My stomach did a triple somersault.
“But this can’t go anywhere,” he added, drawing a clean line in the sand.
I tried not to be disappointed by his words.
He was right, wasn’t he? Better to stay focused on the goal than get distracted by a hot booty.
I glanced down at my silver boots—the ones I’d worn tonight just in case he noticed. Just in case he said something. What a total idiot I was.
I nodded, eyes still fixed on the floor.
“You’re right. I’m being ridiculous. This”—I threw up my hands—“is ridiculous.”
I turned away, voice low now. “I shouldn’t feel this way when I’m around you.”
“What way?”
Of course he heard that. Of course. So much for my brilliant plan to pretend I didn’t care.
I looked up. His brows had drawn together.
I let out a breath, half-laugh, half-defeated sigh. Heknew. Hehadto know. But I said it anyway.
“Like there’s a fire burning under my skin every time you look at me.”
The words spilled out before I could stop them.
I wanted to snatch them back. Bury them. Stomp them out with my goddamn silver boots.
“Fuck.”
I snorted. “Wow. Poetic. I see why you’ve never tried to become a poet.”
The corner of his mouth twitched.Hello, dimple.
A hollow laugh escaped me. “I don’t get it. You’re not eventhatgood-looking.”
“And I’m old. Engaged. Your competition.”
I nodded solemnly. “Exactly. It’s probably nothing. Just a phantom itch you think you need to scratch because you can’t reach it.”
“Probably.”
His voice was low. That rich baritone—like butter on hot toast—curled around me, seeped into my bloodstream.
I bit the inside of my cheek. My eyes dropped to his mouth.
Maybe…
“I think it’s safer if we just get it out of our system,” I said, my eyes dropping to his lips. They parted.
His chest was rising and falling faster.
“We’ll kiss,” I continued, taking a half-step back like I was making a business proposition. “Once. And it’ll be terrible.”
John straightened, his shoulders squaring. His expression tightened, like he was steeling himself. The muscles beneath his open shirt shifted, and I had to ball my hands into fists to keep from reaching out, to see how well they would fit under my palms. I was seconds from regretting this whole thing, seconds from backpedaling and laughing it off. But then?—
“Come here then,” he said.
