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My hand slides from her wrist to her waist, my thumb catching the edge of her shirt. Her skin is warm beneath the fabric. I curl my fingers around her, pulling her closer still.

She lets out a soft breath, her eyes flicking to my mouth.

But this time... I don’t move.

Because wanting her is easy. Cleaning up the mess it would leave? That could take forever.

I take a step back instead. The air between us cools by degrees.

“I have to go into work,” I say, my voice rougher than I want it to be. “You good for this afternoon?”

She hesitates. Then nods. “I’ll survive.”

I nod, too. Then grab my keys and head for the door, every step heavier than it should be.

Because if I’d kissed her just now?

I’m not sure I would’ve stopped.

EDEN

As soon as I hear his car pull away I walk upstairs and throw myself onto my bed. My skin feels like it’s on fire. The argument, the way he softened when he heard me say how lonely I am, and then,the way he looked at me. I was one breath away from kissing West Abbott.

Kissing him again, actually,my brain reminds me and that makes things worse.

Because that first kiss? It was the best kiss of my life, damn it.

I roll onto my stomach and groan into my pillow. My body is thrumming, like someone plugged me into the electricity. And the worst part? He barely touched me, yet I’m still so turned on I don’t know what to do with myself. All it took was his hand on my wrist. Then my waist. Like he was testing the charge between us.

And God, it was hissing like a live wire.

I roll onto my back and glare at the ceiling, feeling the ache between my legs. It’s just because I have to live with him. And he’s a good looking man.

Okay, he’s hot as hell.

But he’s still West. Somewhere beneath all those narrowed eyes and low words is the man who smiles harder than anybody I know.

Taking a deep breath, I look over at my half-unpacked backpack. With the clothes West left in the closet, I haven’t bothered to unpack most of what I brought with me yet.

But I still know what’s in there.

A fleshy pink vibrator, courtesy of the Vantaggio Bridal Suite, because they’re classy that way. I found it in the bathroom, gift wrapped for the bride. I have no idea why I brought it home. Maybe I wanted to annoy him even though he has no idea I’ve got it. But now…

Now I’m considering using it.

I bite my lip and give the backpack a side-eye. It sits there innocently, like who, me?

Ugh. No. I can’t. Not while his scent is still clinging to my skin. Not while I’m thinking about him.

My phone starts to vibrate and I grab it like a drowning man grabs a lifejacket, opening it up to see that Autumn has sent a message to the family group chat.

Autumn:Family barbecue on Saturday. Be there or be square (at Hudson’s of course.) Wyatt, Zach, any chance of you two making a cameo appearance? I might have to break out my tiara if the whole family is together for once.

Wyatt:

Zach:Look at our baby learning to speak. For those that need a translation, that’s no, I have to work on the boat, and thank god for that…

Autumn:So what’s your excuse, Zachary?