AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I was worried you might also be upset about . . . well, the news I shared with you earlier about Anthony.” He reached for my hair and swept a few strands that were sticking to my cheek away from my face. I was a hot, sweaty disaster.
“I always assumed he cheated. I’m not upset. It’s Maria I’m worried about. Thomas is cheating on her.” Shit, I hadn’t meant to share that news, but out it came.
“He . . . what?”
My shoulders fell at the sound of Enzo’s voice behind me, his tone simmering with barely controlled rage. He’d overheard my words, and Maria would most definitely be pissed at me as well.
I spun to face my angry friend, but he was focused on Maria at his side, searching for answers. “I’m going to kill him. Where is he?” Enzo seethed.
Maria reached for his arm and gently tugged, trying to calm him down. “He’s not worth it. Just do me a favor. Dance with me? Out here where it’s safe from the others, okay?”
“You’d be safe with me wherever you went.” Enzo swiped the back of his hand over her cheek.
“I know,” Maria whispered before she pulled him away from us and toward the other side of the patio.
“He has feelings for her, doesn’t he?” Ryan asked once they were farther away, and I’d turned toward him again.
“I thought he was just overprotective, but now, I don’t know.” I closed my eyes and surrendered to another deep breath.
“Today wasn’t easy for either of you. I’m sorry.”
At the feel of his hand on my forearm, I peeled my eyes back open. “I hate that she’s in pain. It’s not easy to see someone you love hurting.”
“No, it’s not,” he said roughly as he stepped closer, his eyes holding mine, and my breath shuddered.
“Ryan,” I began after a tight swallow, “I remember you looking at me like this, like how you are now, three times before, and each time right after you turned into an asshole.” My pulse raced with every passing second he peered at me. “I’d almost thought you might kiss me those times just before your mood changed.”
His gaze fell to the ground between us for a moment before he steadily worked his attention back to my face.
“You’re wrong,” he responded in a low, guttural tone that shredded me.
I wanted to blame the intense night for the tears I felt threatening, but I knew that’d be a lie. I started to turn, but he circled my wrist and spun me back to face him.
“You’re wrong,” he said again, a dagger to the heart. “There’ve been a hell of a lot more than three times I’ve wanted to kiss you.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
NATALIA
Ryan seized my cheeks with his rough hands and brought his forehead to mine. He held me like that for several heartbeats before admitting in a hoarse voice, “I need you to walk away from me right now before I do it. Before I kiss you.”
My knees buckled. “I can’t do that. I can’t walk away from you.”
“Please, Talia.” He was quiet for a moment before letting go of my face, and then whispered in my ear, “I hate lavender because it reminds me of you and Anthony. When you were together. But it also kept you safe from me,” he murmured darkly. “It was a reminder you were off-limits, but now . . .”
Oh God. He trailed his lips from my ear to my cheek and cupped my chin. When he lightly tipped my head back, my eyes drifted up to meet his and our mouths nearly touched. I knew Maria and Enzo were somewhere out there, but I was lost in the moment.
“I need you to walk away. If you don’t want me to kiss you, then walk away,” he ordered in a low, steady voice.
“I can’t do that. Because I’ve spent a lifetime wanting exactly that to happen,” I confessed, unable to fight the truth anymore.
His brows slashed together, and his breathing intensified. His chest touched mine with each inhale. He was still trying to maintain his resolve. To not cross whatever line he’d deemed uncrossable.
I wasn’t sure if I’d always be his brother’s ex to him, or if he could ever see me differently, but—
The growl that escaped his lips interrupted my thoughts, and my eyelids fluttered closed as he slanted his mouth over mine. I grasped his arms so I didn’t wilt against him as he kissed me, and when he groaned against my mouth, I parted my lips as an invitation for his tongue. And the man took it. God did he ever.
I’d never been kissed so passionately before. Not once in my life had I ever felt such intensity, not even from sex. Every possible emotion crashed through me like waves on a stormy day.
