Page 65 of The Offer

“Holy crap what?” she murmured. She fisted his sweatshirt, the cotton soft between her fingers.

“I didn’t actually think you’d say yes.”

She scowled. “Don’t make me regret it.”

Kevin pressed his forehead to hers. “Trust me, I won’t.”

He dipped down and nuzzled her nose with his, then he leaned in and kissed her.

Butterflies soared in her stomach at the feel of his lips on hers. He tasted like cinnamon sugar and golden sunrises and good decisions. She leaned her head back, allowing him to deepen the kiss. He groaned, his soft lips gliding against hers as he slipped a tongue into her mouth. She shivered, moving her hands to his stubble-dusted cheeks. She followed a trail to his neck and dug her fingers into his sleep-tousled hair. He sucked in a shocked breath, then nibbled at her lip and plunged in again, her fingers in his hair rousing him to another level of intensity as he kissed her deeply and thoroughly. His arms remained wrapped tight around her waist, his hands curled at her hips.

Honey barked.

They broke apart, breathing heavily. She cracked open her eyes, noticing his were still shut, his face anguished.

He dropped his hold on her and stepped back, then scratched the back of his head.

“I take it back,” he muttered, not looking in her direction.

“Take what back?”

“I take what I said back,” he breathed. “I can’t practice with you. I’d lose my damn mind.”

Chapter Fourteen

They rode in silence the rest of the way to Burlington. Honey panted on Jess’s lap as Kevin drove. He kept his eyes on the road as he gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. He pulled off the exit and down windy roads with small houses tucked behind evergreen trees. Minutes later they turned into a dirt driveway in front of a brick house that was barely visible, hidden behind hundreds of winding strands of ivy.

“Are you sure your tattoo doesn’t have a hidden meaning?” Jess jested, trying to lighten up the thick tension that lingered between them.

Kevin gave her a smile and unbuckled his seat belt.

She crossed her arms. “You told me you wouldn’t make me regret it.”

He hesitated, then let out a defeated exhale. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Is it going to be weird if I go in there with you? I can drive somewhere and pick you up later…”

“Jess, no, it’s fine. Really.”

She expected him to reach out and touch her hand or her shoulder or something. But Kevin kept his distance as he cut the ignition and leaned back in his seat.

“You don’t seem fine.”

He sighed, then unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car. Honey bolted after him, then instantly found interest in the bed of lavender planted by the front door and ran for that instead.

Jess jumped out of her seat and chased Kevin as he circled the car, stopping him with a hand at his chest. “If you don’t talk to me then I’m not going in there.”

“Well, that would be very rude of you. Mom made a special batch of her sourdough banana bread so she could impress you.”

Her chest tightened. She made something special to impress me. Charlie’s mother would never.

She glared at him. “Then it would be especially rude if I skipped out on it all because you wouldn’t talk to me.”

Kevin cupped her hand at his chest with his own and squeezed it delicately, then dropped it back to her side and let go. “Jess, you got out of a really big, really serious relationship, and I know you’re not interested in any of this right now.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to be celibate,” she said, her words clipped and tight.

“Yes, but…you’re looking for a rebound, sweetheart. A one-night stand. No strings attached. And I am nothing but attached.”