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“Listen to me, Lily, and listen closely,” I say, wanting her to know how serious I am. “You are theperfectperson to plan this event. Whatever you lack in understanding, I’ll do my best to fill in the gaps. We’re a team.”
Pulling her hand from mine, her cheeks flush, and I want to know desperately why. It’s the sexiest thing I’ve seen in a long time.
“What is it?” I ask. “What were you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” she whispers as the color of her cheeks deepens.
“I beg to differ,” I tease. “You know you can’t lie to me.”
She chuckles softly as she rubs at the tops of her thighs. “That was a long time ago. We’re not kids anymore. A lot has changed.”
“Oh, are you saying you lie to me often now?” I quirk an eyebrow.
“Well, no,” she begins, but her voice is strained—tentative.
I narrow my gaze. “Spill it.”
She huffs a laugh. “You’re just so different. So … sexually confident. I wish I had that.”
My heart trips over itself a little with that compliment, not gonna lie.
Leaning forward again, I look her dead in the eye and say, “I don’t know what the deal is with your relationship and while I don’t really want more details, I need you to know it’s notyou.”
Her breath hitches and she squeaks, “What does that mean?”
Don’t do it, London.Don’t…
“Whatever the reason for your …dry spell,it’s not about you. If you ask me, Seth is an idiot,” I say before I can stop myself. “You’re beautiful, Lily. Inside and out. If your husband doesn’t recognize that and take advantage of the gorgeous woman he has in his life, it’s his damn loss. Did you ever think that maybe you deserve better?”
The air is charged between us and I know she feels it, too. But then her chin quivers and her eyes fill with tears again.
“Shit, I wasn’t trying to make you cry.” I reach out, brushing them from her cheek when they spill over.
“It’s not you. It’s just …” Lily’s eyes are full of sorrow as they take me in. She places her hand over the one I have against her face. Leaning into it, she sighs and closes her eyes.
Watching her, I want desperately to take this ache in her heart away. I wish she could see herself through my eyes.
“I’m so confused,” she confesses, her chest rising and falling heavily when she opens her eyes.
That makes two of us.
“What are you confused about?” I ask, rubbing my thumb across the corner of her mouth.
My eyes drift to her lips—those beautiful lips.I smile, tracing the tiny lightning-shaped discoloration across her upper lip. It’s nothing more than a faint battle scar—a reminder of the kid I was best friends with and all that she’s been through.
God, she’s beautiful.
Lily swallows hard, her eyes dropping to my lips as energy zaps between us.
I don’t know what this is—or what’s happening. But it’s like I’ve left my body and someone else takes over. Someone who takes what he wants.
To hell with it.
In slow motion, so slow that she has plenty of time to stop me—please stop me—I bend forward with one thing on my mind.
Ihaveto kiss her.
Right before I reach her, her breath hitches again. That tiny intake is my new favorite sound, I swear it.
