Page 7 of Trustfall
I stepped closer, drawn to her as if she had been the north to my south, no matter how hard she had denied our connection.
The muscles in her toned shoulders strained against the expanse of her olive complexion while my restraint teetered on the blink of demise. I was breaking the rules, stepping over boundaries, and cursing my timing, but nothing at that moment would willfully derail my focus.
She was worth risking it all for.
With barely a gap separating my chest from her back, I pinned her with an intense gaze while my hands itched to touch her bare skin. Tiny beads of water dotted a roadmap my tongue craved to follow in infinite circles until I was undeniably lost, with no end in sight.
We were so close that when her breath hitched, it was music to my ears and a teaser into other intimate sounds I desperately wanted to draw out of her. No other woman had such a profound, heart-stopping effect on me.
Just like I craved no one else.
The outside world faded away while she sharpened into infinite focus.
“The strength, grace, and grit you exhibit daily is inspiring. Your unwavering compassion for your patients, dedication, and commitment to the job are admirable. But those traits don’t paint the full picture.” I dropped my tone to a low whisper as I leaned forward and angled my chin between the juncture of her shoulder and ear, ghosting my breath across her dampened skin. “And this facade you’ve got going doesn’t fool me, nor do the walls you’ve built sky-high deter me, so please hear me when I say this: don’t for one second think any other woman holds a candle to you.”
Her lips parted in preparation for a rebuttal that never came.
“You’re perfection personified. In a league of your own. There isn’t a single iota of you that I don’t find incredibly beautiful, Ari, both inside and out.”
Her phone picked the most inopportune time to pop the idyllic bubble I had immersed myself in and had me casting my eyes toward the top shelf of her locker, where it lit up with an incoming message.
Dixon: 8 pm is perfect; I look forward to meeting in person.
My height often came in handy. However, now wasn’t one of those said times. While the message replayed in my head, Arizona made no attempt to reach up for her phone, leaving me feeling like a fool for exposing my inner thoughts.
She had a date.
She had a fucking date lined up.
God, I wanted to throttle Alex.
But first, I needed to reign in the torturous agitation steering me into unchartered waters. However, it was useless, as every thought that came to mind was snarky and wrapped with a heavy dose of irritation.
Over the years, I’d become a goddamned magician when it came to masking my feelings for Arizona, and yet, all it took was one intimate moment to bring me to my knees.
Chapter Three
Arizona
McQuade’s always had a cozy, chill vibe whenever one walked in. However, the vibe tonight was clearly that of a celebration.
The place was lively, energetic, and packed, with everyone dressed for the occasion. In the corner of the room, near the two pool tables, a large brown kraft paper banner covered the wall with the words “Congratulations Boden & Lakelyn,” hand-painted alongside a drawing of an engagement ring, all framed by a beautiful balloon arch in shades of sage-green, gold, and white.
“Arizona.” I turned to see Brooke, Boden’s sister, walking my way. “I’m so glad you could make it. Champagne.” She offered me the extra glass she was holding.
“Thank you.” We clinked glasses. “I appreciate the invite and your understanding about my date here tonight.”
Even if my blind date hadn’t coincided with the engagement party, I would have been here to show my support for Boden, a local police officer from Sutton River and someone I had known since childhood. I also welcomed the chance to meet his fiancée, Lakelyn, in a more relaxed setting, as our prior two meetings had been quite intense and stressful.
“Of course, and hey, on the plus side, if the guy turns out to be sketchy, everyone you know is here and can deal with him.”
“Wouldn’t that just be my luck?” I pressed my lips into a thin line. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find the happy couple before my date arrives.”
“Let’s catch up soon; it’s been far too long.”
“Sounds good.” After a quick hug, I turned on my heel, only to slam into a rigid wall of muscle.
Usually, Jameson towered over my five-foot-eight stature, but with my three-inch heels on, I found myself almost eye level with his mouth as his hands landed on my hips to help steady me.
