Page 84 of Your Last First Kiss

This time when he kisses me, it’s deep and demanding. He’s asking for ownership of my pleasure, and my responding sigh tells me everything I need to know.

I’m in over my head.

His tongue presses at the seam of my lips, and I open on a whimper. He explores and works every inch of my mouth until I’m gasping for breath, but I kind of miss his root beer flavor.

“A lot is coming our way, Penny,” he says against my lips. “It won’t be an easy few months, but I’m all in now. Everything I have. Everything I am. It’s here.” His warm hands hold my freezing face, and his fingers flex against my scalp with each declaration. Like he’s promising everything my wounded-little-girl heart ever wanted.

But my grown-up heart is hardened through layers of betrayal. It’s made me wiser and safer.

He knows it, too, because he doesn’t give me a chance to answer. Instead, he releases my face and takes my hand. He’s leading me to the SUV when his steps falter.

“C—Can I see Kai?” He stumbles over the words like he thinks I’ll say no, and my chest expands painfully.

“Of course you can, Dillon. I don’t even know what would have happened if you hadn’t been there. I don’t know how to thank you for that. I haven’t been able to sleep because how do you say thank you to someone who may have saved your child’s life? Nothing seems good enough.”

“Baby,” he says like it’s painful. “The only thing I’ll ever want from you is a chance. A chance to be who and what you need. And a chance to be what and who your children deserve.”

I scratch at my throat like I can’t breathe. His words, they seem too good to be true. But he’s here, looking at me like everything he says is the truth.

And what shocks me the most is that I want to believe him.

He reaches over and takes my hands away from my neck. “Just a chance.”

“Just a chance,” I repeat because my mind is trying to make a list. A list of ways this could go wrong and ways I could get hurt, but it won’t quite form. For the first time in my life, making a list won’t save me.

“Let’s get out of here. I really do have to get to Remy’s, but I want to make sure I have time to speak with Kai before it gets too late. It’s important.”

That makes everything running through my mind come to a screeching halt. “Is everything okay?” My thoughts immediately jump to lawsuits, jail time, and my ex.

Dillon squeezes my hand. “Everything’s fine. I’d just like to speak with Kai.”

“Sure. Of course.” He opens my door, and I slide into the plush leather. I’ve never felt anything so smooth.

The drive to the TAC is short, and it’s over before I’m ready. But Miller’s right. Gage alone is enough to have Remy regretting his very generous offer of babysitting, again.

As we pull into the parking lot, I glance around in confusion. Four brand-new vehicles with paper license plates are lined up in a neat row at the front door. They have “TAC Athletic Complex” on the side in bright kelly-green lettering.

He squeezes my hand and flashes me a smile that I’m certain has broken some hearts. Then he dips his head forward like he’s embarrassed, and a lock of golden-brown hair falls into his eyes.

“I told you. Lots of changes.” Then he’s out of the SUV and standing in front of it with his hands in his pockets. He’s studying my reaction with a sheepish expression on his face.

What in the fresh hell is happening? He’s been gone two days, right? Not two weeks?

Mom-brain has me actually questioning that since Mari was up most of the night.

He finally rounds the SUV to my side, opens the door, and holds out his hand. “Trust me, sweetheart.”

Three little words that have held no weight my entire adult life buoy me like a life raft in the middle of the ocean. I have no option but to hold on to him for dear life.

CHAPTER26

DILLON

Just before we reach the TAC doors, I release Penny’s hand. I think she’s agreed to give me a chance, but I’m not willing to set us back by pushing too hard in front of her kids.

The door opens before I can reach for it, and Miller lets out a long, low whistle. “City boy has some connections. He didn’t even buy them from the Brandts. He shipped them in from Bevvy, two towns over,” he says to Penny with a nod toward the assortment of vehicles.

I seal my lips shut tight to keep from cursing. They were supposed to deliver those straight into the garage.