Her head tilts, her ponytail sliding over the back of my hand.
Silk.
God, what I wouldn’t give to have the strands spread on my pillow.
“I guess you do.” She smiles softly and I take that piece of her too.
Because I’m greedy when it comes to Kylie Connors.
“And I know it wasn’t you,” she says. “You wouldn’t hurt me.”
I freeze, fingers flexing on her cheek.
Yup. At this point I’m going to have to make a whole new list of things I love about Kylie.
And number one is going to be the way she can eviscerate me with only four words.
I should say something, should reaffirm, make it clear I’d cut off my arm before I allow harm to come to her.
But she speaks before I can get my head together enough to give voice to that.
“But, for old time’s sake”—her lips curve into a smile I’ve seen her give others, but never me—“would you put your tire changing skills to use for me?”
I’d crawl through a mile of broken glass for her.
But all I say is, “Yeah, baby.”
Pink on her cheeks, warming the skin beneath my fingertips, and fuck, I want to lean in, to close the distance between us, to taste those plump lips.
Instead…I pull back.
I need to get her safe, need to get her home, need to find out why her day was a day and figure out how to make it better.
Need to figure out how to tell her I’m never letting her go.
But first I need to change her tire.
So I get on that.
Nine
Ky
He followed me home.
Because of course he did.
But now, instead of idling at the curb, watching me climb the stairs to my apartment, he’s parked in a guest spot and he’s walking toward me, all easy, loose-limbed strength.
If only I ignore the look in his eyes.
Like he’s seen something he wants.
Like I’m the prey to his predator and he’s begun his hunt.
Maybe, given my past, that should be terrifying.
But I can’t ignore the hidden thrill coiling in my belly—nor the notion that to be hunted and caught by this man would mean to be held safely in the protection of him for the rest of my life.
