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“I’m not sure why.”
Oh, Iris. “Because you’re beautiful and strong and smart, and you make me see myself as more than I am. And I’d like a go at helping you see that too.” He bent down—
“Hold up there, buck.” She put her hand on his chest. “We’re on camera, you know. My brother has everything wired.”
“I’ve spent most of my life on camera, honey.” And then he kissed her.
If he thought the first time, when he’d been desperate and scared and over his head, had been amazing, this time the kiss lit a terrible fire inside him. She tasted of coffee, sweet syrup, and when she grabbed his shirt to hold him, he picked her up and set her on the table.
She was a little higher then and put her arms around his neck, and he bent down, hands on either side of her, braced them on the table and kissed her with everything he had inside him.
He didn’t know what it was. Yeah, she was tough, but the mystery of Iris was that she was alsonottough. Yeah, she could hold her own, but she also sort of needed him, and it was those tiny revelations that made him hungry for more.
Out of everyone in the world, she chose to needhim.
To wanthim.At least, judging by the way she clung to him, the way she let him nudge open her mouth, let him deepen their kiss. He finally put his arms around her, pulled her tight to himself, and lifted her off the table, back to the ground. She stood on tiptoes, her arms clinging to his neck as he drew away.
“Probably enough of a show for your brother, I think.”
“They’re probably gathered around the screen, eating popcorn.”
“Oh, that’s creepy.”
She laughed, but then grew solemn. “Hud, what do we do when—”
His phone rang in his pocket, and he frowned, then fished it out. Answered it. “Waylen?”
“Hudson! Please tell me you’re in America.”
How did he know these things? “Yes, actually. Minnesota.”
“How-dy. Perfect. You know a guy named Gripe Carlson? Coach for the Seattle Kraken?”
He closed his eyes. “Yes.”
“Well, Gripe will be in town for a USFL conference, and they’re inviting some prospective players and other personnel to the event.”
“In town—where in town?”
“You’ll have to get on a plane—it’s in Miami.”
“Hold please.” He put his hand over the phone. “Do I want to play football for the Seattle Kraken?”
“The who?”
Right. And even as he looked at her, he heard his own words.You get me outside my head, and I like it.
“Hey, Waylen? I think I’m going to pass. I have a job, and I like it.” He looked at Iris. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
Then he hung up. Pocketed his phone. “Where were we? Oh yeah. You werenotgoing to run away. And I was going to hang around, and we were going to let your off-the-hook brothers figure out how to keep you safe while we do this.”
“Do what?”
He bent down and whispered into her ear. “Keep you out of trouble.”
“Give it a try if you can, big guy.”
“Here’s to trying.” Then he kissed her again.
