Page 24 of Daring Destiny
A Few Minutes Later
Whatisactuallyhappeningright now?
Brennan steps behind me as I unlock the door to my houseboat.
I can still feel the heat from his kisses lingering on my lips.Ohmyfuckinggod. The overt sexual tension between us has always been just below the surface, though neither of us have ever acknowledged it. Now it’s unleashed and there’s no going back.
Never, in my entire life have I reacted this way. Now he’s here, in my home, and I’m suddenly both sure and unsure of everything. He’s turned a key to my heart and I know there’s no going back.
When we have sex tonight, I’ll be all in.
But will Brennan?
He takes in my houseboat with his patented quiet focus. His eyes skate over the curved wooden staircase, the wide windows opening onto the lake, and the simple, modern lines of the kitchen.
“This place, it’s beautiful, A.” He gazes out the window at the glimmering lake. “I should have realized it would be stunning and effortlessly cool, like you.”
I lean against the counter, watching him. “I might specialize in luxury mansions, but I prefer to live somewhere simple where I can breathe.”
“Well, it suits you.” His fingers brush the edge of the quartz counter.
This house has always been my escape, but with Brennan here, it seems different. Intimate. Suddenly, I feel shy.
Since we kissed at the bar, there’s been a shift in the air between us. We both pretend to be fascinated by the surroundings when all we’re thinking about is what happens next.
At least I am.
Feeling the need to do something with my hands, I take a step toward the kitchen. “Do you want something to drink? I’ve got wine or beer.” I open the fridge. “Or, mineral water.”
Brennan watches me for a second, then shakes his head. “No, I’m good.”
The silence that follows is awkward. With only the sound of water softly lapping at the side of the boat, we’re both waiting for the other person to speak. To make sense of what’s going on between us.
A line’s been crossed.
We’re either on the edge of something big or we’re going to try to put the genie back in the bottle.
“It’s weird, right?” I break the silence. “You and me.This.”
Brennan steps closer. “Yeah—but it doesn’t feel wrong.”
Oh.
My heart thuds in my chest with an anticipation I’ve never known.
I search his deep, brown eyes for anything to help me understand what he’s thinking. What he wants. “I thought we’re just friends. Or, at least, I convinced myself you wanted to keep things platonic.”
“I convinced myself of the same thing.” He meets my gaze and for a split second, I see utter vulnerability. “Don’t you think it’s more?”
I decide to be honest. “Until we kissed, I wasn’t sure.”
“And now?” He moves closer until we’re practically chest to chest.
“Now, I’m confused.” I take his hands in mine. “What I want and what I need might be different.”
Brennan nods. “I’m terrible at relationships. It’s never been a priority. I don’t know how to…”
His words hang in the air and suddenly, everything clicks into place.