Page 261 of Nobody's Girl

Talking to my Ally about Laura, her best friend, is uncomfortable and I’d rather not do it. Her eyes twinkle at me as she awaits my response. “I know you’re right.”

A smile slowly forms on her plump, red lips. “Good, then that’s settled. You are my protector and no physical stuff can happen between us.”

My eyes roll as I look away from her. “God, Ally! I know it can’t. That’s what’s so damn hard. I’ll get over it, I guess.”

‘And yet I don’t want you to,’ she thinks and I snap.

I grab her by her shoulders and pin her back to the sofa. ‘Tell me to stop,’ I send to her.

Her eyes search mine as I move my lips closer to hers. ‘I don’t want you to stop,’ she sends back.

Achingly slowly, my lips move to taste hers. ‘Just one kiss, Ally. All we need is one last kiss. We’ll never do it again,’ I send her.

My eyes close as my lips are so close to hers, I can feel her warm breath on them. A flash fills my head and there are the faces of Laura and Eden.

Sadness radiates from them, filling my heart with heavy sorrow. One small action could cause them so much pain. I pull my face back from Ally’s.

She’s seen the same thing I have and we look at each other, knowing it isn’t in us to hurt people we love and care about. I lay my head back on the sofa.

“Well, at least we know what’ll happen if we try something like that again. The Creator will not allow it to happen anymore. I’m glad it’s beyond our control,” Ally says.

The pounding in my chest almost hurts as I realize I’ll never touch those lips again. I have to get out of here and away from her. “I need to go, Al.”

“I understand. We can talk about everything later,” Ally says as she moves her legs out from under her and places them on the floor. “You asked me where you could live and the answer to that is anywhere you want. I don’t have to have you right next to me. Only when we go on dangerous missions will I need you. Other than that, feel free to live your life as you wish and wherever you wish.”

Her damn gorgeous legs take my attention and I have to get the hell away from her before my heart bursts from my chest. “Catch you later, Al,” I say as I get up and walk towards the door. “Have a good night.”

“You’re leaving?” she asks as she catches up to me.

Her hand on my arm as she stops me sends a chill through my entire body. I turn back to see her eyes looking sad.

“I need some time to adjust. You’ll be in my life for a very long time, yet I can never have you. This isn’t easy for me. I can see it’s not for you either,” I say, then I caress her pink cheek. “I’ll leave you to have your honeymoon with your mate. Call me if you need me. I have to get back to my life and figure out what I’m going to do with it. I also have to decide what I’m going to do about Laura. It’s not fair to her. She deserves someone who can give her all of him. I’m not that guy.”

“Please don’t hurt her, Kyle. Think about this a lot before you make a decision about breaking up with her. There’s a slight chance that in the future she can be told our secret,” Ally says. “She and I are also very close. It may be she can be a part of this as well. Don’t count her out just yet. As far as you not being able to give a hundred percent of yourself just yet, don’t let that get in your head. One day you will.”

Slowly, I move my hand up her arm, relishing her soft skin. “Ally, you will reside in my heart forever. Your presence there takes up space and it makes it impossible to give one hundred percent to anyone else.”

Her voice is soft as she says, “Kyle, you also reside within my heart, yet I love Eden with all I have. You will learn how to do that too.”

I kiss her cheek and hug her tightly. “I love you, Ally. I’m going home after Laura gets up. I don’t know if she’ll leave with me or not, but I have to get out of here for a while.”

Letting her go, I turn and open the door. Right before I close it, I hear her say, “I love you too, Kyle. Be safe.”

Tears cloud my vision as I make my way down the long hallway.

How am I supposed to live over a hundred years with this pain in my heart?

CHAPTER 42

ALYSSA

Pain radiates through my body as my Kyle leaves our home. I woke as he left this house, his goodbye waking me from a deep sleep. Laura decided to go with him back to Cloudcroft. He doesn’t know how he’ll deal with what we have, nor do I.

How can I feel so much love for my mate and still have love for another?

What a cruel thing to do to us all. Eden struggles with the knowledge, and if we decide to let Laura in on our secret, she’ll have difficulty with it as well.

This life will be long and I have to wonder if our want for each other will ever go away. Kyle has a permanent place in my heart. I don’t see our feelings ever leaving us entirely.