Page 77 of The Moments You Were Mine

And holy hell, was it better than I’d remembered. Better than the brief one full of surprise and longing that I’d given him in a dive bar.

This was lightning and thunder. Stormy skies and the best of sunlit days.

Every single particle of my being was vibrating with life. Joy and pleasure swept through me.

Everything I’d ever wanted, every dream I’d had, and every favorite memory was nothing compared to these stunning seconds when our mouths were joined.

It was so beautiful it hurt and, conversely, wiped away every anguish.

I couldn’t think. All I could do was lose myself to the wildrush of yearning that whipped through me as he deepened the kiss. He took complete control of my body and soul and heart.

Every nerve screamed the truth—we were finally right where we belonged.

Parker had finally kissed me.

I hadn’t dared him, hadn’t made the first move.

He’d. Kissed. Me.

All I’d had to do was get knocked unconscious to make it happen.

That simple thought allowed embarrassment to roll back in. With it came my anger at whoever had shot at me and my guests and frustration at Parker for choosing this ugly moment to give in.

I let go of Parker and took a step back.

Our eyes locked, deep storms blending with my warm fires. Desire, so large it was almost visible, whipped through the air between us.

“Damn you,” I whispered.

He dragged a hand over his face. “Ducky, I’m sorry.”

I punched him in the chest, and knowing it wouldn’t hurt his solid wall of muscles only angered me more. I wanted to leave a mark. “Don’t you dare apologize for kissing me. That isn’t why I was cussing you out.”

He watched me, a nervousness to him I couldn’t remember having ever seen in Parker before.

“I’m just saying you could have chosen a better moment.”

For two heartbeats we stayed that way, with yearning and frustration and hope still spinning between us, and then, his lips quirked. He rolled his face up to the sky and let out a chuckle that landed in my belly with almost the same force as the kiss. His laugh had always done that—pummeled me with joy and affection.

A shout across the field drew our eyes to where two EMTs jogged our way. One had a backboard strapped to him, and the other carried a large medical kit.

Everything that the kiss had kept at bay came slamming back into me.

We’d been shot at. My guests had been in danger.

And even though it wasn’t still happening, in my head, I heard the sound of the rifle echoing across the land, and it woke dangerous memories. Hearing the same sound a decade ago. The terrifying helplessness and fear that had consumed me, knowing Dad and Sadie were being shot at and running for cover. The loud report of a pistol shot at close range with my uncle pulling the trigger. A sickening thud as Theresa Puzo collapsed to the floor with blood pooling out of her.

My vision swam. A tremor ran up my spine, and my hands began to shake.

I tried to fight it off, not only the physical reaction but the memories and the emotions they dragged with them. I did my best to toss them behind the same door where I kept all my traumatic moments. But the door felt flimsy and fragile, as if it would burst open again at the smallest provocation.

When I glanced at Parker, he’d already shuttered away every emotion. He was back to being the Navy SEAL—feet wide, arms crossed over his mammoth chest, jaw tight. But I knew from experience, from watching my dad hide his emotions all my life, from doing the same myself, that just because Parker had tucked them away, it didn’t mean they weren’t beating inside him, trying to escape their cage.

But there was one emotion I wouldn’t let either of us keep locked up anymore. I silently swore we’d get back to the desire the kiss had raised.

I wouldn’t let him start this and then try to forget it happened—not when it was the single most beautiful kiss I’d ever had. The entire world had slid into perfect focus when his mouth had been on mine. We would have that again.

“I’ll make you a promise, Kermit,” I said quietly as the two men drew closer. His gaze met mine before flicking away. “I’ll go to the damn hospital, have them run their stupid tests, but when I get back, we pick up where that kiss left off.”