Page 15 of Just This Once

I circle my hands, wordlessly telling him to get moving, and he shakes his head at me, laughing. “You’re serious.”

“Yes.”

“What if I want to stay? Give you another couple of orgasms?”

I help myself to a dig through his wallet. There is no other condom in it, and I throw it so it lands on his taut belly. “All out of luck.”

He presses up to his hands. “I don’t need condoms for what I have planned.”

I wave my hand, dismissing any of his ideas. “I plan on sleeping.”

He slants his gaze to the bed meaningfully. “I don’t take up much room. I could curl up right here on the end.”

I bite back the laugh threatening to erupt. I can’t stand that he can be so irritating and charming at the same time. “No. Up. Dress. Out.”

“All right. All right.” He heaves a sigh but pulls on his clothes, while I stand by the bedroom door with my arms crossed, making sure he leaves nothing behind. When he’s fully dressed, I lead him downstairs, and Frankie pads out of his hiding spot, following us to the door, where Dante bends to kiss him. “You know, I think your dog is sadder to see me leave than you are.”

I don’t disagree, and Frankie sits at Dante’s feet, looking upat him with pleading eyes, his tail thumping softly against the floor.

Traitor.

Dante grins, sliding his arms into the leather jacket he let me borrow. “How about you give me your number?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

He isn’t deterred. “You know you had fun.”

“I did, and now you can go. Thank you.”

“Harsh,” he says with a laugh, casually holding on to my hand, his fingers twining with mine, pulling me closer. I go willingly, putting my other hand on his chest. This close and in this light, without the haze of sex between us, I appreciate exactly how young he looks. No wrinkles or crow’s-feet to be found as his eyes drift between mine.

It feels intimate. Familiar. He exudes a kind of safety I’m not sure I’ve ever felt from a man before, and it’s difficult to find words to form an argument against him.

“Your eyes have streaks of amber in them,” he tells me right before he cradles my cheek in his hand, his thumb ghosting under my eye. “Let me see you again.”

It’s difficult, but I force the answer out, offering more of an explanation than I would any other person. “I can’t. I have kids and… My life is complicated.”

He studies me for a moment, then nods. “All right, duchess. If you say so.” He leans in, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. “But I have a feeling we’ll see each other again.”

I don’t dare respond, my head and heart at odds with each other, and I step back, putting space between us.

With a tip of his chin, he opens the door. “Goodnight, Taryn.”

“G’night.” I shut and lock the door behind him, leaning against it, letting my smile loose as his voice carries through to me.

“I told you…famous last words.”

And I cover my laugh with my hand.

Chapter 5

Dante

Ipull up to The Nest Bed & Breakfast in one of the company’s trucks, polishing off the last of my protein bar and the coffee my mother had poured into a travel mug for me this morning. While I don’t enjoy living back in my childhood home again, there are some perks. Like my mom cooking all my meals and writing little notes in my lunch box like she used to do when I was a kid.

As I step out of the truck, the crisp October air bites at my skin, and I grab my zip-up from the passenger side, coasting my gaze around the area. It’s a picturesque plot of land with pumpkins and hay bales dotting the property. Too bad all the construction vehicles will block the views soon enough.

As a project manager for Moretti Construction, I oversee renovations and new builds from start to finish. It’s demanding but rewarding work, and I take pride in delivering quality jobs on time and on budget. I might not be the numbers guy or the one signing contracts, but I know my shit when it comes to managing construction sites. My crews respect me, and I treat them right in return. Moretti Construction is a family business,but it’s the men and women I work with on a daily basis whom I consider the real heart of the company.

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