Touch by Touch (Riggins Brothers #4) - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,28
add a couple of slices to a plate for each of us and carry them to the island. “Here you go, my dear.” I place the plate in front of her and press a kiss to her lips.
“Thank you.” Her smile is bright, just as it has been all damn day.
I’ve snuck more kisses today than I have with a woman in my entire life, and it still doesn’t feel like enough. I could spend hours just kissing her, and even then, I don’t know if it would be enough.
Neither one of us mentioned this new dynamic between us. Dancing with Aspen and holding her close, I couldn’t resist. One thing led to another, and my hands and my mouth were all over her until we kept getting interrupted. She seemed fine, and I’m glad I didn’t upset her. It wasn’t until we came into the living room to watch more of the series we started that I tried again. I pulled her into my arms and kissed the breath from her lungs before she had time to hit Play. Then I held her the entire time. This day has not sucked. Not at all.
“So good,” she says, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Just call me Chef Conrad,” I joke.
“You’re going to spoil me. I’m used to cooking for one and eating alone. Now that it’s just me.”
“Aw, sweets, are you trying to say that you’re going to miss me?” I tease.
“Maybe.” Her confession is followed by a smile that lights up my entire fucking universe.
“Well, I’ll have to make sure to cook for you when we get home too.” I toss the idea out there. She doesn’t dispute it, just nods her agreement.
“So, everyone gets here tomorrow?” she asks.
“Yeah. My contact at the city assured me they would be working on our road tomorrow. They had to get the main roads taken care of first.”
“How exactly do you have a contact at the city?” she muses.
“Funny story. My brothers and I were here one weekend fishing. Josh, that’s the contact’s name, he was at the lake. We all got to shooting the shit and drinking a few beers.”
“I’m guessing there was more beer drinking than fishing going on.”
“You know it. That’s man code for drinking a few with my buddies. Anyway,” I say dramatically, “turns out, Josh works for the city, and he’s over at road maintenance.”
“Does everything come easy to you and your brothers?”
“No.”
“Name one thing that you’ve struggled with?”
“Being used for my last name and bank account.”
“Other than that.”
“It’s a struggle to sit next to you and not have my hands on you,” I tell her honestly.
“Come on.” She laughs. “Be serious.”
“Oh, I’m serious.”
“What’s stopping you?”
I ponder her question. “I don’t want to assume or push you.”
“You’ve been stealing kisses and touches all day.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“How do you feel about that?”
“Did I protest?”
“No.”
“There’s your answer.”
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“I know.”
“And?”
“How do you feel about that?” She sighs. “I feel like we’re talking in circles here, Conrad.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I know it’s complicated, but I never thought I’d have these feelings for you.”
“It’s not me.”
“What do you mean it’s not you?”
“It’s our situation. We’re stranded here. We’re attracted to one another, and that’s heightened since it’s just the two of us.”
“I think it’s more than that.”
“That’s the situation too. We’re not thinking clearly. Once the others get here, there will be more of a buffer, and that will all change.”
“You seem certain.” What I don’t say is that I call bullshit. This thing between us isn’t just some act of boredom, at least not for me. I’m into this girl. Really into her. I can’t stop thinking about her, and the taste of her lips, or the smell of her hair.
“That’s really the only answer. We’ve been around each other countless times in a group setting, and we’ve never felt… this, whatever this is between us.”
I don’t argue with her because I don’t know if she’s right. My gut tells me she’s not. That this is more, maybe it’s because it’s never been just the two of us. We’ve never really had the chance to get to know one another and explore more. Whatever it is, I’m dreading leaving her on Sunday.
“Look at this.” I hand Aspen my phone. “Owen just sent me that.”
“Aw, look at Carter. He’s hamming it up for the camera.” She hands the phone back to me.
“It’s still surreal to see Owen as a father. Out of all of my brothers, I was certain