She couldn’t resist him, but she couldn’t trust him long term. Revealing her past to Aurora had reinforced Willow’s fear of being left, and this man had done just that to her, the same way her mother, her father, and the homes she’d passed through had. But that didn’t mean she was ready to turn her back on him right now. There was too much chemistry between them for her to ignore.

“I can’t pretend I don’t want you, Braden, but that doesn’t mean I can have a relationship with you again.”

Reaching up, he brushed her hair off her face, his calloused fingertips causing goose bumps to ripple along her skin. “Yet.”

“I’m sorry … what?”

“You can’t have a relationship with me yet,” he said, with all the self-assurance she expected of him. “I’ll take whatever you can give me now, and we can build from there.”

“I can give you friendship,” she automatically said, her heart pounding inside her chest, knowing he wouldn’t accept so little and aware deep down she couldn’t, either.

A sexy smile lifted his lips. “We both want more.” He slipped a hand behind her neck and paused, giving her a chance to pull away.

She didn’t.

Couldn’t.

And when his lips came down hard on hers, she was right there with him. His grip on her neck tightened, and she wound her arms around him, making certain they were as close as physically possible. His tongue swept over her lips, parted them, and plunged into her mouth. Ready and waiting, her tongue met his, and his unique flavor exploded inside her. Along with his seductive cologne, her body responded to everything about him.

His lips were soft, his kiss hard, as hard as the body she shamelessly rubbed herself against. With a groan, he lowered his hands, slid them down her back until he cupped her ass and lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Once she secured her crossed ankles, he backed her against a wall to keep her upright, and she immediately felt the bulge of his erection pressing against her core.

She moaned, threading her fingers through his hair, their mouths never parting, making up for lost time. When she was in his arms, she was able to forget everything but him.

“God, I missed you,” he said, his hips thrusting upward, causing sensation to burst forth inside her.

Not wanting to talk, she pulled on his hair, directing his mouth back to hers, and he was only too happy to comply. Kissing her again, he slid his hand up her shirt, his rough skin skimming over the bare skin of her belly and up toward her breast.

“Braden?” a male voice called out, and the sound of the door opening followed.

She jumped out of his arms and began adjusting her clothes at the same time Austin, Braden’s oldest brother, walked into the room.

“What do you want, Austin?” Braden asked through clenched teeth. He reached for Willow, but she was too mortified to go to him.

“I need to… I mean excuse me,” she said, rushing past Austin and out of the room, heading to the bathroom, which she found next door.

Ducking inside, she shut the door and locked it behind her. She glanced in the mirror and discovered her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright, and her hair messed from his fingers.

She blew out a deep breath and splashed cold water onto her face. “No regrets,” she said to her reflection.

How else could she get Braden out of her system if she didn’t let the passion play out? And oh my God, was there passion. Even more than she’d remembered. What was the expression? Absence makes the heart grow fonder?

She shook her head. No. Not the heart. Bracing her hands on the countertop, she ducked her head, came to a decision, and met her gaze once more. He could have her body but not her heart. She nodded her head at the thought. It worked for her. She’d spend nights with him when it worked for her and be a total professional during the day. And when she was finally over him, which she would be because he had left her, after all, she’d be the one to walk away.

Having made the decision, she felt a weight lift off her chest. Now she just prayed she was strong enough to carry out her plan and not fall for the man all over again.

She waited until her face coloring returned to normal and headed back to the party, finding Bri and Aurora and joining their conversation, pretending she hadn’t just been making out with Braden in another room.

* * *

Braden watched Willow bolt out of the room. Meanwhile his cock throbbed in his pants, and the evidence was obvious thanks to the bulge in his jeans. Not giving a shit that his brother was watching, he adjusted himself and glared at his sibling.

Tags: Carly Phillips Dare Nation Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net