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Unless she wanted to talk about Lili. Fuck, maybe this had nothing to do with me. Fuck it. I ripped open the box, tucked two condoms into my back pocket, and grabbed my bike keys.

It was a little after ten when I texted Jaymi that I was on my way. Christ. I had butterflies in my stomach as I climbed onto my bike. My headlight cut through the night, and wind whipped around me.

It had only been two weeks, but it had been too fucking long. I couldn’t forget the look on her face as I’d ridden away. I’d known she wouldn’t call. I’d felt it instinctively. We were too different. But I could change. I had changed.

I slowed as I pulled into her neighborhood. Anticipation at seeing Jaymi tasted fucking sweet. But I couldn’t swallow down the concern that this wasn’t about us, but about Lili.

As I pulled into the driveway, the security lighting brightened the breezeway and the garage door lifted. Taking the cue, I eased off the throttle and pulled into the empty bay, killed the engine, and dropped the sidestand.

A flare of something uncomfortable twisted inside me as I tugged off my gloves and left them on the tank of my bike. Assuming I’d be here for at least a little while, I hit the button next to the rails of the garage door, closing it. The side door to the house opened. Light from the mudroom broke the darkness of the porch.

My ribs were tight with the pressure in my chest. Insecurity churned in my gut. She’d asked me to come over, but this wasn’t a hookup. She stood in the open screen door wearing a pair of black leggings and the same T-shirt she’d lent me, but on her, it draped to mid-thigh. Tendrils of hair escaped a messy ponytail on top of her head.

Fuck, but looking at her felt like coming home.

“Hi,” I said as I stepped into the house.

“Hi.” She nervously shifted from one foot to the other.

For a moment, we just stared at each other.

“Do you want me to take off my boots?” In other words, how long was I staying?

She nodded. “Do you want a cup of coffee?”

I’d prefer whiskey, but that would imply I wanted to stay the night. I did, but I couldn’t shake the awkwardness between us. I wanted to wrap my arms around her. Her big precautious eyes seemed to take me in all at once. I ran my hand over my head, acknowledging I looked a bit different.

A shy smile curved her mouth. “I like it.”

“I’m trying to get used to it,” I said and sat on the bench of the hall tree. “Coffee sounds good.”

She released a slow, steady breath, and her arms loosened from protectively holding herself. What was she expecting? Anger? Frustration? For me to grab her, pin her against the wall and kiss the fuck out of her like I wanted to do.

“I’ll pour us a cup.” She turned and entered the kitchen while I loosened my laces and kicked off my boots. Then I hung my cut on one of the hooks and joined her in the kitchen.

“Are you hungry?” she asked over her shoulder.

“I’m good.” I slid onto the barstool at the island, and she set a cup of coffee in front of me.

More awkward silence settled in the quiet kitchen. She finally sat next to me with her cup of coffee. “When did you cut your hair?”

“After I met with the family law attorney. She said something that got me thinking. I go to court next week.” I ran my fingers through the longer hair on top. “Do you think it makes me look more respectable?”

Breath caught in my throat as she reached up and feathered her fingers through my bangs. I caught her hand at the wrist. Her gaze shifted to mine. I wanted to tell her she couldn’t touch me because she turned me inside out. I couldn’t be this close to her and not want more.

But the moment passed and her hand lowered. “Sorry,” she whispered.

“Nah, baby, don’t be sorry. Right now, I’m thinking about how good your hands feel when they’re on me. If you touch me, I’m going to want my hands on you, and you texted me because you want to talk.”

She licked her lips and nodded. “I do.”

“Let me go first,” I said and wrapped my palm around the coffee cup. “I’ve been thinking a lot about us.”

“Me, too,” she said.

After I’d selfishly put my own wants above hers, I was sure she had thoughts about me. None of them good. I’d scared her.

“I’ve been an ass, Jaymi.”