Page 385 of One More Kiss

Delaney

Staringat the spreadsheets in front of me, my eyes start to glaze over. Again. My concentration is absolute shit as I think about my lunch with Silas today. Five weeks of sneaking around and this is how it ends.

All the late-night sneakovers to his place and dinners and sex at mine when he tells his mom he’s working late. Quickies on our lunch breaks—sometimes in his car, sometimes in a random freaking place in the hospital. Texts at all hours of the day and night.

The way he looks into my eyes as he’s inside of me. Or holds my hand as we walk or cups my face as he kisses me. Or always looks so happy when he first sees me, his face lighting up only to look wrecked and torn when we part.

Over.

I’m in love with him. And today he told me he didn’t want to do it anymore.

Liam had texted me a few days ago, just checking in. He said that Silas had told him about my hand, and he was making sure I was okay. I told him I was and left it at that. Even as he texted more, trying to draw out a conversation I wasn’t about to indulge in. I was furious with Silas for telling him. I don’t want Liam texting me. I don’t want him calling to check up on me.

I want Silas. Not Liam.

I told Silas that, which led to him ripping my clothes off and us having angry, hot sex.

But that doesn’t change the large, ever-prevalent mass between us that evidently became too much to navigate around.

Liam.

And with that, all this happiness and love and fun and want and thinking is wasted. I gave my heart to a man who will never be mine. Who will always allow his guilt and love for his brother to keep us apart.

“You’ve been staring at that screen for the last ten minutes without moving. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” I tell Rebecca plainly.

“I’m guessing you’re speaking about something other than order forms.”

I slam my laptop screen shut, my forehead falling to my folded forearms. “I’m in love with a man I have no future with,” I murmur against my skin.

“Have you told him this?”

“No.”

I don’t want to do this anymore. Ugh. Nothing has ever hurt more to hear.

“Maybe you should. Maybe you should tell him and see what he does. See if he’ll make a choice instead of living in a world of sin and guilt.”

I laugh. “You make him sound like a fallen priest.”

“No, but I love that trope.”

I sit up with a sigh, scrubbing my hands up and down my face. “Me too. But there is no point in telling Silas anything. Today at lunch he told me he doesn’t want to do it anymore. We’re over. He’ll never choose me over Liam.”

Is that even what I want? Him to potentially lose a relationship he holds so dear? For me? Does it even matter when he made that choice already?

“I think if Liam has a problem with you seeing his brother, it’s just that. His problem.”

Standing up, I lazily drag my way through the store. It’s quiet today. Hot and sunny and summer, and that tends to keep shoppers away.

“I don’t think that’s how it works. I think if—”

The front door opens, cutting me off, only it’s not a customer. It’s Silas. Hair all over the place. Blue scrubs. Eyes taking in everything until they land on mine and an unstoppable smile erupts across his face.

“Hey,” he says, his voice soft. Uncertain.

“Hey. What are you doing here?”

---