Page 86 of Worth the Risk

I ask the one thing I need to find out more than anything. “Did we have sex last night?”

Amber hesitates momentarily, then lets out a big breath. “No, unfortunately. You fell asleep just as we made it to the bed.” She lays her hands on my chest and stands on her toes to bring her face up to me. “But we can make up for it now. I want you, Leo.”

My first thought is,I can’t let Kylie find out about this, followed by the quick realization of Kylie being with Nash.What the fuck would it matter?Kylie certainly isn’t mine anymore, and I don’t belong to her.

Anger rises in me again, and hastily, I remove Amber’s hands from my chest and storm past her to our clothes on the floor. I pick through our stuff, find my boxers, and quickly pull them on. When I stand with her clothes in my hand, she puts her hand on my arm.

Glancing down at it, I only feel uneasiness.

Yanking out of her grasp, I push her clothes into her chest. “I need you to leave, Amber,” I request as nicely as I can.

Her smile falls, and her lip quivers. “Why? I thought after what we shared, it would mean something to you. We can finally be together.”

It didn’t fucking mean anything to me. Even though she doesn’t deserve it, my heart has been taken by the girl who shattered it to pieces.

“Listen, Amber, you’re a good friend, but last night should not have happened. I drank too much, and if I gave you any reason to believe that this was something more than friendship, I apologize,” I say calmly, trying to let her down gently.

It doesn’t work.

Tears stream down her face. “I thought you realized you loved me. I know you love me, Leo. I love you too.”

Why the hell does she think I love her?I’ve only ever loved one girl, and she sure as hell isn’t her.

“I’m sorry, Amber, but I don’t love you. I care for you as a friend, but I’ll never love you, not like that.” I can’t make it any clearer.

She cries, and I have no idea what else to say, so I head into the bathroom to shower, closing and locking the door behind me.

When I finish, she’s gone.

Thank fuck.

I lie across my bed. If this wasn’t enough to tell me I need to cool it with the drinking, I don’t imagine anything else will.

One thing is for sure—no more fucking bourbon.

ChapterTwenty-Seven

Kylie

Five years later…

Before I even open my eyes, I sense someone is with me. I can feel her since she is the best part of me.

“Good morning, Riley,” I greet my little angel.

Hearing her giggle makes me smile.

“Good morning, Mommy. Manda says time for breakfast. I helped her make it.”

Opening my eyes, they land on the sweetest four-year-old cherub face on this earth.My baby girl.When I look at her closely, I notice she’s in her swimsuit.

“Sweetie, why are you in your swimsuit?”

“Lake. ‘Member?”

Oh yes, I do now.

“Tell Manda I’ll be right down. And after we eat, we’ll head to the lake.”

---