding along her bottom lip. Her pulse pounded against my fingertips.

“We shouldn’t,” she whispered. “You’re right. I’m Riley’s teacher. I don’t want to make things any harder for her than they already are.”

She was right.

The problem was I was harder than I’d ever been and what about my needs? It was selfish, but thirty-five years of selfish living wasn’t easily kicked to the curb despite my efforts.

“Okay,” I whispered back. “I understand.”

I leaned in anyway, dropping my head, and as I moved like I was going to kiss her, her breath caught, and her eyes fluttered closed. Tempting. So damn tempting.

It took a larger force of will than I normally used with women, but I ignored her mouth, moved to her cheek, but instead of kissing her cheek, I pressed my lips to my thumb on her. I tasted her flesh without touching her, lingered there while her muscles tensed and she inhaled a sharp breath. Her shoulders went tight and her scent invaded me so deeply I knew I’d need more from her.

And I’d take it when the time was right.

---