Page 11 of Jilted

Chapter Ten

B rett kicked the blanket off him and onto the floor; then he rolled from his side to his back with an audible sigh.

When he’d agreed to sleep on the couch and let Amy have the bed, he didn’t realize just how uncomfortable the couch was.

That, combined with his racing thoughts, he hadn’t slept a wink since turning in three hours ago.

He rubbed his hand over his chin – the same hand that had held Amy’s earlier.

Why he’d done that, he had no idea. But he’d liked it.

His initial reaction was how perfectly her hand fit into his, which was odd considering he’d held her hand dozens of times when they’d danced.

Of course, holding her hand while dancing and holding her hand just because were two completely different things.

Swinging his legs over the side of the couch, Brett stood.

Sleep was elusive and continuing to lay there was only going to annoy him.

Before he could think about what he was doing, he was up the stairs and standing at the foot of the bed.

He watched Amy sleep, the steady rise and fall of her chest, the way her hair fell across her forehead.

Closing his eyes, he recalled how she’d looked earlier when she stared up at the stars.

The moon had cast a soft glow over her face, and he could see the stars reflected in her eyes.

It was like he was seeing her for the first time, and the reaction he had to her was overwhelming.

How could he have known her for so long and not noticed how beautiful she was?

How smart and caring and funny she was? A part of him always knew, but he’d never really known to the level that he was now realizing.

He opened his eyes and focused his gaze on her once again before quietly opening the double doors and stepping out onto the balcony. A light breeze blew in from the ocean and caressed his bare chest. It gave him goose bumps.

He rested his forearms on the railing and leaned over, letting his head fall.

Like it or not, he had to come to some sort of resolution with Vanessa.

He knew he didn’t love her, that he didn’t want to be with her, but.

..there must’ve been something between them.

If there wasn’t, then why had he proposed to her in the first place?

What they shared was intense and hot. After six months of being together, that initial excitement of a new relationship hadn’t faded. God, was he that desperate to settle down that he’d propose to a woman simply because the sex was good?

And Amy. God, what was he going to do about Amy?

They’d been on this island for less than two days, and each moment was pure torture.

Every second that passed, every smile she gave him, every laugh they shared made it harder and harder not to grab her and kiss her.

He honestly didn’t know how much longer he could be around her and not tell her how he really felt.

“Hey,” Amy said.

Brett turned to find her standing next to him. “I’m sorry if I woke you. I didn’t mean to.” He was glad she was, though, because he was tired of being alone with his thoughts.

“No, I wasn’t really sleeping, been tossing and turning all night.”

“Me too.” He resumed looking out over the balcony and at the ocean. The scent of Amy’s perfume still lingered on her body and for the first time ever, he found it highly distracting. “She’s tried calling a few times.”

“Vanessa?”

“Yeah, I’ve ignored them.”

“Oh.”

He glanced at Amy and said the one thing that had really been bugging him the most. “I wonder if I ever really loved her or if I was just in love with the idea of her, of the life we could’ve had together.”

Amy put her arm around his back and put her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Brett rested his head on hers and momentarily closed his eyes. This felt right. “I’m glad you’re here with me, Amy.”

“Like I was going to say no to a free vacation,” she teased.

He gently nudged her and smiled. “Is that all I am? A free vacation?”

She lifted her head and smiled at him. “No, you’re a lot more than just a free vacation.”

The way she said that… the look in her eyes, the tone of her voice, it had him asking the one question he knew he shouldn’t. “Haven’t you ever wondered...?”

“Wondered what?”

He turned to face her. “What it would be like between you and me if we ever...?” He trailed off, unsure how, or even if he wanted to finish that thought.

“If we ever what?” Amy held his gaze, and he knew he’d have to answer her because she wouldn’t give up until he did.

The words caught in his throat. If he couldn’t tell her, he’d show her.

He reached out and lightly brushed his knuckles down her cheek before cupping her face in his hand and leaning over.

Hesitantly, he grazed his lips over hers and then parted them with his tongue.

He prepared himself for the possibility that she would push him away.

In fact, he was so certain that’s what she would do, that he wasn’t prepared when she welcomed his kiss.

Amy’s eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. That was all the permission he needed. Brett put his arms around her back and pulled her tight against his body. He deepened the kiss and nearly lost his mind when he heard her moan.

Christ, he was kissing Amy. Amy! His best friend.

He thought he should feel guilty about it, that he should feel like it was wrong and inappropriate.

But all he felt was her lithe body pressed against his, her lips working against his, her tongue dueling and twisting with his, and his raging desire for her.

