Page 82 of Hearts Storm

She slides her hands up my chest, over my shoulders, and into my hair, nails scraping against my scalp. The sensation makes me groan into her mouth, hips thrusting against her center as I grab her hands, pinning them against the island countertop.

Her heart hammers against my chest, or maybe that’s mine. Ours. At this point, I can’t really tell. Don’t give a shit. All I want is to be inside her.

Suddenly, she rips her mouth away with a sharp gasp. “Wait,” she pants.

The struggle is real. Every cell in my body is screaming at me to claim her. But the raw, conflicted look in her eyes has me leaning away.

Loosening my grip on her wrists, I back away. My chest heaves, heart pounding so hard I can feel it in my teeth.

“Shit. Sorry. I should’ve asked⁠—”

Her hand flies up and covers my mouth, cutting me off, catching us both off guard. We stare at each other for a beat, the ragged rhythm of our breathing the only sound.

A soft smile tugs at the corner of her lips, bright and warm, before it slowly fades, replaced by something that looks an awful lot like guilt.

“It’s not that. It’s just... Brex already asked me,” she whispers. “And I said yes.”

Taken by surprise, I step back until my ass collides with fridge.

Of course he did. Of fucking course.

This is my own fucking fault. I know it is. How could I be so stupid? If I could kick my own ass, I would.

“When?” The sympathetic look on her face makes me want to punch something. Anything, actually. “When, Reyna?”

“Yesterday, when you had him drop me off.”

Fuck. Why the hell I keep excluding myself all while shoving them into each other’s orbit is beyond me. Heart twisting in my chest, I nod. “Good. Probably for the best anyway.”

When I go to grab my keys off the counter, she whispers, “Logan, this doesn’t mean⁠—”

I clench my fists, welcoming the pain when my keys bite into my palms. “I just wanted to check on you.” Giving her my back, I head toward the front door. “The doctor will reach out and let me know when you’re clear to come back to work.”

“Logan, wait!” Reyna calls, a desperate edge to her voice as I reach the door and yank it open.

I can’t. Not when every nerve ending in my body is screaming for me to go back. Fight for her.

Brex is definitely going to hear about what an asshole I think he is for not running this by me first.

All I did by coming here this morning was make things infinitely more complicated.

“Get some rest,” I mutter over my shoulder, not trusting myself to look at her again.

“I promise to save you a dance…”

Refusing to respond, I shut the door and stalk over to my truck.

My phone buzzes in my pocket as I climb in, but I ignore it.

Gunning the engine, I turn out of her driveway, tires kicking up gravel. “Fuck!” I slam my palm against the steering wheel.

Brex is one of my best friends. He deserves someone like Reyna. Someone who can match his energy, his humor, his warmth.

But the thought of him touching her, kissing her, making her moan without me?

I don’t know if I can take it.

After forcing myself to take a few deep, calming breaths, I come to the realization that I need to talk this out. And there are only a few people I trust who are always ready to listen. One of which has always been there for me since the day I was born, no matter what.