He leaned in so close I could feel his warm breath against my lips. “If you’re over it, then why did you spend ten years avoiding me?”
“I haven’t,” I whispered. The night we were together I found out he had a small birthmark right at his hairline. It was so unnoticeable that no one could see it from more than an inch away. I could see it from where I was standing, and I wanted to reach out and touch it so badly that I felt that ache in my fingers that only Cameron Richmond could pull from me.
“I don’t believe you,” he said. “And I don’t believe you’re over it. But even if you are, I’m not. I’ve never gotten over you, and I want a second chance. I know I acted like a fucking dick the first time, but I know better now and I want to make up for it.”
I wanted to believe him. He’d been my friend through childhood along with being my brother’s best friend. Before I’d slept with him I would have trusted him with anything. Now I had no idea if I could trust him or not. He could have been leading me on just to drop me again. I couldn’t let him know I cared what he thought of me. It would kill me.
“Dylan.” He moved even closer. With his broad shoulders, and muscular build, he seemed to take up way too much space. He towered over me.
I tilted my head back and felt the heat from his lips right next to mine. I didn’t have enough will power to guard my heart against him. I could have pushed him away, but I didn’t. I stayed still and let his lips touch mine.
His kiss burned through me, tearing down every wall I’d put up against him. His mouth devoured mine, urging me to part my lips so his tongue could explore me.
I let him in deeper. He took every inch I gave him and wrung all the pleasure out of it that he could.
My knees melted. His strong arms wrapped around me, holding me against him.
I hadn’t kissed him since that night we’d shared together, and I’d almost forgotten what it felt like. Almost.
I moaned deep in my throat. He was so good. No other man had ever felt this good after I’d lost him. His kiss felt so right it almost melted away ten years of anger.
Almost.
I had to stop. I had to stay mad at him. He’d hurt me, and he could hurt me again. If I slept with him and woke up to find him gone in the morning again, I’d be shattered. It would hurt worse than anything I’d ever felt and I wasn’t sure if I could handle it. Besides that, I’d never forgive myself if I let him make a fool of me twice.
I pulled away from him. He moved to maintain the contact, then broke away to gaze down at me. His eyes were hazy with lust.
I wanted to lace my fingers through his hair and pull his face back down to mine, but I couldn’t. The ghost of the pain that might be was too strong inside me now.
“I have to print the documents.” I shimmied away from him and walked toward the room I remembered being marked on the blueprints as a printing space.
I couldn’t stop shaking. My knees felt like they might buckle and toss me to the floor at any moment.
I rubbed my arms and tried to pull myself together, but I was distracted by the friction between my thighs and how wet my panties were.
Holy shit.
Cameron Richmond.
I was going to need every ounce of self control I possessed to get through this, and even that might not be enough. He was my weakness, in every possible way. One smile from him could melt me. His kiss wrecked me. If he touched me again I might just explode.
How could self control guard against that? Was it even possible to protect my heart from him? I could give in now and let the crazy high drag me under until reality jolted me back up.
It would only hurt temporarily, like pulling off a Band-Aid. I’d survived Cameron once, and I could survive him again. Besides, I was older now. I could hold my ground and take a piece of him down with me.
Hmm. There was a thought. Instead of avoiding him, I could get revenge. Hurt him right back. Make him feel the pain I had ten years ago.
The problem was, he didn’t care enough about me to get hurt.
Chapter 4
Cameron
I watched her walk away. Again.
I couldn’t believe she didn’t slap me. I could still taste her kiss on my lips. Nectarines. What kind of woman tasted like nectarines?
Dylan.
I wanted to savor her for hours, but I had work to do.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed George. He picked up on the first ring.
“We’ve got a deal. You’ll need to come down to the conference room to sign off.”
“I’m right outside the building.”
I sighed. George was ridiculously eager. This was why I’d wanted him nowhere near the negotiation, but it was his deal. He was the only one who could make the final decision and sign the paperwork.