Page 381 of One More Kiss

She harrumphs. “Not always.”

“Always,” the other women say in unison making everyone, including Silas laugh.

I quickly go about setting him up with some paint, a canvas, and some brushes. I show him what we’re all attempting to do and then I leave him to it because I have to refill some of the snacks and drinks.

He starts painting, talking with the ladies on either side of him. I even catch his laughter a couple of times at whatever they’re talking about. It’s wild. Watching him here, in my space, making himself part of it. He’s here tonight for me. Because he cares. I mean, I know he does. But this is more.

He has to care more, right? It has to be more than just sex.

Because in the few weeks we’ve been doing this, well, it’s felt like that.

It’s felt like a relationship. Yes, we sneak around. Every chance we can, we do and we’re far from out in the open and it still can’t go anywhere, and dammit. Why did he show up tonight?

Why is he doing this to me if it can’t be anything more?

I do my best to shake that off. He’s not trying to hurt me by showing up. He wanted to see me on a night he knew he otherwise wouldn’t and he’s doing something nice. Something that he knows is important to me. It shows he does, in fact, care even if we’re just having some fun together.

The night goes on and the other ladies can’t get enough of him. And for the first time, I realize that Silas is smiling and laughing. A lot. More than I think I can ever remember him doing so. He seems lighter. More relaxed. Like he’s having fun and I can’t help but watch as he does. A smile like this looks damn good on him.

Silas sticks around to help me clean up as the other ladies trickle out with flirty waves and requests for him to join the group again. Once the last person leaves and I’m cleaning up the last of the paint, I quirk my head over my shoulder and wink at him.

“You were a big hit tonight, Doctor.”

“I had a lot of fun. Thank you for letting me stay and paint.”

His arms wrap around my waist from behind, but he doesn’t drag me back into him and he doesn’t make a move. He just kisses my spine since I’m bent over, washing brushes now. With a heavy sigh, the side of his cheek hits where he just kissed, and he rests there while I finish doing what I’m doing.

“I have to go,” he whispers as I turn in his arms, circling my hands around his neck. He starts to sway us to the beat of the music. “I can’t stay tonight.”

I look up into his brown eyes. “That’s okay. I didn’t expect you to. I’m glad you came.”

“Me too.”

Dipping down, his lips softly glide against mine as he continues to lead me in a slow dance. This kiss… it’s so different. It’s a kiss just to kiss. Just to feel and taste and be close. A kiss that we both know isn’t leading to anything beyond this moment.

“Are you busy tomorrow night? Knox is with his mom. Or more likely, her babysitter.” He grunts that last part.

“I’m free. What did you have in mind?”

“Cooking you dinner. Having you spend the night at my place. Then making you breakfast in the morning.”

His forehead meets mine, followed by his nose and this is it. This is the moment. It’s the one I fall so helplessly in love with this man. It’s also the moment I should call this thing quits between us, but there is no way I can do that now. No way I can stop until he makes us. He will. It’s inevitable. A matter of time.

But I can’t be the one.

I’m not strong enough to walk away. I don’t want to walk away even though I know losing Silas will be the worst loss of all of them. The ones who came before him will barely register in comparison.

“I can do that,” I tell him.

“Perfect.” A kiss. “I get off at three tomorrow, but I won’t drop Knox off until around six. Is six thirty okay?”

“I’ll see you then.”

For a moment, he just stares into my eyes like that. Our faces pressed. Tiny inches the only distance between us. “Good night.”

“Good night, Silas.”

He walks out the door and I’m left here trying to remind myself that this is only meant to be fun and nothing more.

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