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The faint sound of music drifted down the hallway, and she stilled. “That’s Marley. She’s coming over with breakfast and we’re having a girls’ day.”
God, he didn’t want to stop. Didn’t want her to come to her senses and for this, whatever it was, to end.
“What time is she coming?”
“She was going to call when she was on her way,” Rylie said, breathlessly.
Feeling bold, his hands slid up under her shirt, running his thumbs across the skin of her waist. “I should probably get out of here then, before she shows up.”
“Probably.”
He pulled away, staring down at her. “I really want to kiss you right now.”
Rylie’s brown eyes doubled in size. “I haven’t brushed my teeth.”
“I don’t care. I smell like BO.”
She shook her head. “No you don’t. I was only kidding. You actually smell really good.”
The way she said it, husky, almost guttural, was the hottest sound he’d ever heard.
“Rylie—”
Her phone started ringing again. Her face was so full of regret it made him feel slightly better when she pulled away.
“If I don’t answer, she’s going to freak.”
With great effort, he stepped back. “Then you better get it.”
She went down the hallway. Before she could come back, he walked out the door. Not because he didn’t want to pick up where they’d left off, but because he knew they shouldn’t. Rylie was dating someone. She’d been with the same guy for three years. She wanted monogamy and marriage and the whole shebang.
And he wasn’t the guy to give her it.
* * * *
Rylie sat in the massage chair as the girl at her feet finished up her pedicure. When she’d told Marley how nervous she was about the first date she’d had in three years, Marley had planned this girls’ day complete with getting their hair, nails and toes done. After this, they were getting their eyebrows waxed and heading back to the pool house.
When she’d had to admit to Marley where she’d been staying, her friend hadn’t been happy at first. But she’d explained everything Dustin had done for her, and Marley had grudgingly admitted that maybe he wasn’t all bad.
It was a step in the right direction, and Rylie was going to take it. She wanted her friends to know Dustin the way she did.
Why? Why do I care what Marley thinks of Dustin?
Because Dustin was her friend? He’d gotten a bum rap that wasn’t all deserved?
“I can’t wait to see your new dress,” Marley said, drawing her from her thoughts.
Right, her dress. The one for the date she no longer wanted to go on.
Okay, that wasn’t totally true. She had been excited about it. Will Younger owned a mechanic shop in Pleasant Valley and had been changing her oil for years. When he’d asked her about Asher, and she’d told him they’d broken up, she’d been surprised when he’d asked her if she was dating yet. She hadn’t considered how long before she started trying again, just kept saying she was swearing off men. Surprisingly, when Will had asked, his green eyes alight with interest, the yes had just tumbled out.
Of course, that was before Dustin had pinned her to the side of the kitchen counter and talked dirty to her. She hadn’t even known she liked dirty.
Until now.
“Rylie? You okay? You’ve seemed out of it all day,” Marley asked.
“Oh, I’m fine. Just thinking.”
