Page 21 of Always Mine
“Only three times.”
“She was always crushing on you.”
“Why are we talking about all this? Let’s discuss the future. For now, keep coming over. See what happens. After all, that’s why you’re not seeing Sanders.”
“The break is only temporary.”
He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. This kiss was soft but she felt it all the way to her toes.
“What’s the alternative, sweetheart?”
“I don’t know.”
“What about me? Like I said, you keep the demons at bay.”
“Which isn’t good, likeIsaid. You shouldn’t stuff your feelings.”
She’d never seen such an awful expression on his face. “I-I can’t talk about it. Not yet anyway. But please keep coming over. Seeing you gets me through until the next time.”
She had to make a decision. “Maybe a few more times. Then I’ll reevaluate.”
“I’ll take that.”
“But we have to talk about other things than our feelings.”
“All right. Anything to see you. Now sit on this bed and give me a kiss.”
Her heart clutched, so she bolted up. “No, no. I can’t.”
“I won’t force you. But I’m hankerin’ to taste you, darlin’.”
The willpower drained from her body and she did what she wanted to do. Still standing, she bent over and touched her mouth to his. He responded. Oh, God she’d forgotten the taste of him. Like nothing else. And his lips. They pressed into her. Then he teased open her mouth and explored her. She explored him.
Diego thought the top of his head was going to come off. This was Annie,hisAnnie, kissing him again. He tried to hold back, didn’t touch her nor she him, but their mouths met in the sexiest of dances.
They lost themselves in each other.
* * *
Annie took to the streets alone. She’d neglected her exercise long enough. Running would clear her head, blank her mind. Her steps were heavy as she headed to the end of the block and turned onto a path behind her house.
One foot in front of the other. Just put one foot in front of the other. Soon she felt the high. Thank God. She ran two miles then headed to the side of the path and sat on a bench the city provided.
Okay, Annie. You cannot live like this. Either get it together or break up with Seth.
Her heart started to beat fast again. If she did, and went to Diego, he could hurt her badly. Why risk it?
Because you can’t live like this. You’re not a liar or a cheater.
You have to pick one of them!
Chapter 4
“Press as hard as you can against my hand… Now lift your arm…”
And so the evaluation went. Diego sweated through the hour of PT. And still, he couldn’t do much. Most of the time they spent was on assessment but even raising his arm, trying to lift it to shoulder height was impossible. When Jon Parks finished, Diego collapsed against the bed, saturated. His whole body was covered in sweat. “That was pathetic.”
“No, it wasn’t. This is your first session. By the time we’re finished you’ll have full range of motion.” Jon, the physical therapist, was tall and fit. For the first time, Diego was jealous of a man.
