They stared at each other for long moments. She didnโt know
if it was just her, or just her imagination, but there was
a far earthier aroma to the kitchen right now. It smelled
more like a boudoir than a bakery, an erotic reminder of
their rather animalistic coming together.
She was going to need nuclear strength disinfectant.
Kyle inspected the contents of the bag before returning his
gaze to her. โAbout before.โ
โItโs okay, I know. You donโt have to say it. I
understand.โ
He frowned. โYou do?โ
โIt was a mistake.โ
His frown deepened. โWeeeellโฆI wouldnโt call it a mistake,
exactly. Something that good could never be a mistake.โ
Oh Lordy. More with the mouth. Val steeled herself against
its panty-dropping effects. โYou told my father youโd leave
me alone. What would you call it?โ
โAโฆslip.โ
Val almost laughed. โAs in, you tripped, and your dick
slipped into me?โ
He did laugh, but sobered quickly. โNo. That was a hundred
percent deliberate.โ
Her heart leapt at the admission, but her more pragmatic
angels prevailed. โBut not what you came here for.โ
He sighed. โNo. I really did just come here to check on
you. To talk about the night we met.โ
โAnd we did. We agreed that I was alright and that night
was great, but shouldnโt happen again because of your
career, and then we blew it. Weโฆslipped.โ She smiled at the
euphemism.
Sheโd slipped up a lot in life. Never had it resulted in a
mind-blowing orgasm. Clearly sheโd been doing it all wrong.
โBut we really, really, really canโt let it happen again.
Iโve seen my father bench players for far less provocation
than youโve just given him. He doesnโt believe in idle
threats, Kyle.โ
โYeah.โ He gave a half laugh. โI figured that one out
already.โ
โSo this is it. Finito.โ Val chopped her hand through the
air to underscore her point. โThe last time. We canโt do
this again.โ
He nodded. โAgreed.โ
But it was as reluctant as hell. He didnโt look that
certain, and they both needed to be on the same page with
this or it was never going to work. โWhy do I sense a but
there somewhere?โ
His sigh whispered to all the parts of her that were still
excitable from their last encounter. โI just wish Iโd known
it was going to be it, you know? I could have prepared
mentally. Plusโโ He took a step towards her, and Valโs
senses, still in a state of alert, sizzled with awareness.
โI could have made it really good for you.โ
Really good? Christ, if he could do better than that, she
was a bloody goner. โDid you hear me complaining?โ
โNo.โ
Of course he didnโt. Because heโd rendered her speechless.
โThen you can rest easy, big guy.โ She patted him on the
shoulder, an impulsive, affectionate gesture. Immediately
she wished she hadnโt. They didnโt have that kind of
relationship, as evidenced by the itch in her fingers. An
itch demanding she curl said fingers into his shirt and
drag him close.
She snatched her hand back. He noticed, but thankfully
ignored it. โSo we just carry on as normal? Like nothing
ever happened between us?โ
โYep. Itโs not like weโll see each other that much, is it?
The odd home game get-together at Tannerโs. The occasional
official rugby function. Easy.โ
His cocked eyebrow mocked her attempts at downplaying their
crazy chemistry. โEasy?โ
โYes.โ She doubled down, clinging desperately to her
conviction. โI think perhaps it would be advisable for us
not to ever be alone together, if it can be avoided.โ
He chuckled. โYou think?โ
The chemistry flared between them, so did her temper. For
the love of all that was holy, she was doing this for him.
If he wasnโt Kyle-hotshot-Leighton, sheโd be fucking him
and flaunting it at every opportunity. And screw what her
father said. โIโm trying to look out for your career, Kyle.
Remember that?โ
โWhat if I could have both? What if I told you I could
handle my career and your father just fine without dancing
around and pretending Iโm not totally hot for his
daughter?โ
Valโs stomach did a three-sixty turn in her belly. Her
heart did the same in her chest. โYouโve known me for two
weeks.โ
The whole thing was bloody preposterous.
โI was hot for you the moment I saw you sitting on that
barstool all alone, murdering olives with a toothpick.โ
God. She wished Kyle would stop saying all the right
things. It made him very hard to resist. But sheโd known
her father for much longer than Kyle had. She knew how
bloody minded he was, and Kyle damaging his career like
this over some chick he picked up in a bar was monumentally
stupid.
Nobody gave up the chance of a lifetime for a bit of tail.
She appreciated Kyleโs bravado, but her father couldnโt be
handled. The only person who could really do that was Eve,
and there were times when he sorely tested her calm,
unflappable demeanour.
Val knew sheโd never forgive herself for getting between
Kyle and her father. The sex was goodโincredibly goodโbut
some things were bigger.
โTrust me, youโll thank me for this one day.โ He eyed her
dubiously. โRugby glory, Kyle. My dad can make that
happen.โ
His tawny gaze glittered at her, obviously torn between the
temptation of the flesh and the temptation of the pitch. Of
achieving his lifelong goal. No matter how much he wanted
her, she knew he wanted that more.
She didnโt know Kyle very well, but she knew guys just like
him. Driven. Focused. Ambitious. Every Smoke player, every
pro rugby player was the same. They wanted to be the best.
The top of their game. They wanted the glory. And they
worked their asses off to get it.
She knew without having to even ask him that Kyle would
have been working towards the glory all his life. He
wouldnโt give it up. And she wouldnโt let him.
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