She hesitated, then stepped around him so she could grab her pack and shut the cabin door. When she turned to put more space between them, he followed, and the small cabin suddenly felt too small. He took up all the space.
“I was freaked out,” he said again, slower now, “because I wanted to kiss you back.”
Her breath caught.
He took a step closer, then another. Not crowding her, but just close enough that she could feel the heat coming off him.
“I wanted to,” he continued, voice rough. “I still want to. It’s all I’ve been thinking about since last night. Since the second you pulled away.”
Her pulse thudded wildly. Anger flared, sharp and defensive. “Then why did you pull back and treat me like I’d done something wrong?”
“Because I’m an idiot,” he said without hesitation. “And because the second I realized how much I wanted it, I got scared of what it meant.”
She swallowed, shame and hope colliding painfully in her chest. “So, what does this mean? We’re just friends and…and…I know you well enough to know that there can’t be anything between us.”
“Why?” he asked softly.
Silence stretched between them. Her embarrassment still burned, but it was being crowded out by something else now—something warm and dangerous and undeniable.
Was he seriously saying that he was attracted to her?
“Slater, I…”
He moved a little closer. “You shoved me,” he added with a lopsided grin. “You knocked me on my ass for the second time in less than twenty-four hours.” Reaching up, he gently caressed her cheek, and it took everything in her not to let out a dreamy sigh. “You’re pretty powerful, Evie. In more ways than one.”
Her eyes flicked to his scraped hand and then back to his face. “I’m really not.”
“Trust me,” he said. “You are.” His dark eyes scanned her face, and she felt it almost more than the actual caress.
Despite herself, something cracked. A laugh escaped her, breathy and unsteady. “I thought you were repulsed.”
“Never.” His expression turned fierce. “I was wrecked.”
That did it. The last of her anger unraveled, leaving her raw and exposed and very aware of how close he was standing.
“And now?” she asked quietly.
His gaze dropped to her mouth and stayed there. “Now I’m still freaked out,” he admitted. “But I don’t want to stop myself this time.”
Her breath hitched. “Neither do I.”
The space between them shrank—drawing them together like some invisible, magnetic pull.
She felt herself tremble and yet couldn’t seem to make herself stop. This was happening. Slater was going to kiss her. She was going to kiss him. This was going to change everything.
And that’s when she put her hand on his chest and stopped him.
“What’s wrong?”
Swallowing hard, Evie knew she was going to look back at this moment and want to kick herself, but it had to be done.
“If we do this—if we kiss—it’s going to change everything,” she said, hating the way her voice shook. “You’re not someone who’s looking to get serious with anyone, and I don’t do casual, and…we’re friends. If we cross this line…”
For a moment, he didn’t move. Hell, he didn’t even blink. But when he finally spoke, she wasn’t expecting what he had to say.
“I think the line’s already been crossed,” he said gruffly. “The thought is so firmly implanted in my brain that it’s never going to go away. And…yeah, I get what you’re saying. We view relationships very differently, but…have you ever thought about kissing me?”
Crap.
