Page 75 of The Road Less Traveled By

“It’s nice to get a new perspective sometimes, and I think after all you’ve been through, you needed a moment to clear your head.”

And I don't know what possesses me in this moment, but before I can stop myself, I stand on my tiptoes and press my lips to his.

It’s a slow and tender kiss before Vince takes control and starts to kiss me back. God, I knew he would be good at this. He wraps his arm around my back and anchors me to this moment, and I feel heat spreading through my entire body, from my toes to my head.

He feels it, too. He wants this as much as I do, and—

And then he pulls back, the two of us panting more from the kiss than we did the entire time we were walking.

“We shouldn't be doing this, Bree.”

“Why not, Vince? I can see how you look at me because it’s the same way I look at you. Didn't you feel what I did during that kiss?”

“We can’t, Bree. I’m your bodyguard, for fuck’s sake, and whatever’s been going on between us can’t happen!” He runs a hand down his face, torment visible in his features. “No matter how much I want to kiss you again.”

Well, at least there’s that. “I’m not some sort of forbidden fruit, Vince. I’m a grown ass adult fully capable of making her own choices.”

He runs a hand through his hair as his chest continues to heave. “You’re my client, for starters, and you’re just a—”

I cut him off. “Don't do that.”

“What?”

I slowly start to move toward him as I speak again. “Don’t call me too young, too naive. Don’t tell me I’m just a kid latching onto you because of our proximity, because it’s so much more than that, Vince. I feel like I’m myself when I’m with you, and you treat me like I’m a human, not just some sort of thing everyone else seems to know.”

“Bree, I wasn't going to do that. You’re just going through way too much shit lately, and I don't want to add to it. My job is to protect you, and I don't want whatever feelings I’m having to muddle that. Because if something happens to you and I could have avoided it, I wouldn't beable to live with myself.”

I take a deep breath. “I understand that, but I’m strong, Vince. I’ve lived through more things in the past few years than most people will experience in their lifetime. I chose to kiss you, and I’m choosing to tell you that I like spending time with you because you make me feelalive, and I like who I am when I’m with you.”

He takes a small step toward me, and my breath hitches as he reaches up to my hair and pulls my ponytail out. My hair spreads down my sweaty back as the two of us continue to stare at one another.

“You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, Bree, and throughout the past few months, you’ve been unraveling me,” he says as he takes part of my hair in his hand and starts to wrap it around his fist. “Do you understand how difficult that is? I’ve trained to always be alert and focused, but when I’m around you, my control slips.”

He tugs on my hair, not too hard to hurt but enough to lift my head back so I’m face to face with him again. “Oh yeah? Is that so?”

“Mhm. And you were wrong earlier. Youarea forbidden fruit. You’ve been dangling in front of me this entire time, and I can’t have you.”

“Why can’t you have me, Vince? Who says you can’t?”

“My rules, baby.” He lifts his other hand to graze against my lips, and my body shudders. The tension between us could snap at any moment, and it’s only been a few minutes since I kissed him, but I already want more.

I try to make my voice strong, but it comes out in a whisper instead. “Fuck your rules, Vince. You’ve already broken most of them for me anyway, right?”

“I have, angel.”

“And you named your company after me.”

“It seems I did, huh?” He smirks at me, that one hair falling in front of his face as he inches toward mine.

“Why?”

“I don't have an answer for you. It seems you’ve been under my skin long before I came back to you.” He lightly brushes my lips with his, and I need more, but he doesn't give it.

“Vince…”

He moves to my neck, and I feel him lightly bite my pulse point before he moves back to my cheeks, forehead, nose. “Fuck it,” he whispers as he gives me what I want, smashing his lips to mine.

Compared to the last kiss, this one isn't gentle. It’s possessing every cell in my body as he slips his tongue into my mouth, and I let him have control.

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