12. Chapter 12 The Point of No Return
Jenna: October
No way. Not again. How the hell do I manage to lock my keys in the car not once, but twice in one year?
Aren’t cars supposed to beep or refuse to lock when the keys are still inside?
Maybe mine missed the memo—like my brain isn’t brain-ing anymore.
Or maybe it’s juggling a never-ending list…
planning dinner three hundred sixty-five days a year, keeping up with the girls' dance lessons, school activities, and surviving the endless cries of “Mommy!” and mountains of laundry. All while managing a full-time career.
I start digging through my purse for my phone to call a tow truck when a hand lands on my shoulder. I spin around to find Dylan standing there, amused by my struggles in the parking lot.
“So, we meet here again,” he says, with an infuriating grin as he rests against his truck and not his usual motorcycle. “What’s thinking for you today—your body or your mind?
I groan, covering my face. “You’re not going to drop that, are you? You’ve probably been waiting all day for this.”
His laugh is warm, the kind that makes you forget how annoyed you are. “Who, me? Never. But I am curious—are we still taking over the world naked, or was that a one-time offer?” he says, holding out a paper cup. “Sweet tea. No spills this time, alright?”
I snort, shaking my head. “Thank you,” I say, grabbing the drink.
“For the record, anything said under the influence of a gummy bear cannot be held against me. But by all means, please keep making fun of me. Call me jinxed, careless, a walking disaster.” My tone is more frustrated than intended, but it’s been one of those mornings.
Another argument with Jacob, him working late again.
Now this. What’s next? Get fired? Break a leg? Bring it on.
He crosses his arms, smirking like he’s settling in for the show. “I’d rather call you clumsy and cute. And maybe the universe wants me to keep helping you… Or you had a little too much candy last night.”
My face flushes, and I turn back to the car, looking for my phone through the window. I glance around, my pulse spiking at the thought of someone watching us. Like I’m here making out with Dylan, ripping his shirt off in the parking lot, when all I’m doing is talking. Totally normal.
But seriously, he can’t keep flirting with me. “I don’t need help, and this is not cute,” I snap, but my words lack heat. I spot my phone sitting on the driver’s seat, right next to my keys. Just my luck. Guess the car finally gave up trying to warn me before I make another mess.
Dylan doesn’t say a word, but his silence speaks volumes. He’s waiting, arms still crossed, until I admit I need him. I sigh and hold out a hand.
“Okay… maybe I need to borrow your phone.”
He passes it to me without hesitation, holding on a second longer than necessary. I focus on the screen, ignoring the sparks crawling through my body. His screensaver flashes—a German Shepherd and an adorable small mixed breed curled up on his bed. My heart melts before I push the thought away.
“Keep it until the truck comes,” he says casually, already stepping back. “My guys are waiting for me to start working. Password is one, two, six, seven.”
I blink, startled by the gesture. “You’re leaving me your passcode and your phone? Don’t you have… secrets hiding in here or dirt that might get you arrested or something?”
He leans in, his voice low. “And what exactly do you think I’d get arrested for?”
“Oh, who knows…” I say, trying to keep a straight face. “Indecent exposure. Disturbing the peace with your snarky comments. Accomplice to murdering banana dolphins, perhaps,” I tease, fidgeting with my purse straps. My restless hands itching to touch him.
A laugh bursts out of him, unfiltered and completely adorable. “Only one way to find out. Just don’t scroll through my photos from last week, and all my secrets should be safe.” He winks, turning to leave. Then pauses. “And what about you? What would you be arrested for… Stealing hearts?”
I freeze, his words catching me off guard. “I’m not sure I ordered cheese with my omelet this morning, but I’ll let that one slide. Only this time.” I fight the smile threatening to take over my face.
He chuckles and walks away without looking back.
Twenty-five minutes later, two phone calls and a lot of pacing back and forth, the tow truck finally arrives. The driver takes one look at the car and has the door open in seconds.
