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The kiss is hot and passionate and full of heat. It’s fuelled by all of the anger and frustration and desire I’ve been feeling all day.

He kisses me like I’m his. Like he’s claiming me. Like I already belong to him.

That infuriates me even more. He thinks he can have everything. My town. My body. My soul.

I hate that I want to give it all to him, and that fury makes me kiss him even harder.

My hand grips his shirt and I feel his heart hammering hard, just like mine. I’m so turned on. I’m so wet.

Our hips gravitate toward each other and I grind against him, feeling his hard cock on my thigh. He lets out a deep primal moan as I push into it, wanting more.

“Oh God,” I gasp as he pushes me against the wall while kissing my neck. I drop my head back and moan. It feels so good. I want him. I want everything.

And I hate that I do.

“Come out with me,” he whispers between kisses. “Have a drink with me. I’ll take you to Jack’s. Show you what I’m doing there.”

It all comes crashing back down on me. Why he’s here. What he’s doing to my home. Why this will never work.

“No,” I say, stepping away from him. His face looks pained as his arms drop down. His lips are all red and puffy. He’s breathing hard. He looks so damn irresistible, but I have to be strong. I have to resist him.

He is the enemy after all.

“No,” I say again, steeling myself. “I’ll never go out with you.”

I turn and take off, heading to my car in the parking lot before I change my mind.

“Don’t look back,” I whisper to myself as I go. “Don’t look back.”

But I can’t help it. The last thing I see before I get into my car is Dane standing there, watching me with a helpless look on his face.

My heart aches. My body yearns to return to him.

But I don’t.

I just grit my teeth and get the hell out of here.

CHAPTER SIX

Ivy

Julian arrives to work the next morning with two coffees and a bag of croissants from Warm Loaf. I barely say a word as he hands them over.

My mind is still trapped in that alley last night. I barely slept at all.

Those hands… That mouth…

I shiver thinking about it.

“How did your town hall go?”

I want to bury my face in my hands and cry.

“Fine,” I lie, mindlessly biting into a croissant. “Thanks for showing up and giving your support.”

“Sorry,” he says with a cringe. “The Broncos were playing.”

I roll my eyes. “At least you got your priorities straight. Football over your sister, your business, and your town.”