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“Hi,” he says, a crooked smile curving his lips.

“Hi.” I palm his bristly cheek.

Hunter puts his hand over mine. I capture his mouth with mine, tasting myself as our tongues touch together in an erotic kiss. My heart … it’s completely turned over in my chest.

I’m high. I’m confused. And when our mouths disconnect, I’m raw.

If I could bottle this moment, I would. But that’s not how life works. Moments aren’t meant to last.

“I can’t fall for you.” My truth falls from my lips.

He blinks at me, his blue eyes turning stormy. “You shouldn’t.”

I pull back just enough to meet his eyes. In them, I see his uncompromising truth. He can give me moments like this, but he’ll never love me, and he’ll never give me more. He’s been nothing but honest with me this whole time, so why does it feel like I just lost my best friend? “I don’t want what just happened to ruin our friendship.”

“It won’t. But one day, I’ll lose this … I’ll lose you.”

I press my mouth to his, wanting the feel of his lips on mine to lessen the blow of what he just said. But he’s right. One day, he won’t have access to me. Not like this. I’ll eventually meet someone who can give me what Hunter can’t—his whole heart. And when that happens, they’ll be no more kisses between us. No more cuddling under a blanket under the stars. No more massages. No more lingering looks. No more intimate touches in the dark. The sinking reality of it feels like someone has jammed a spike through my chest.

Is this what it feels like to fall for someone? To love someone and know you can never have them? Is it too late for me? Have I already fallen for him?

“We’ll always be family,” I say, filling in the stretch of silence.

“Always. And even though I’ll lose you one day …” He captures my lips in a gentle kiss. “Today is not that day.”

I hold on to those words like my life depends on them. We kiss again, and I reach between us to touch his erection. I squeeze it, and he groans. We let our hands and mouths take over from there. Hunter pulls my sports bra over my head and draws a pert nipple into his mouth. I cry out at the sensitivity, arching my back and burying my fingers into his silky hair.

“I think we should do it one more time,” I say, panting.

Hunter lifts his head from my breasts. “What if I want more?”

I search his face for humor and find none there. “One time is all we get,” I say firmly.

My words seem to sober him. Blue eyes blink at me as if he’s processing what I just said. “You suck,” he finally says.

An unexpected giggle breaks free from me, and Hunter gives a slight smile. The moment is short-lived before desire curls the edges of our resolve.

“Turn around,” he says as liquid heat pools in his eyes. I turn so that my back is to his naked chest. He releases his erection from his sweatpants and drapes my leg over his.

“Take them off,” I whisper almost pleadingly. “I want you naked.”

He removes his sweatpants and melds his hard chest to my back, hooking my leg over his. Open kisses sear my shoulder as a firm hand cups one of my breasts.

“I’m ready.”

“Soon, baby.” He moves his hips slowly, grinding the rock-hard length of his cock between my slit, coating himself with my wetness. I’m getting off on it. I’m going to come if he keeps this up. “I’m getting you nice and wet for me.” If he means wet like the ocean, then I’m past that. But he takes his time, dragging his fingers from my breasts, over my baby bump, down to my sweet spot. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he says, inserting a long finger inside of me.

I buck against him. “You won’t.”

“Should we use a condom? I’ve been tested, and I’m clean, but if it makes you more comfortable—”

“Fuck the condom.” Quiet laughter rumbles from his chest, but all laughs are forgotten when he sinks into me to the hilt.

“Fucking shit,” he growls. It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard from the sexiest man I’ve ever known.

I gasp at the fullness of his throbbing erection, followed by my strangled cry when he starts to move, his cock sliding in and out of me. I almost forgot what it feels like to be taken by him and to give him all of me. The last time we had sex, he fucked me hard, chasing his own orgasm over mine. This time, he’s worshipping me with his dick as his strong hands hold me flush against him.

It’s beautiful. It’s romantic. It feels like we’re making love. I’ve lost control. We both have. It’s overwhelming in the most beautiful and tragic way.