Page 24 of Jilted
“Hey,” Amy said.
Brett turned to find her standing next to him. “I’m sorry if I woke you. I didn’t mean to.” He was glad she was, though, because he was tired of being alone with his thoughts.
“No, I wasn’t really sleeping, been tossing and turning all night.”
“Me too.” He resumed looking out over the balcony and at the ocean. The scent of Amy’s perfume still lingered on her body and for the first time ever, he found it highly distracting. “She’s tried calling a few times.”
“Vanessa?”
“Yeah, I’ve ignored them.”
“Oh.”
He glanced at Amy and said the one thing that had really been bugging him the most. “I wonder if I ever really loved her or if I was just in love with the idea of her, of the life we could’ve had together.”
Amy put her arm around his back and put her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
Brett rested his head on hers and momentarily closed his eyes. This felt right. “I’m glad you’re here with me, Amy.”
“Like I was going to say no to a free vacation,” she teased.
He gently nudged her and smiled. “Is that all I am? A free vacation?”
She lifted her head and smiled at him. “No, you’re a lot more than just a free vacation.”
The way she said that… the look in her eyes, the tone of her voice, it had him asking the one question he knew he shouldn’t. “Haven’t you ever wondered...?”
“Wondered what?”
He turned to face her. “What it would be like between you and me if we ever...?” He trailed off, unsure how, or even if he wanted to finish that thought.
“If we ever what?” Amy held his gaze, and he knew he’d have to answer her because she wouldn’t give up until he did.
The words caught in his throat. If he couldn’t tell her, he’d show her. He reached out and lightly brushed his knuckles down her cheek before cupping her face in his hand and leaning over. Hesitantly, he grazed his lips over hers and then parted them with his tongue. He prepared himself for the possibility that she would push him away. In fact, he was so certain that’s what she would do, that he wasn’t prepared when she welcomed his kiss.
Amy’s eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. That was all the permission he needed. Brett put his arms around her back and pulled her tight against his body. He deepened the kiss and nearly lost his mind when he heard her moan.
Christ, he was kissing Amy. Amy! His best friend.
He thought he should feel guilty about it, that he should feel like it was wrong and inappropriate. But all he felt was her lithe body pressed against his, her lips working against his, her tongue dueling and twisting with his, and his raging desire for her. No, there was nothing wrong with what they were doing. It was good, too good. Any fears and doubts he had about it being awkward vanished the moment his lips touched hers.
“That,” he said, releasing her lips, but not her. “Have you ever wondered about that?”
“Yes,” she whispered, looking up at him under her thick lashes.
He raised a brow. “You have?”
Was it possible that Amy had a thing for him? Did she want more from him than just friendship? Based on the way she kissed him, he was leaning toward yes. God, how long? How long had she wanted him? How long had he been clueless about the whole thing? If that was the case, then telling her how he felt would be so much easier.
Her soft laugh snapped him from his thoughts. “You sound surprised.”
He was. It all made sense now, though. Her reaction to finding out he was getting married. Her sudden decision to leave the studio and start a new one on her own. The reality of how close he’d come to losing her rocked him to the core.
Brett lowered his lips to hers and kissed her again, this time harder, more desperate. And she responded in kind, her fingernails grazed along the nape of his neck, and then her fingers speared into his hair, holding him to her.
“Brett,” she whispered.
Sweet Lord, the way she said his name had his cock thickening with need. “Amy.”
