Page 47 of Kiss Me Forever

“I don’t know what you’re saying, or what you’re thinking, but maybe you should just go.”

“You’re telling me to leave because I said I wanted you?”

“I don’t know, Reece. You don’t tell me anything. You just growl and then ask me for help when it comes to Bella. That’s all you’ve ever talked to me about. And I don’t mind. I love that little girl. She is the sweetest, and she’s confused and needs people. So I’ll be her friend, but I don’t know what to do with you.”

His hands still on the back of my neck, he cursed. Then he leaned his forehead against mine, and I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do.

“Somehow that little girl is the best thing I have. The most important thing.”

“She is. She’s supposed to be. She’s your daughter.”

“She has to be the important thing.”

“I know.” My heart cracked ever so slightly. This shouldn’t be surprising. I knew the answer. I might be falling in love with Reece, but he couldn’t afford to fall in love with me.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Brooklyn.”

“Then don’t.” A simple statement that was anything but simple.

“I’m not going to forget this though. I don’t know what this is, but I can’t forget that.”

“And you think I can?” I asked, tears filling my throat.

“I know you can’t.” That cocky smirk on his face made me want to either kick him in the balls or kiss him. There really was no in-between when it came to Reece Fox.

He took a step back, leaving me just as confused as ever. Damn this man. And damn my hormones.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen. But can you ever?”

“No. You can’t. I think that’s the whole point of living.”

“Astute.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No, Brooklyn. I’m not. But I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. We both know this is the wrong time for this.” Another kick to the heart. “But I don’t want to stop.”

“Oh.”

He raised a brow as he looked at me. “Yeah. Oh. I don’t want to stop. Meaning I probably should. But I’m not going to.”

“Reece—”

“No. Don’t speak. My hands on you tonight? That’s what we both wanted. The way that those people treated you tonight and how they always have? Fuck them. They don’t matter anymore. But I don’t know what’s going to happen next, Brooklyn. All I know is that I want you, and I know you want me.”

“Cocky much?”

“Considering I just had my cock buried balls deep inside you, you know the answer to that.”

“Reece.”

“What? Did you think I was a sweet, innocent kid who was going to be gentle with you? We both know that’s not what you wanted. You might’ve had boys before, but I’m a fucking man, Brooklyn. And yes, we fucked, and I want to do it again. But I’m not a nice man.”

“That’s a lie.”

“You want it to be a lie. But it’s not. I might be a good man sometimes, but I’m not a nice one. Because a nice man would walk away knowing that there could be nothing between us. Not when I don’t know what’s going to happen with Bella. Her damn grandparents could change their mind before everything is through.”

“Are you saying being with me could hurt your chances?” I asked, my heart breaking.