I glance at Dylan’s phone in my hand, my fingers hesitating, before curiosity wins. He practically handed me an invitation into his life, and I can’t resist stepping through. You can learn a lot about someone from their phone. Hopefully, I find something terrible.
His speed dial lists his sister and mom. Cute. He never checks his emails, and a guy named John texted him something cryptic. Nothing too scandalous. But then I break the one rule he gave me and open his photo gallery.
It’s mostly family photos, work stuff, and—oh hell no.
Him standing next to half-naked women dressed as a nurse, a devil, and a sexy cat. How original. But it’s not them that draws my attention. No, it’s Dylan, smiling like he owns the world. Everything about him screams sexy and sweet, and infuriating.
And the best part? He’s dressed head-to-toe in a giant banana costume, like the world’s goofiest heartthrob. And somehow, he still looks good. Really freaking good. I laugh so hard I nearly drop the phone. I think my favorite fruit just became even more delicious.
Then I see it. A picture I will never, ever unsee—and my mind drifts to places it shouldn’t.
“Hey, whatcha looking at?” Izzy’s voice makes me jolt.
“You scared the crap out of me,” I mutter.
“You’re late, you know,” Izzy shoots back.
“I could say the same to you!” I say as we walk together toward the building. “Not sure how they haven’t fired you yet.”
She tosses her hair over her shoulder. “Please. I’m too pretty to fire,” she protests, and continues talking about work, but all I can think about is Dylan’s photo and his words. I’m not the person who steals hearts. I’m the one who gets her heart crushed.
When I step into my office, the smell of fresh wood and vanilla hits me. And there he is—Dylan. Looking like the sexiest sin in a filthy white T-shirt clinging to every muscle, arms flexing as he saws through a beam.
And fuck, I want him—hard, dirty, and completely ruining me.
I freeze, the door swinging shut behind me on its own as I clutch my purse. He’s completely lost in his work, oblivious to my presence… to my drooling face.
If only the fantasies in my head could come true for just one day. Just one hall pass. Or better yet, the whole damn school pass.
God, forgive me for these unholy thoughts.
He wipes the sweat from his face, and then his hazel eyes meet mine. His eyes that practically scream come fuck me. A smile spreads across his lips, wrecking me on impact. The world stops. My breath falters. And for a brief moment, I forget why my life is a mess or why I even came into my office.
Why am I here? Think, Jenna. Use your words.
I scramble for an excuse—anything that doesn’t sound completely ridiculous. “Hi, Dylan. I was… um… looking for my pen.”
A pen, Jenna? That’s the best you’ve got?
He turns to me, one brow raised in that cocky, Dylan way. “By pen, do you mean you were… um… looking for this really hot guy you can’t stop thinking about?” He smirks, and it’s lethal.
“No!” My cheeks burn, my voice sharper than I intended. “I mean I was looking for my lucky pen. And—” I yank his phone from my purse and drop it on the table. “I wanted to return this.”
Then I grab the nearest pen on the desk and wave it around nervously. “Found it. So… I’ll be going now.”
Dylan steps closer. His gaze flickers to my mouth, then back to my eyes, and I swear he can see straight into me.
My breath hitches.
When he takes the pen, his fingers brush mine, sending a shockwave up my arm.
Fuck. Me. The chemistry is combustible. Explosive.
One touch, and the air thickens. One look, and months of restraint, tension, and every wall I’ve built comes crashing down.
Maybe it’s that photo—him, shirtless, riding a horse on a beach like he’s the damn stallion.
He flips the pen over, smirking. “You sure this is your lucky pen?”
My pulse pounds faster.
“I guess it could be… Since my name is engraved on the side, ” he says, taking my hand. He turns it over and places the pen back in my palm and doesn’t let go. My whole body tenses, shivers racing up my spine.
“Tell me you don’t feel it,” he whispers, his mouth so close I can almost taste him.
He inches closer, his breath warm against my skin.
“Tell me your mind isn’t racing, imagining all the things you want to do to me.
” His fingers trace featherlight circles over my thumb.
“Tell me you’re going to walk out that door, leaving me here without knowing what your lips taste like.
