Page 65 of False Start

I felt completely out of control of my emotions. This one day — no — the last twoweekshad been so much… I didn’t know how to sort through it all.

Kyle coming back into my life, everything going on with Marshall, then the deal, shopping, Kyle meeting Sebastian, Kyledefending me against Marshall, the plane ride, the fake kissing and touching that felt more real than I’d ever admit out loud, the hotel room, the way he saw what I needed without me saying a word…

My heart started racing the more I thought about it all, and then, there was a warm, steady hand at the small of my back again.

“Wow,” Kyle breathed, sliding up next to me with his eyes on the sunset. His arm snaked around me, fingers curling on my hip and holding me close.

I shut my eyes against the panic.

When I opened them again, Kyle was smiling at the mountains. He looked at me next, and that smile faltered.

He looked around us like he wanted to make sure no one was watching, and then he leaned down, lowering his voice.

“We can leave. We can go right now. I’ll—”

I kissed him.

I silenced whatever words he was going to offer next with my arms sliding up around his neck, pulling his mouth down to mine.

He stiffened only for a split second before he was gripping me to him, both of us inhaling the kiss like it was everything we needed.

I told myself I did it for show.

I told myself I was just holding up my end of the bargain.

And I swore to myself it wasn’t because, in that moment of panic, I knew kissing him would make me feel calm again.

And it did.

My heart rate steadied, lungs expanding easier when he slid his hands up my arms to cradle my face and hold me to him. He kissed me slow and softly, his lips covering mine in sensual, methodic kisses that made me feel like he was exploring me, like he was mapping out every centimeter of my lips.

I couldn’t be sure how long we stood there losing ourselves at that railing with the sun setting behind us, but eventually, Kyle pulled back, tucking me under his arm again with his lips coming right to my ear.

“If you don’t stop, I’m going to have a situation,” he said, his lips against my skin.

I frowned, confused, but then watched as he subtly used his free hand to adjust himself in his slacks.

Fire licked along my spine.

I’d turned him on.

I felt the heat blasting my neck as I peeked up at him with a grin. “Oops.”

He dug his fingers into my side as I laughed, but then he dropped his mouth to my ear again.

“I need to apologize to you. Or, rather, Ishouldapologize… but I’m not sure I’m sorry.”

I frowned. “Apologize? For what?”

“I heard you earlier.”

I froze, my next exhale lodging in my throat as a zip of excitement ran all the way down my spine.

He heard me?

“You said my name.”

Oh, my God.