Page 13 of Sin Bins and Second Chances
DAISY
Shocked.
That was the only reason I couldn’t move at first. He’d pressed himself against me, caging me in. I couldn’t move and I wasn’t sure if I liked that idea or not. The next thing I knew, his lips were on mine and everything around us disappeared. We were the only two in the world, and it shattered everything.
All the peace I’d found for myself, gone. Every happy moment I’d found over the years, it didn’t matter. All the hurt and destruction I’d caused muddled its way around like a broken washingmachine that beat itself against the wall. Everything felt damaged beyond repair.
I wasn’t okay.
Ethan Miller showed up like a bulldozer without warning, crumbling down the walls I’d carefully built with duct tape and sheer willpower. I’d hid every crack of the foundation with a glitter like distraction.
With one kiss, he’d shattered everything. His lips devoured mine like he could reach my soul with one kiss.
I couldn’t get out of that house fast enough, but I couldn’t exactly run out and make a scene. Even though that was inevitably what I was doing. I simply made an excuse and left, waving my hand in the air in my rush to leave. So much for hanging out with the team and enjoying dinner, not that I could even think about food at a time like this.
Any hunger I might’ve had was gone. Vanished.
All I can think about is how his lips felt on mine. How natural it felt, as if no time had passed between us. The only thing that was built was the desire to want more. It took everything not to melt into his embrace and latch on for dear life. Alarm bells were going off in my head; there wasno way it was that simple. Why would he do such a thing?
This thing between us was in the past. A weird habit that had weaseled its way through time to make me feel. It hit me out of nowhere. The idea was unsettling. This wasn’t right. Surely the man had too many drinks and confused me with someone else.
I’d seen the tabloids and social media posts. He’d moved on long ago. Ethan didn’t even do relationships, and sure as hell not with women like me. I wasn’t his type. His track record, according to what I’d seen online, were models and actresses with a certain look—and that look was nothing like me.
I’m sure there were some heavily edited and filtered photos there, but it wasn’t the same. Those women had beauty teams, personal trainers, and private chefs. With their designer clothes, flawless complexions, and flat stomachs.
Not me.
I wasn’t a model with glamorous beauty. Sure, I was pretty, but it was more the girl next door who didn’t turn down Taco Tuesday and margaritas. I did my best not to compare myself to others,especially women I’d seen him pictured with, but I wasn’t his type. Blondes with legs for days—not me. I was a short and curvy. Curves I’d learned to love in sundresses.
Damn him for getting in my head.
No. Ethan Miller couldn’t just kiss me because he felt like it. We weren’t like that, not in a long time. Hell, we hadn’t even spoken in years. Whatever that was, it couldn’t happen again. The idea of avoiding him came to mind, but that would be hard if he was truly back. Not if I wanted to go to the usual home games with my family.
“Fucking hell.” I groan as I stomp over to my golf cart.
I slide into the seat and lean my head back, closing my eyes and wishing I could rewind time to before I arrived. Dropping off the baked goods and leaving would have been better. Admitted I was tired or made up some excuse so I couldn’t stay. Then what? I would still eventually find out he was back. And why the hell didn’t Andrew tell me? He could’ve fucking warned me.
“Asshole,” I mutter before reversing out from under the carport.
Talking to oneself is normal for an introvert. Atleast that’s what I tell myself when I’m busy in the kitchen. I continue to bitch about my cousin as I round the corner of my cousin’s house to go towards my own.
“Who?” A large body jumps into my golf cart.
I scream and slam on the brakes. “Get out!” I turn to see Ethan sitting next to me, a smirk on his face.
“Let’s talk.”
“Let’s not.” I keep my hands on the wheel and my foot on the brake. “Go away.”
“No. I interrupted and messed up your evening. Come back and eat dinner with the rest of us.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Then enjoy the company.”
“Present excluded?” I keep my eyes forward. I don’t want to look at him, because if I do—well, I’m not ready for that level of honesty.
Ethan is already taking up too much head space. He’s not supposed to take up any. What we had is in the past. It’s where he was supposed to stay, a memory buried deep. I don’t want to think about it. It’s not as if I can blame him, either.
