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Sid’s lips parted and she responded immediately, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. The sounds of the beach party faded into the distance. Her fingers tangled in his thick black hair while her other hand explored his muscular back.
When Sid finally broke the kiss, he pulled her close and gently tucked her head to his chest. His heart was pounding as hard as hers.
She breathed in the smell of him as it mingled with the tang of the ocean and soaked in the warmth of his body against hers.
Sid drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then he gave her a quick squeeze before releasing her and gently separating from her.
The corner of his lips turned down slightly, and there was a wrinkle between his brows.
A knot formed in her chest. That kiss had felt so right. But had it been a mistake?
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
His lips tightened, and his eyes were filled with concern. “I need to tell you something.”
The knot in her chest squeezed tighter, and she winced. Way to make a mess of things, Jayna.
Sid put a finger under her chin. “Hey.”
Hesitantly, she peered up at him. His scowl had been replaced by a smile. “It’s nothing bad.” He leaned down and gently brushed his lips over hers. “Let’s go for a walk.”
Chapter 23
Jayna let him lead her along the beach, farther away from the crowd. He slipped his arm around her, but her concern didn’t ease.
After several minutes, the suspense became too much for Jayna. “So, what is this thing that you need to tell me?”
Sid stiffened, and then sighed. “It’s about Crystal.”
The knot in her gut returned. “You’re not married, are you?”
He stopped. “What? No! No, no, no.” He sighed deeply. “But we were in a relationship. A couple of years ago. It didn’t end well, obviously, and she has made it her mission to ruin me.”
Thank goodness, she thought, but the knot in her gut refused to loosen. “I know. Emmaline told me. But I don’t know the details. She said those were yours to give.”
He nodded. “I suppose now is as good a time as any. Knowing the whole story will help you understand what I have to say next.”
Sid ran a hand through his thick black hair and sighed. “A little over three years ago, I bought the manufacturing company where Crystal worked as a human resources manager. I was still fairly new at the process of making these kinds of decisions, and I didn’t have a team of my own. So, Crystal and I spent a lot of time together figuring out who we should keep and who we would have to let go. After a month or so, we became romantically involved.”
Jayna had suspected something like this. Still, she was surprised at the spark of jealousy that shot through her.
“Anyway, I should have known it was a mistake. But I felt strongly for her, and she seemed to feel the same for me.” Sid turned and stared out over the ocean.
After a long silent minute, Jayna put her hand on his arm. “Then what happened?”
Sid worked his bottom lip. “She cheated on me, so I broke it off. She didn’t take it well and threatened to ruin me if I didn’t either take her back or compensate her financially.”
Again, this was not unexpected. “That’s why she is so determined to share all those nasty stories about you.”
“Yes.” Sid pulled Jayna close. “Unfortunately, she has taken notice of you. She claims I am coercing you into a relationship.”
Jayna’s brow furrowed. “You aren’t coercing me. That’s ridiculous.”
“I know, but that’s what she’s saying. She claimed I coerced her as well, and that I’m using the employee buyout as leverage for some kind of quid pro quo.”
They stood in silence for a few more minutes before Sid finally spoke again. “I meant what I said on the beach. My feelings for you have grown too strong to ignore.”
The knot in her stomach refused to go away. “I sense that there is a ‘but’ coming.”
