Page 60

“I’ll share everything with you.” I kissed her. “My mind has filthy plans for you tonight. After that, I want you to tell me about your mom’s illness. Maybe I can shed some light and help you understand it better.”

“Thank you.” Her face lit up. “I’ve been meaning to ask for your opinion.”

“The only pressure I want you to feel is this . . .” I palmed her sex and slid my finger into her. “I’m taking advantage of a sexy patient waiting for me.”

She tickled my ribs. “No, it’s my turn. I want to take advantage of you. You’ve got some booboos here.” She ran her finger down my length, and I shivered as my sense of control slipped away.

I tried my best to form coherent sentences. “Please take care of it, Dr. Sexy K.”

For the rest of the night, Kiera showed me how talented she was from the way her hand, mouth, and tongue “took care” of me.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

KIERA

The following day, after I finished the swimwear shoot, I returned to my cabin wondering how people survived in the constant heat and humidity. Even though I wore a tank top and shorts, the heat still got to me.

Or maybe it was the thoughts about last night that kept swirling in my head. Forrest had stayed overnight and woken up early to rush back to his hotel for a conference call. I smiled, remembering all the things we did to each other. Our relationship had shifted last night. It was now at a dangerous place for me. We were more than friends, but not a couple. A couple meant commitment. A couple meant attachments—all the things that fell into my dream of a long-term relationship.

But he specifically wanted a “no-strings” engagement. For now, I was okay with that. As long as I kept my heart tucked away, I should be fine, right?

When I reached my cabin, I saw Forrest sitting on the step of my porch. He rose and walked over to me, wrapping his arms around me.

“What are you doing here? I thought you had work today.”

“I did.” He drew back, staring at me. “Things got delegated or shifted because I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Something beautiful and warm spread inside me like a sunrise that brightened everything. I sensed the heat blooming on my cheeks.

He rubbed a thumb over my cheek and made me blush even more. “Don’t be shy. I love this reaction from you.”

Couldn’t a girl feel embarrassed in private? I swatted his hand away.

Smiling, he said, “Let’s go. You should bring your camera.”

“Why? Where are we going?” I asked as I zipped the camera into the bag, then entered my cabin to retrieve my purse.

He followed me. “It’s a surprise.” The spark in his eyes told me he was up to something mischievous.

As he drove the Tesla out of the campground, I studied his profile. Gorgeous. He wore an aqua T-shirt with ripped jeans. His hair was tousled with casual sexiness, and my heart melted as I took him in.

“Are you done staring?” he asked, keeping his attention on the road.

“No.” I smiled. “By the way, I spoke to my mom. She’s going to get me copies of her health records and diagnosis. When she emails me, I’ll forward it all to you.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thankyou.” I touched his arm. “It means a lot to me.”

He turned and smiled. “I told you, I don’t want to see you stressed. Besides, your mom helped me and my family on that fateful day. This is nothing.”

If I were alone in the cabin, I’d sit and think about life’s mysteries and interconnectedness. No one could plan their life the way God did. It made me wonder if everyone’s lives were predestined. Maybe we were all given a broad map when we were born, and we got to fill in the details like an artist coloring it in.

Being with Forrest made me think deeper about my life, and the more I thought about things, the more I wanted the forever that romance novels promised. I stole a glance at him.

Would he want that with me?

You already know, so stop wanting the impossible.