What your tongue feels like inside my mouth.
What it sounds like when you scream my goddamn name. ”
I can’t move—can’t think.
Then, he takes my other hand and presses it to his chest. His heartbeat races almost as fast as mine. My fingers tremble over the firm, unrelenting muscles hidden beneath, heat seeping through his shirt.
Fuck, he feels so good. I should kiss him. No, I should leave.
“Say something, Jenna,” he murmurs, his voice low, rough. “I can practically hear you thinking.”
My heart screams one thing. My head screams another.
“I… I don’t know.” My words falter. “I don’t want…” I take one step back. He follows. Until my back meets the cool surface of the wall and my resolve crumbles.
His thick calloused finger brushes my lips, his other arm wrapping around my waist, pulling me tight against him. I can feel him… hard and impossible to ignore.
Heat surges through me, my pulse pounding so loud it drowns out logic, reason, everything—except him. I’m completely consumed by him and the electric pull I’ve tried so hard to resist.
His lips barely brush the corner of my mouth, igniting a fire in my veins. “Then don’t think,” he whispers it like a plea I don’t know how to refuse.
“Tell me to stop,” he murmurs into my hair, his voice tortured. “And I’ll stop. I’ll stop—for you.”
I don’t. I can’t. Words are gone, my brain turned to mush, my body full of need. All I can do is stare into those hazel eyes like whiskey and wildfire, ready to burn everything down.
“You’re dangerous,” I whisper.
“And you’re going to ruin the hell out of me,” he groans. “Every. Single. Part.”
But in this moment, none of that matters. Nothing matters. No consequences. No right or wrong. Just this.
He pins me against the wall, his body pressing firm against mine, and my fingers tangle in his hair. His mouth crashes into me, and I kiss him with every ounce of pent-up emotion I’ve bottled up for months.
The tip of his tongue sweeps into my mouth.
Teasing. Tasting. Claiming me like he’s done waiting.
A needy moan escapes me as his grip tightens on my waist. He lifts me effortlessly, and I wrap my thighs around him without thinking.
His hands glide over my trembling legs. Then, with one swift motion, he spins us around and lays me on my desk.
Papers scatter to the floor just like the first time we met.
His lips trail down my neck, each graze of his scruff sending sparks of pleasure straight through me. I’m burning for him, every nerve alive, desperate for more. When we finally pull apart, gasping for air, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to breathe right without him again.
“Fuck, Jenna.” His voice pierces through me. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted this… wanted you?”
God, this isn’t fair. I open my mouth, but swallow back the words I want to say. Why couldn’t he be a terrible kisser and make me feel nothing , instead of… everything.
As I step back, Jacob flashes in my mind, uninvited, yet here with us.
I’m going to hell.
And just like that, I’ve stepped through a door I can never close.
Dylan notices the shift in me. Of course he does. I’ve never been good at hiding how I feel.
“I have to go,” I mutter, as the weight of what happened slams into me. “No, you have to go. This is my office. Shit, no. I’ll leave.” My voice falls apart. “You need to get back to work, and I… I need to go home. Home to Jacob.” My stomach drops. “My husband, Dylan. My husband.”
I turn to walk away, but he takes my hand. “Please, don’t go like this. Don’t ruin the best kiss I’ve ever had. Don’t deny what we have because of our… circumstances.” His voice is raw, his eyes pleading.
“Wow, you’re good,” I say bitterly. “You always know exactly what to say.” I pause, my heart pounding. “It was amazing. Better than I ever imagined. But best kiss?” I shake my head. “Come back to planet Earth, Dylan. I’m married. I have kids. And this? This is wrong.”
I see the hurt in his eyes. Or is it defeat? Maybe I’m another challenge he can’t conquer. I don’t know, and right now, I don’t care. I need to get outside for air… air without him in it.
I walk out, leaving him standing there. My lips still tingle from his kiss. My body burns for his touch. And my heart is torn in two.
I should feel guilty. Ashamed. But all I feel is pain and confusion. Because… I still love Jacob.