little sound in the back of her throat that always drove him wild.
He kissed her back, ordering himself to be gentle. This was about comfort, not lust. Just a friend comforting a friend.
Right.
Her hand dragged down his chest, leaving a path of fire in its wake, and the friend theory flew out the window. This kiss was different. Hot and sexy and tender and gentle, and he didn’t know how all those things could coexist. All he knew was that she felt fucking amazing.
But he shouldn’t be doing this. Shouldn’t take advantage. Shouldn’t fuck up the friendship.
Shouldn’t shouldn’t shouldn’t.
The word pulsed through his brain as he broke the kiss. “Kayla, we shouldn’t—”
“I know,” she said, then kissed him again. “We definitely shouldn’t.”
But they did. He did, she did—hell, he wasn’t sure who to blame as he slid his arms around her and Kayla arched warm and tight against him. Her breathing had gone ragged, just the way it used to in bed. He skimmed his hand over the edge of her breast, and she moaned against his mouth.
God, he wanted her.
And he didn’t want to lose her.
But also, he wanted her. Bad.
Yip! A paw raked his arm, and Tony jerked back. Yip!
He looked down to see the dog had hopped on the bed. The little guy sat wagging frantically, staring up at him with earnest eyes.
“What do you want?” His voice dragged out rough and metallic, not like his voice at all.
The dog just looked at him. Yip!
Kayla licked her lips. “Maybe he has to go out?”
“Right.” He scrubbed a hand over his chin and got to his feet. His limbs were acting strangely, like someone poured hot molasses through his veins. “Right, that’s probably it.”
Kayla scrambled to her feet, and Tony reached down a second too late to help. Or maybe just eager to touch her, selfish prick that he was. “I’m fine,” she said, waving him off as she pushed away from the bed.
She darted to the dresser and grabbed the dog’s leash. “Come on, Fireball.”
The dog yipped again, and Tony stepped back to let them move past him through the door.
“I—um—I’ll be right back,” Kayla said.
“Right, sure, yeah.” Tony raked a hand through his hair, not sure how this had gotten awkward all of a sudden. “I’ll be here.”
Or should he? It was her room, after all.
Something in the back of his brain was screaming at him. Get out. Get out. Intimacy overload or a need to protect her? He didn’t know.
“Or maybe I should go,” he said. “Let you get your rest.”
“Oh.” Kayla stopped, already halfway into the hall. “Right. That actually might be best. It’s been a long day and all.”
“Totally.” He hated how relief washed through him. How his brain kept yelling at him to step back, to get out now instead of touching her again.
“Okay, so I’ll see you tomorrow.” He skirted past her, giving her a wide berth. “You want to meet up for breakfast before we hit the road?”
“Oh, um, sure.” She made a face. “Actually, no. I’m going for a run at five, so maybe I’ll grab something while I’m out.”
“Good idea.” It was; it absolutely was. They both needed some distance between them. “All right, then. Sleep well.”
He turned and aimed for his room, fighting every urge that told him to sprint like a man being chased.
Chapter Six
Alone in her room, Kayla leaned back against the headboard with Fireball curled at her side. She dialed the phone with one hand stroking the dog’s silky fur.
“You really are a sweetie,” she murmured.
“Thank you,” said Willa, answering before the phone in Kayla’s hand could even ring. “Is that what you called to say?”
Taking a deep breath, Kayla scrunched her eyes closed. “I kissed Tony and adopted a dog and almost had two strangers catch me bare-assed in the woods.” She paused, wondering if she should have started with hello. “Not necessarily in that order.”
“Wow.” Willa fell silent. “You’ve been gone three days, girl. What’s your plan for tomorrow, bank robbery?”
Kayla laughed, since that felt like a better alternative to crying. “Seriously, though, the kiss.” Because of course that’s what was mostly on her mind. “He practically ran screaming from the room. Like he couldn’t get away fast enough.”
“Start at the beginning,” Willa said. “Right now, I don’t know if we’re talking about the strangers, the dog, or Tony.”
Kayla smiled, grateful to have girlfriends. She began with the part about meeting Carrie at the diner, omitting most of the personal details about