Every Sweet Regret (Orchid Valley 2)

I blink. “Wow. Didn’t expect that.”

He shrugs. “After earlier, I don’t see the point in pretending otherwise. You know I’m attracted to you. You know what I want to do to you, with you.” He pauses for a beat, and the way he swallows makes me think I’m not the only one imagining those things. “But I’m thinking past tonight—about the consequences of one night of fun if you end up needing a place to live.”

“I’ll find somewhere,” I say with way more confidence than I feel. In preparation for hopefully starting nursing school in the fall, I’ve been training my replacement at The Orchid. My modest full-time salary will become a modest part-time salary beginning Monday. Even living at Mom’s, the pay cut was a little scary, but if I have to pay rent, I don’t know how I’m going to manage it. I’m not at all surprised that Mom refused to move. She’s the one who encouraged me to go back to school and get a more career-focused degree. But I won’t be the reason she doesn’t get to sell that money pit and move into a lower-maintenance place.

“Dean’s right, you know. The pool house could be the perfect solution for you. Let’s not take it off the table just because your bikini made me . . . thirsty.” He smiles and drags his gaze slowly over me. I’m not in my bikini anymore, but I feel naked. And so thirsty.

“Can I blame the bikini for my lustful thoughts too? Maybe we should send it to confession. We’re both off the hook.”

He laughs softly, eyes crinkling in the corners. “I’m trying to say that crossing that line tonight might set a bad precedent for us. I can’t very well have a booty call in the backyard of the house where I’m raising my child.”

Wouldn’t stop your wife. I tamp down the bitter thought. “You don’t need to explain yourself. We had a moment. It might’ve been something more if we hadn’t been interrupted, but we were.” I shrug with all the carelessness I don’t feel. “Let’s not make this a thing. I’ll go back to fantasizing about you, and you can go back to seeing me as Dean’s annoying little sister. We’ll pretend our bathroom interlude never happened.”

He drags a hand through his hair and stares up at the clear sky. It’s a beautiful night. If things had gone differently, we could’ve stayed out here for hours under the stars. It would’ve been . . . Well, it didn’t happen. Who’s to say something else wouldn’t have scared Kace off?

“I am sorry,” Kace whispers, looking at me again.

I wag a finger at him. “If you’re going to start using the tools of the modern hookup world, you need to learn the first rule: never apologize for changing your mind. You don’t owe anyone anything and have every right to back out at any moment. Your body, your choice, et cetera, et cetera.”

He blows out a breath. “That’s good advice.”

I shrug. “What can I say? I’m a font of wisdom.”

He steps forward and slowly brushes his knuckles down my arm. “For the record, I’m apologizing to myself more than you. You’re fucking beautiful, Stella, and last night wasn’t the first time I noticed. And tonight wasn’t the first time I wanted to act on this attraction.”

I try to breathe, but air refuses to enter my lungs. “Yeah?”

He gives me a sad smile. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.”

I wince. “Could you not? I just . . .” I blow out a breath. “I’ve had my fill of awkward for the night.”

He glances over his shoulder toward the gate. “Right. Good night, then.”

I chew on the inside of my cheek, wishing I could say something to turn us back to the fun and flirty, if dysfunctional, dynamic we’ve settled into lately.

This is for the best.

Some part of my brain knows it’s true. The same part knows that a quickie in the bathroom with Kace wasn’t going to help me get over him or make him fall for me, but that reasonable thought is barely a whisper against my disappointment.* * *KaceStella’s wet bikini top sticks to her skin as I peel it away to reveal a perfect puckered nipple. She hooks a leg around my waist and rocks into me. “Please.”

I want to give her everything she’s asking for. I want to slide my hand into those skimpy bikini bottoms and feel the slick warmth I know is waiting for me.

I pinch her nipple, and she gasps. I need it in my mouth, to feel it go harder against my tongue while she shivers beneath me. I’m going to taste every inch of her.

“Are you seriously using my sister for sex?”

I spin around at the sound of Dean’s voice. “What are you doing here?”