“Can we go back to the party?” She glanced at him and then looked back at me. “I think I want to play with the kids now.”
How was I supposed to say no when it was what I wanted for her and that look of longing was back in her big, chocolate-brown eyes.
My gaze drifted to Bronson, who had not pulled his hand out of Stormi’s. For a big, bad cop, he looked scared shitless. And when I said big, I meantbig. The boy I knew had filled out and was packing some muscle.
Don’t think about that.
I wasn’t sure what the hell to do. It took a lot for my daughter to feel comfortable with someone and yet there she was, her hand gripped in Bronson’s like they had known each other forever. It scared the crap out of me.
“You can play with us too,” Stormi told Bronson in a sweet voice.
That seemed to shift something, not only inside of me, but him too. He squatted down so they were eye level. “That would be fun.” He gave her a megawatt smile that had her bouncing on her toes.
For me, that smile sent butterflies fluttering in my belly. God how I loved his smile. It was just as earth-shattering and irresistible now as it had been when we were growing up.
It was so unfair.
A tug on my hand had me looking at my child. “Let’s go play.”
For the second time that day, I felt myself being guided by my daughter toward the sound of a party that was still in full swing. Only this time it wasn’t just my hand she held.
I’d been worried about Bronson being at the gathering, but I never imagined things going as they had.
Looking at their joined hands, I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. I used to wish for this in the early days when Stormi was a baby. But I gave up hope that Bronson would come homeand be with us. I’d come to my senses, realizing he would never be mine. And therefore, he’d never be Stormi’s.
Now when he walked away it wasn’t only going to hurt me.
Stormi’s heart might just break too.
Chapter Two
BRONSON
I’d feltit the second she emerged from around the side of the house.
Every hair on my body stood up and took notice. My gaze drank her in and my heart skipped a few beats.
My god, she was stunning.
When Lake began her teenage years she’d really started growing into her own and was pretty. By the time she was fifteen it had gotten harder to keep her at arm's length but she was my best friend. I held my ground and didn’t cross any lines. I was three years older than her so it was my duty to do the right thing. But now…
She was all woman and a fucking knockout.
As Ruby coaxed her toward the rest of the ladies mingling with one another, my eyes swallowed her up from head to toe.
Long, glossy, dark-mahogany brown hair with a slight wave to it that my fingers itched to run through; smooth, flawless, creamy-ivory skin; full, sultry pink, bubble-gum-colored lips that were begging to be kissed, and a body that was made for sin. Lush breasts pressed against her white tank-top and played a PG game of peekaboo with my gaze. Her outfit was enticing but still tasteful, just enough to get my motor running.
Full hips made for holding as—
Fuck, I needed to change my thinking fast. I shouldn’t be thinking of my best friend the way I was, like I had started to over the last year before I’d left for the military. Lake would not like the thoughts and images running rapidly through my head.
I was sure she hated me for what I’d done to her. For hurting her. And I didn’t blame her. She probably wouldn’t even consider me a friend anymore. But I couldn’t stop my gaze from finishing their descent down her long, perfectly-toned legs in her frayed, cut-off jean shorts. Even her red painted toes in her white flip-flops turned me on.
“Dude, snap out of it before you have to arrest yourself for assault with your lust-filled eyes,” Lyric said, chuckling.
Fingers snapped in front of my face drawing attention to Lyric and all the other guys standing around me with smirks on their faces. Well all except Gyth, who had a raised brow in question and a confused look on his face.
I shook my head.
