“We were best friends.” He shot me a wry smile. “We got really close, and I started to feel things for her, you know? More than friendship. She was dating another guy when we met, so it wasn’t anything I’d considered, but the closer we got the more I wanted her. And when she broke it off with him, we got together. We dated our whole senior year, but she went to college in the Northeast and she broke it off when she left.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m over Tracy now, obviously. It’s been years. But none of my relationships with women after that measured up.”
“Because you loved her,” I said softly.
“Because she was my best friend,” he countered. “My other girlfriends were hookups or casual dates first. We didn’t build on that same foundation, and I don’t know, I think…maybe I need that?”
“So, the way you feel about me…” I said carefully.
“It’s not casual.” Hank turned onto my street.
In just a few blocks, we might find out how very not casual he felt. I licked my dry lips. “Do you, um, want to come in?”
“I really do,” he said. “But only if you’re ready for that.”
I glanced at him in surprise as he pulled into my driveway, parking next to my Beetle. “You’re the one new to all this.”
“I know,” he said. “But you never expected this from me, and if you need more time to?—”
I surged toward him, only to be yanked to a stop by the seat belt. “Ow.”
Hank chuckled and released his belt, then leaned in and cupped my face. “Did you want something from me?”
“Only everything,” I murmured, tilting my face up for a kiss.
His beard was soft against my chin, tickling the skin. I’donly kissed men with stubble, so this was different. A lot nicer, actually. I parted my lips, encouraging him to deepen the kiss, and Hank didn’t disappoint.
His tongue met mine, and like a switch had flipped, his hands tightened on my face and he pressed forward, kissing me harder.
I moaned, a deep raspy sound that could never be confused for a woman. He responded by sweeping his tongue deeper into my mouth, one hand sliding down my chest and straight to my hard dick.
He cupped me over my pants, feeling out the shape of me.
I broke the kiss with a gasp. “Stop.”
He lifted his hand away. “Too fast?”
“No, just… we’re in the car.”
He gazed around as if he’d forgotten where we were. His eyes were fogged with lust. Lust forme.
My head swam at the realization that Hank really did want me. That of all the people he could be with, I was the one who’d triggered the desire for more.
“Let’s go inside,” I said. “Ifyou’reready?”
He laughed and adjusted the hard-on in his jeans. “More than ready. I might not make it to the house if we wait any longer.”
I smiled. “That would be a shame. I’d really like to see what I’m working with.”
His eyes flared as he swept his gaze over me. “Same here.”
I hesitated. “Once the clothes come off, there’s no ignoring the fact I’m not a woman.”
“Jamie, don’t you think I felt the hard-on you were grinding on my thigh when we kissed the other night?”
I flushed and bit my lip. “Yeah, I guess so.”