No, there was nothing wrong with what they were doing.

It was good, too good. Any fears and doubts he had about it being awkward vanished the moment his lips touched hers.

“That,” he said, releasing her lips, but not her. “Have you ever wondered about that?”

“Yes,” she whispered, looking up at him under her thick lashes.

He raised a brow. “You have?”

Was it possible that Amy had a thing for him?

Did she want more from him than just friendship?

Based on the way she kissed him, he was leaning toward yes.

God, how long? How long had she wanted him?

How long had he been clueless about the whole thing?

If that was the case, then telling her how he felt would be so much easier.

Her soft laugh snapped him from his thoughts. “You sound surprised.”

He was. It all made sense now, though. Her reaction to finding out he was getting married. Her sudden decision to leave the studio and start a new one on her own. The reality of how close he’d come to losing her rocked him to the core.

Brett lowered his lips to hers and kissed her again, this time harder, more desperate. And she responded in kind, her fingernails grazed along the nape of his neck, and then her fingers speared into his hair, holding him to her.

“Brett,” she whispered.

Sweet Lord, the way she said his name had his cock thickening with need. “Amy.”

“Please stop.” She pushed him away. “As good as this is,” she waved her hand between them, “we can’t.”

“Why?” He shook his head and rubbed his hands over his face. “Don’t tell me you didn’t feel that just now, that you didn’t like it.”

“No, I mean, yes, of course I liked it.” She sighed and shook her head. “You said earlier that you weren’t willing to be with a woman at the risk of our friendship. Well, I’m not willing to risk our friendship for sex.”

Brett ran a hand through his hair and turned away from Amy. Shit. She was right. Sex would change things, complicate them. But God dammit he wanted her so fucking bad; he ached with need.

“I’m sorry, Brett. Please understand,” she said, gently touching his shoulder.

The feel of her hand on his bare skin set him ablaze. He turned back around and nodded. “Yeah, of course I understand. I’m sorry I started any of this. I shouldn’t have?—”

“No,” she said quickly. “I really did like it. A lot. It was so much better than I had ever imagined, but it can’t go any further.”

Brett grinned. “So, what you’re saying is I can keep kissing you as long as it doesn’t go any further?”

She laughed. “Uh, no, that’s not what I said.”

He pinched her night shirt between his thumb and forefinger and tugged on it. She stepped toward him, and he took that as a sign that she wanted to kiss him as badly as he wanted to kiss her again. He lowered his mouth until it was a breath’s width apart from hers.

Their gazes locked, he said, “Once more and I swear I’ll leave you alone.” Yeah, right. More like he’d leave her alone tonight.

Amy put her hand on the back of his head and pulled until his lips touched hers.

Brett kissed her real slow, his tongue rolling over and around hers like a lazy river, savoring every flick of her tongue, every soft moan.

No matter how much he liked the taste of her, the feel of her, this had to be it.

He absolutely could not kiss her again or it would lead to a whole lot more – more that she wasn’t willing to give.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy it right now.

And he did. He enjoyed it so damn much that every single time she started to pull away, he’d kiss her harder.

There was no way in hell he was letting her go yet.

When he finally did release her, several minutes later, he was fighting to catch his breath.

He’d never kissed a woman like that before.

But if he had his way, he would again. It was now his sole purpose in life to make Amy his before they left this island, before they had to return to the real world and all the distractions that came with it, because he now knew, without a doubt, that Amy was the woman he was meant to be with.

He was just sorry he hadn’t realized that sooner.

“Wow,” she said, catching her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Tell me, do you still think being with me would be like fucking your brother?”

Amy laughed and smacked him on the chest. “Good night, Brett.” Then she sauntered back inside, leaving him staring after her.

He couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he walked back inside. “Good night, Amy,” he said as he passed by the bed and went downstairs to the hard, uncomfortable, lonely couch. What he wouldn’t give to be able to climb into bed next to her right now.

As he settled on the couch, he still couldn’t believe that he’d just kissed Amy.

Or that he’d liked it so damn much. And of course, now that he realized how he felt, she wasn’t willing to explore it for fear of ruining their friendship, which he could understand.

If for any reason things didn’t work out, there was no way they could go back to where they are now.

But...his gut was telling him that nothing would go wrong.

They were Brett and Amy. They were two of the most compatible people in the world.

He yawned, laced his hands behind his head, and crossed his ankles. Brett wasn’t a quitter. He’d figure out a way to convince her that this could work between them. He had to.