AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I have a few really great ideas.” We smile at each other, both liking the sound of that. Both knowing that going back to the way it was is impossible and not caring. Of all the things we did in the past, being naked together was the one area we never had to work on.
She shakes her head but not like she’s telling me no, more like she knows she’s going to say yes and can’t believe it.
“This is such a bad time to start something,” she tells me.
“We’re not starting anything.” It’s true. We’re not. “I’m not going to pretend we have something lasting.”
Her head jerks at my blunt statement, but I’ve never lied to Allie and I’m not starting now.
“Then what’s the point?” She cocks her head, genuinely curious.
Fuck if I know. I’m acting on instinct not reason. I shake my head, unable to give her an answer.
“Are you offering to be my rebound?”
At the inference of Xavier McCormack, I stiffen—and not in the fun place. My spine is unyielding steel.
“You can’t convince me that you dated that guy for any reason other than convenience.”
“What he and I had was real,” she says, but it sounds like there’s a question mark at the end of that sentence. Like she’s challenging me to challenge her.
So I do. Happily.
My lips brushing hers, I say, “Bullshit.”
“How can you be so sure?” she whispers before she nips my bottom lip and sends a bolt of pure lust through my gut.
“You don’t have to pretend with me.” Continuing the torture, I slide my lips over hers but don’t give her the kiss we both want. “You don’t have to be anyone else with me, Allison.”
She must’ve liked hearing that. She smothers the rest of my speech with her plush lips and like that, we’re making out again. In the driveway, my ass on the tailgate of the truck and hers under my seeking palms. I give her butt a brief squeeze before I wrap my arms around her. A nosy neighbor could be photographing this for TMZ, and while I like the idea of us kissing making headlines (Fuck you, McCormack), I won’t give them what they want.
Me, on the other hand…There are a few things I want. Badly. But this isn’t the time or place.
Kiss over, Allie licks her bottom lip, her eyes sinking shut with what I can only assume is regret. Hell, I don’t want her to regret anything. I’m not sure this is a good idea for either of us despite what my hard-on thinks.
“Say the word, Mini.” I sweep her hair behind her ear. “We’ll forget this happened.”
She tilts her head in a yeah, right fashion.
I laugh, unable to own my offer. “Fine. I didn’t mean it.”
She hums, a cute little that’s what I thought sound. She can tell me “I told you so” all damn day. As long as the kissing doesn’t stop.
“Come out with me tonight.” So much for backtracking.
“And face the wrath of the press and Millie’s worldwide fan club?” She chokes on a laugh. “No thanks.”
“In a bar in Little Town?” I shake my head. “No one will care who you are where we’ll go. They’re a bunch of hardworking, blue-collar, unimpressed-by-Hollywood barflies.”
“How, Jackson Burke, are you the only man alive who can make that sound appealing?” Thoughtful, she adds, “Who can make anything sound appealing?”
I suspect there’s an answer neither of us wants to explore too deeply. Something about the connection we had when we were younger, or worse—about a future we would’ve had if she’d never left for California.
I pat her ass and slide off the truck, shutting the tailgate with a slam. Putting distance between us seems the best course of action. From the edge of the driveway I tell her, “You have a few hours to think about it.”
And then I walk around the side of the house and focus on work.
