Page 44 of Starting Over with You
He licks his lips, and my body goes wild for him. Unable to wait, I rise onto my tippy-toes and press my mouth to his. His lips are soft, warm, and I feel the moment the shock of me kissing him wears off. His other hand comes around my waist, pulling me closer as he moves his lips with mine. His body is hot against me. His chest is burning through my thin cami, my nipples going hard at the mere contact. It’s not one kiss—it’s like a hundred before his tongue slides along the seam of my lips. I open for him on instinct. Our tongues touch, and I almost explode. He tastes so damn good. My whole body goes taut when his hips jerk into mine. Holy shit, he’s hard. He groans against my lips and then rips his mouth from mine like I shot him or something. I open my eyes, my lips still parted, but all I see is his back as he hauls ass out of the room.
I stand there shocked and unsure what I did wrong.
Did he not like it?
’Cause I did.
And I want more.
But obviously, he doesn’t.
Dean looked at me tonight just like he did the day he kissed me. That has to be the reason that moment is playing on repeat in my head as Missy drives us home. Not that I don’t think of it often anyway. Like he said, your first kiss is a special thing. You never forget the first guy you kissed, and to this day, I can still taste his lips. He used to chew that Big League Chew bubble gum, the shredded kind that was designed to make you feel like you were a baseball player, and he tasted just like that.
I’m not sure what I’m feeling…or even how to handle these feelings and thoughts. I want him, badly, but can I sleep with him and stay friends? I’ve always been attracted to him, always felt this tether to him, but I never felt like he wanted me in the way I lusted after him. Tonight was different, though. It felt like he wanted me and I’m down for it, but will that cost us our friendship? Then again, he apparently doesn’t do relationships.
Without looking away from the sparkling black sky, I ask, “So, Dean hooks up a lot?”
Missy snorts. “He hasn’t ever had a relationship. Sadie thinks he’s broken.”
“Broken?”
She nods as she turns onto her road. “Yeah, he remembers how bad it was for his dad when they lost his mom, so he doesn’t want that kind of pain. Hell, when his other granny died, his Mom’s dad went a wee bit crazy. I don’t think Dean is made to love anyone but Skyye.”
“Understandable,” I say softly, remembering how broken the whole family was when they lost Juniper, who was killed in an accident coming home from Knoxville. It was a dark time for all of us, honestly.
“For sure,” she agrees as she pulls into the driveway of her sweet little home. “Love that for him, but he needs to settle down. Skyye notices he isn’t with anyone.”
“She doesn’t care,” I insist as we get out. “He doesn’t need anyone to be a good dad to her.” Missy gives me a look, and I hold up my hand. “I don’t mean that how it came out.”
Her eyes narrow a bit, but then she shrugs. “Fine, but he’s so good. Someone would be lucky to be with him.”
She’s not wrong.
“He told me he hasn’t found the one.”
She rolls her eyes. “He hasn’t even tried,” she says as she reaches for the door. Then she pauses. She looks over her shoulder at me. “So, you spent the whole night with him?”
I roll my lips, a little nervous to answer. “Yeah.”
She eyes me, and I swear it’s all over my face that I had the best night ever. “Did you try anything?”
I gawk at her. “No! We drank and danced.”
And exchanged very heated looks, but no one needs to know that part.
She swallows, and I almost feel like she wants to say more, but the door opens and Nyle looks between us. “What the hell, Missy?” I sigh deeply as he continues. “You just left, and I find out it’s to go out with your sister? I don’t like this.” His eyes move to mine. “You’re a bad influence.”
Call me an asshole, but I laugh. Hard. “Okay, Nyle,” I say as I pat his chest and walk past him.
He pushes my hand away. “I don’t like this,” he repeats. “If you are going to bring my wife home at all hours of the night, I don’t know if you can live with us.”
“Nyle!” Missy complains, and I keep laughing.
“I’m serious. This isn’t healthy for Skyye.”
“The only thing unhealthy is your need to control my sister’s life,” I snap as I narrow my eyes to slits. “But I’ll tell you this, no one will ask me to leave but Missy.”
“This is my home too.”
