chapter 29
He didn’t know what it was about her. How she managed to get under his skin. He’d sat next to her on that dock and wanted to wrap his arms around her. Sit there until morning and unwrap every layer, every story, every nuance of her soul.
That was a stranger talking, a Chase Stern who hadn’t been around in a long time.
A stranger who needed to stay hidden, especially around a minor.
If there was one thing worse than fucking a teammate’s wife, it was screwing one’s daughter.
Even he realized that. He thought of her question about Davis’s wife, how she had gone to the jugular, his harsh response not scaring her away, the strength in her eyes only glowing brighter when she’d stepped to the plate and called him on his shit.
That had done something to him, snapped some piece of his armor off.
He never should have talked to her. Not in that locker room, not in that tunnel, and definitely not buying her candy and luring her outside. Talk about creepy behavior.
The kiss … he couldn’t regret that. Wouldn’t.
There would never be another moment in life worth more of a risk.
The quiver of her mouth, like her heart was beating so hard it would jump out of her chest. The tentative press of her tongue against his.
The hungry way she had clawed at his chest, wanting more.
The taste, the connection, the energy. Men had been killed over kisses like that.
Careers had been lost. Hearts had been stolen.
He needed to stay away from her. Focus on his game and forget everything else. He had gotten here, to the place of his dreams. Hell if he’d mess it up now. Hell if he’d survive another kiss like that.