Sporting (Unleashed Romance #3) - Kylie Gilmore Page 0,32

tired after a busy day spent hiking and apple picking. Maybe it’s all that fresh air and sunshine catching up with me. Or maybe it’s the double scoop of mint chocolate-chip ice cream I just ate, but I can’t keep my eyes open. I doze off on the drive home as soon as the sun sets.

We stop for burgers for dinner, feeding some burger to Lucy, and continue home. This time I’m wide awake. I had a really good time with him, but I’m worried. I don’t know how to navigate relationship territory. What’s too much? Where are the boundaries?

He pulls into the driveway of my place and turns off the car. “I’ll get your suitcase for you.”

“Wait.”

He looks at me, a question in his eyes.

“I had a great time. Thank you.”

“Me too. I’m glad it worked out. Could’ve backfired with the kidnapping thing. On the other hand, Audrey agreed it was the only way to get you alone long enough to make a real connection.”

My heart’s in my throat. “Well, Audrey would know.”

“Don’t be mad at her. She knows you well and told me she wants you to be happy. Obviously she thought the two of us together was a good thing, or she wouldn’t have helped out.”

My eyes sting with unshed tears. I hardly ever cry. It’s just that I feel connected to him, and I never thought I’d have that with anyone. “I have…feelings for you.”

“Jenna.” He rests his forehead against mine. “I know you do, but thank you for saying that.”

I laugh a little. “It’s like you know me or something.” He’s very observant. I guess that goes with the cop territory.

“Yeah, and vice versa, I hope.”

I kiss him. “Do you want to spend the night, or is that too—”

“I’d love to. I’ll get Lucy.” He gets out of the car, lets Lucy out of the back seat, grabs my suitcase, and follows me upstairs.

Lucy sniffs around my living room before settling on the area rug next to my sofa.

I turn to him. “So, here we are.” Somehow it feels different between us, and I’m not sure how to proceed.

He takes my hand and leads me to the bedroom, shutting the door behind us. “No doggy witnesses.”

I smile. “Just us.”

We reach for each other at the same time, and this time there’s no hesitation. Just hungry kisses, voracious heat that flashes into an inferno. We tumble into bed for a heart-pounding ride.

And when we finish, he tucks me firmly against his side, his chest rising and falling as he catches his breath.

My mind works overtime on what happens next. Are Eli and I really a steady sure thing? Should I confess all to Sydney? Part of me feels like this new thing between us is too fragile to bring out in the open.

I stare at his profile, the angle of his masculine jaw, the way his lashes fan out on his cheeks when his eyes are closed. “So…I guess this means we’re kinda dating?”

He kisses my hair. “I’ll pick you up on Saturday for dinner and dancing over at Happy Endings.”

It sounds so simple, so fun. And it’s in Clover Park, which makes it easier to keep quiet about us. No judging eyes from Summerdale over there.

He opens his eyes and turns to me. “Okay?”

“Yes, okay. It’s a date.”

There must be a hint of anxiety in my voice because he rolls on top of me and nuzzles by my ear. “Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.”

I grab his shoulders. “We can only do this if it’s in complete secrecy.”

He lifts his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“We have to.”

He hesitates, studying me. “Not for long.”

I look away.

He holds my chin and forces my gaze back to his. “Secrets always come out. There’s no reason for us to sneak around.”

I push at his chest, but he doesn’t budge. “Yes, there is.”

He grabs one of my pushing hands and kisses the palm. “That’s not going to work for long. You understand that, right?”

Who knows how long this thing will last between us? If it’s short, there’s no reason to cause a rift with Sydney. I’m taking a huge leap of faith even agreeing to a date.

He nips my lower lip. “Do you really need me to say the obvious? You are by far the hottest, sexiest woman I’ve met in my life, and I’m not done with you yet.”

He lowers himself down my body, kissing, tasting, caressing. My resistance melts in a haze of ecstatic pleasure.

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