His touch pulls me out of my past and into the present.
I make eye contact with him and suck in my breath.
When his mouth lands on mine, I lose my breath because I’m not expecting it. The first time, in the elevator, I was expecting it. This time’s almost better, though, and I think it’s the surprise element. I part my lips and let him in. He groans as he tastes me, licks me, and makes me feel like I’m going to lose my damn mind.
And my clothes. I want Dylan to tear my sweater and pants right off me. I want to bare my body and my soul to him, and I want him to take as much of me as he wants.
“I’m crazy for you.” His voice is as ragged as his breath, and he drags his mouth down my neck toward my breast. “So crazy for you, Jasalie.”
I don’t know that I’m going to make it to today’s event after all. I’m not sure I care, either.
Dylan pulls away. “Sorry. I guess this was a bad idea.”
I exhale. “No, it wasn’t.”
“You know,” he says. “Before you work and all. I don’t want to be the reason you don’t get your work done.”
I nod. “Good idea. I’d like to avoid being yelled at by Bill in front of your entire team.”
“If he does that, I’ll say something to him,” Dylan says.
“Don’t you dare! I’ll kick your ass.”
“I know you can take care of yourself. But that guy’s a prick. Don’t you think so?”
Oh, Dylan, you have no idea. What would he say if he knew how Bill hit on us every other day? Although now that I think about it, Bill hasn’t flirted with me at all since the first team event. It must be the woman he’s dating. I wonder if the desert is like some sort of elixir.
“Of course he is,” I say. “But nothing like a little trip to Arizona to make him seem like less of a monster.”
I’m not sure how I’ll make it through work today; I can still taste Dylan in my mouth.
Dylan steps back so I can make my call and echoes what I’m feeling. “I’ll be thinking about this kiss all afternoon you know. Every time you pass me.”
“I’m glad I gave you something to think about, Mr. Wild.”
I smile and reach for my phone to call the foster home to confirm that everything is on track for this afternoon. I manage to get through the call with relative ease. The woman I speak with is pleasant and polite, and she makes it easy for me to pretend like I was never one of the kids we’re discussing. Sort of easy. Inside, I’m fighting emotions I typically bury. But I hang up with her quickly and send the good news over to Bill, who texts me back a hands clapping emoticon.
Bill’s never used emoticons before. I didn’t know he knew the symbol for happy. But I guess there’s always a first time.
I grab my purse, and we leave the room.
Chapter Seventeen
We pull up by the football field and get out of the car. Dylan and I are chatting casually, and everything’s going fine. Until I look next to where Dylan parked and see a large bus with the words “Red Rock Foster Care Inc” painted across it.
I start shaking. Like uncontrollably. And I feel like an asshole because I’m not one of those kids anymore.
But the flashback to being so young and helpless is just…
“Hey.” Dylan’s arm goes around me. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Jasalie, you’re trembling.” He stops so he can put both hands on my shoulders and look me in the eyes. “Talk to me.”
I take a deep cleansing breath and focus on my current whereabouts. I’m alive, I’m healthy, and I’m independent. I don’t need a parent to take care of me anymore. I’m okay.
“I’m all right.” I nod at him vigorously. “I swear.”
