Page 872 of One More Kiss

And from his stare.

“You’ve seen me. Now go.” She reached for the window to pull it closed, but he wrapped his large hand around the sash, holding it in place.

“No. Don’t. Please.” The heat in his deep brown eyes begged her as much as his words.

Maybe more.

She stepped back from the window.

He took it as an invitation, placing his hands on the frame and swinging his long legs up and inside.

“Wait! What are you doing? Don’t wake Dorie!” Why didn’t she protest him coming in? Because, she admitted, she wanted him there.

He pulled himself up to his full height and grinned. “Me? I suggest you keep it down so you don’t wake her.”

Lu raised her balled-up fists and struck him in the chest, but he pulled her hands away easily. She raised her eyes to his face to find he wasn’t smiling so much anymore.

Instead, his lower lip was caught in his teeth, his expression caught between contemplation and resignation.

Of what, Lu did not understand.

She pulled free of his grip and moved to sit on her bed, but bypassed it for the vanity bench. Didn’t want to give him the impression she was issuing an invitation to him, for heaven’s sake.

He, however, took a seat on the foot of her bed, a mere foot from where she sat.

“Max, what are you really doing here?”

“I’ve had an odd night. Not bad. Just unexpected. Someone tried to kiss me. Well, did kiss me.”

Lu had no desire to hear him speak of sexual conquests when she’d been without for so long. “I really don’t want to—”

“It was Clyde. Clyde kissed me.” Then he muttered, “Shit.”

“Max, I—”

“I promised him I wouldn’t tell anyone. But here I am telling you.”

“I already know. Since last spring. I discovered him with another student, when they thought they were alone.”

“Oh. Does he know this?”

“No, and I’d like to keep it that way. It’s none of my concern, and I don’t want him to be uncomfortable around me. In fear of me revealing his secret.”

“I wish it didn’t have to be a secret.”

“Max, do you feel the same about him?”

“What? No. My brother, my twin. He likes men, and he struggles with his secrecy and shame. It shouldn’t be that way.”

Lu moved to sit next to him, her thigh brushing his as she slid on to the quilt. “Did you come here to prove to yourself you’re not like them?”

“No. I came here because Clyde kissing me made me realize how much I want to kiss you. How much I’ve wanted to since I first spied you swigging whiskey.”

She stiffened. “Before I discovered you were here to take my job.”

“About that…”

“That’s unfair. It wasn’t my job, but the one I wanted. Had worked so hard for over the last ten years. You have no idea what I’ve overcome to be where I am.”

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