Page 61 of Sidelined By Love

“Fine. Fine. Fine. It wasnice.”

Brushing my hair behind my ear, he presses his lips there and growls low. “Maybe a little better than nice.”

“Yes.” I giggle. “Better than nice.”

He presses his nose to my neck, and I lean into it. The smarter parts of me shout that I should pull away, that I’m no good for him, that I’ll make a mess of this too and drag him into my media firestorm. But I can’t move. He silences some worries deep inside me with unspoken strength. I had doubts about Joe, but I have never doubted Grant’s sincerity and integrity. And I want more of that in my life.

I want more ofhimin my life.

“So, what are we going to do about that?”

I squeeze my eyes closed and stiffen my body, preparing for his retaliation. “Remember it fondly?”

“Wrong answer.” He picks me up and turns me, resettling me on his lap as though I’m a feather. Cupping my cheeks in his hands, he presses his lips against mine. He’s gentle, lightly brushing against my mouth, finding the right fit. Last night was hungry and frantic. This evening is sweeter, softer. But no less stirring.

I lean into him, wrapping my arms around his neck and savoring the gentle grip of his hands around my ribs. He’s holding me like he might never let go.

I won’t fight him on that.

This is what it feels like to be protected. Physically, I know he won’t let anyone hurt me. But more than that, I trust him not to embarrass me or break my heart. Relief bubbles inside me, begging to be released on a giggle. But I can’t very well laugh while I’m making out with the guy of my dreams.

He smells like the wood he put in the fire, and I press my nose into the stubble on his cheek as his kiss trails down my jaw and to the bottom of my ear.

“Taste so sweet,” he mumbles, his warm breath on my cool skin shooting sparks all the way to the tips of my toes.

“You too,” I whisper.

His fingers immediately curl into my sides, ready for another attack. “Sweet?”

“No. Definitely not sweet.” My mostly scrambled brain searches for a manly word, even as the scrambler in question shifts his attentions to my neck. Can’t find words. Can’t think. Don’t even want to.

Except that his fingers are still threatening to tickle me again.

“Good. You tastegood,“ I manage to get out.

Lips still working some sort of magic against my neck that’s making my whole body tingle and my insides quiver, he chuckles. “Fair enough.”

Good. Because that’s the best I can do at the moment. I plunge my fingers into his hair, which is softer than I remember. Maybe I was too surprised to notice last night. Maybe I was focused on other things. But at this moment, I can’t stop comparing the silky strands of his hair with the scrape of the stubble along his jaw.

Which is probably going to leave a memory on my chin.

Worth it.

Grant finds his way back to my mouth and all other thoughts vanish. I’m lost in him again. We sit on the patio for what could be hours but is probably more like a few minutes.

When I finally make myself pull back, I look right into his eyes. I’ve never noticed how green they are, like the color the pine trees. “I like you, Grant.”

There’s no embarrassed flush to his cheeks as a slow smile spreads across his mouth. “I like you too, Zoe. And I think about you more than I should.”

I’m not as cool as he is, and a warmth fills my cheeks. Pressing my hands over them, I look down at his chest covered by a thin gray T-shirt. There are definitely worse views.

And that thought has my face going completely up in flames.

“I’d like to keep seeing you.”

He’s so nonchalant about it, and I hate to break the bad news. But I have to be honest. “I can’t date someone in the public eye. Not again. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

“Okay, so we’ll dateoutof the public eye.”

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