I look up at her as she stands up. Her words cause a whole new set of emotions to wash through me. I think about the last two weeks and how I’ve felt when I’m with Hunter and when I’m with Kyan. I’ve been trying so hard not to think too much that I’ve been completely blind to any feelings I’ve been developing.
I feel an ache in my chest as I picture his beautiful smile and the feel of his breath against my lips.
“Thanks,” I whisper.
“Anytime, love.” She grins and starts walking backwards. “I better get back to Brad before he starts without me. He does that sometimes.”
I burst out in laughter, feeling a sense of relief for the first time in days. “Yeah. You do that. I won’t keep you any longer.”
An hour passes as I just sit here. I’ve put a lot of thought into this question, and no matter how many times I question myself my answer remains the same. The problem with that is, that this person will now have the power to hurt me. I see that now and it scares me.
I’ve sort of known all along, but now it’s painfully clear, and if he turns down my offer to be my date at this wedding, I’m not sure I’ll be able to do it alone. I don’t think I can do this without him next to me.
Standing up, I shove the letter into my back pocket and make my way to the elevator before I can change my mind.
“I can do this. I can do this.” I push the button on the elevator and hold my breath until it stops on the tenth floor.
The door slowly opens and I step out, mentally preparing myself for his answer.
Please don’t make me do this without you . . .
MY HANDS ARE SHAKING WITH nerves as I reach out and lightly knock on the door. I almost feel silly, standing here about to ask him to be my date for my sister’s wedding, especially since I’ll be leaving early tomorrow morning. Isn’t it rude to ask someone to be your date on such late notice?
I’m sure it is, Calla. Shoot!
The door opens and my heart skips a beat as my eyes land on him.
“Hi,” I whisper.
Kyan is standing in front of me wearing nothing but black sweats, hanging so slow on his waist that you can clearly see he’s not wearing anything underneath. His body is so incredibly sexy that I almost feel rude for staring, but I can’t stop.
His dark hair is standing up all over the place as if he’s just gotten out of bed to answer the door, and his skin is covered with a sheen of sweat.
His eyes meet mine and I notice a slight change in his breathing as his eyes lower to my mouth. “Hi.” He smiles, before sweeping his tongue over his bottom lip, wetting it. “Come in.”
I step inside his apartment and lean against the door as he closes it behind me. “Did I wake you up?” I look over at the couch to see that the lamp above it is on, just giving off enough light to cover that area. A sheet is lying on the floor next to it as if it fell when he stood up.
Grabbing my hand, he pulls me close to him and places his hand on my cheek. “I don’t like you standing there as if you’re not welcome in my home, Calla.” He places his hand on the small of my back and guides me through his living room and into the kitchen.
He turns on the light and slowly backs me into the kitchen island, before picking me up and setting me down on it. His hands are resting at the sides of my thighs as his eyes turn up to meet mine. “That’s much better.”
I swallow as he walks away and opens the fridge. Watching the muscles ripple in his back as he reaches for two beers causes me to have to cross my legs and wipe the palm of my hands off on my jeans.
“A beer,” he questions, holding one up.
I nod my head and reach for one after he twists the cap off. “Thank you. I could actually use this way more than you can imagine right now.”
He steps in between my legs and runs his hands up my thighs. “You want to talk about it?”
I take a quick sip of my beer, before letting out a small breath. “It’s complicated. It’s just that . . .”
I almost stop talking until his eyes meet mine and I see the sincerity in them. He’s looking at me as if he truly wants to hear what I have to say. It gives me the courage to go on. “My sister is getting married tomorrow afternoon. We haven’t spoken in a couple of years and seeing her get married is going to be hard, really hard.”
He grips my thigh and pulls the beer out of my hand, setting it down beside me. “I’m sorry, Calla.” He rubs his hands over my arms for comfort. “Are you okay?”
I shake my head and force a small smile. “Not really, but I’m trying to be.”
He leans in and his lips brush mine. My heart races in anticipation of his lips meeting mine, but again . . . they don’t. It causes my chest to ache with need. He presses his lips to the side of mine and runs his hands through my hair. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.