“You assumed wrong. I have no shame about that night. Do you?” Kane held his breath. If she denied it, something precious inside him would break.
The words trembled on her lips, but she couldn’t do it. “No.”
Relief loosened his muscles. He could work with the rest. “One thing we agree on.” He took in her defensive posture and sighed. “Sierra, do you know how many times I thought of you over the years? I woke up that morning thinking we shared something special, but you were gone. It was as if I’d been punched in the gut. You left me without an explanation or a goodbye. You made me question our night together and if it was real.”
“I’m sorry.” Regret edged her husky voice. “I realized when I woke up that it was impossible for us. We were in two different places in our life. I was a mess and I was afraid if we tried to have a rational conversation over something that was…that was like what I experienced…it may ruin everything.”
“So, you didn’t just fuck me to get revenge on your ex?”
Temper snapped her chin up. “No! Is that what you thought?”
He gave half a shrug, deliberately baiting her. “How would I know? You disappeared twice. Avoid me at every gathering and refuse to speak to me in private. What am I supposed to think?”
Blistering heat shot from her eyes. “Don’t pretend you didn’t know the rules. We agreed it was one night, and you sure as hell weren’t ready for some serious long-distance relationship. I did you a favor. I let you off the hook so we could both have the memory.”
“No. You ran for you—not me. I didn’t get a chance to make my choice. It wasn’t about a few great orgasms for me.”
“Me either!”
His voice was like a whiplash. “Then what was it?”
“Magic!” She spit out the word with a gorgeous feminine fury. Over the past months, he’d seen Sierra the ice queen, the professional businesswoman, and the supportive sister. But this was the woman he’d remembered—the wild, free spirit who took what she wanted without apology or fear.
Satisfaction gripped him. He took a few steps forward and closed the distance. The scent of wildflowers drifted from her skin. He locked down his attention before his body shut off his brain cells and he reached for her. “About damn time you admitted it. Because it was magic. I’ve spent months trying to figure out why you refused to even acknowledge me or what we shared.”
A shuddering breath escaped her bubblegum pink lips. He tried not to think how those same lips had opened for the thrust of his tongue; how her taste still flooded his senses in his dreams. But that was too much for now. She was like the wild horses, and Kane had no desire to tame her. He just craved the idea of her coming to him on her own terms. “Don’t you understand I’d never experienced anything like that night before? I didn’t know what to do with it, Kane. I had a life back here; one I needed to rebuild from scratch. You were on the quest to be a Manhattan billionaire and admitted relationships weren’t your thing. Did you want me to hang around for another rejection or false promises? Were we going to FaceTime each other a few days per week and have phone sex? What did you want from me?”
“A chance. I wanted a chance because losing you wrecked me, Sierra.”
She stared at him, obviously stunned. He didn’t give a shit. Finally, he was able to tell her his truth and he wasn’t about to worry about a hurt ego or hold back.
Her ragged whisper healed the rift. “I didn’t know.”
“Now you do. So, what are we going to do about it?”
She blinked. Tilted her head. “I said I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you, Kane.”
“Apology accepted.”
“Good.” She wrapped her arms around herself in a hug, as if she was trying to draw strength. “I’m glad we talked. We can move forward in a better way. It won’t be so awkward with everyone, and I don’t want you to worry about the engagement party. I can pull it together easily.”
Oh, she was cute. She actually thought they’d move on and neatly button up the past with this brief conversation. His lip quirked in humor. She really had no idea what he wanted. Guess it was time to be clearer. “Are you saying you want to be friends?”
She took a step backward, as if even the thought panicked her. “Umm, I think we can be friendly but it’s best not to get…close. I’m not sure being friends is a good idea.”
“I don’t want to be friends, Sierra.” He never got tired of saying her name. It dripped off his tongue like a rich, red wine with complex flavors. It played in his mind like a beautiful mantra and the missing piece of a puzzle he’d always wanted to solve.
“Oh. Okay, I’m glad we agree.” She offered a tentative smile. Her shoulders relaxed. “We’ll respect each other’s space but it’ll be less awkward when we’re together.”
“You misunderstand me. I have no intention of pretending anymore.”
He closed the distance one step at a time.
“What do you mean?” she asked, retreating.
He flashed a grin and hoped it wasn’t as predatory as he felt. “I don’t want to be friends. I don’t want to be polite strangers. I only want one thing.”
Her back bumped against the wall.
