I look to where her hand is still resting against my chest then to her eyes, and order, “Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down.” Her hair flies again as she jerks her head from left to right. “You... you... jerk.” She points at me. “I didn’t corner you outside the bathroom, force you down the hall, or trap you against a wall, demanding to know who you’re out with.”

“I gotta get back to my boys,” I say, fighting the urge to touch her, to kiss her, do something, anything to quench the need growing inside me that has everything to do with the insane pull I feel toward her.

“You are really something else.” She lifts up on her tiptoes, bringing her gorgeous mouth closer to mine. “You said you didn’t have time for games. Obviously, that was a lie, because you seem like you’re a pro at playing with my fricking emotions.” She falls to her flat feet then shoves both her hands against my chest with more force than before, making me take a step back. “Now that I know exactly the kind of jerk you are, I’m going back to have dinner with my family, and seriously, I hope I never see you again.”

“Ember.” I grab hold of her before she can walk away, and her eyes narrow on my fingers wrapped around her wrist.

“Do not call me that.”

“There are things about me, things about my life that you don’t know.”

“Yeah.” She shoves the fingers of her free hand into my chest, and snaps, “You know what? There are things about my life that you don’t know either, because we don’t fricking know each other. Now let me go.” She tugs to get free.

I keep my hold tight and counter her pull, forcing her a step closer to me. A move that makes her eyes flare and pupils dilate. “I have two boys.”

“Yeah, I know that. Remember my cousin lives across the street from you? She told me about them. I just didn’t know that you were you or that Mitch was one of your sons.”

Why the fuck didn’t I think of that? I should have known Harmony would have told her about me, Mitchell, and Max. Shit. “I also have an ex.”

“Yeah, that kinda goes with the territory of having kids. I’m not a flipping idiot, jerk,” she seethes, tugging her hand and trying to break free.

“Don’t be ugly.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she counters, still struggling with the hold I have on her.

“Jesus, I had no fucking idea you were this big of a pain in the ass.”

“Newsflash, buddy: we don’t know each other.”

I scan her face, taking in the pink of her cheeks, her eyes flashing with anger, and her lips that are full, even pressed tightly together, and I fight the urge to go hard. “Why the fuck do I want to kiss you right now?” I ask out loud, and her expression gets tight.

“Do it, Gareth, and I swear to God I will bite your face off,” she says, sounding breathless and furious.

Looking into her gorgeous eyes full of rage mixed with sparks of desire, I’m torn between laughing and roaring my frustration. I don’t think I’ve ever been turned on and pissed at the same time, but I’m definitely turned on and pissed right now. I drop my eyes to her mouth and watch her tongue slip out to wet her bottom lip, right before she whispers, “Gareth, don’t.”

A rumble of frustration slides up my throat, vibrating my chest, right before I drop my head. And without another word, she lifts up to meet me halfway, our mouths lock, our tongues tangle, and her soft body presses against mine. I wrap one arm around her waist and tangle my fingers into her unbelievably soft hair, keeping her close while I devour her mouth and soak up her taste.

“Oh shit,” I hear, and December does too, judging by the way her body goes rigid against mine and her fingers against my chest dig in. I jerk my head back and lock eyes with Kim, Sage’s wife, over the top of her head. “I’m... I’m just going to the bathroom,” Kim stutters before she opens the door to the restroom quickly and disappears behind it.

“Oh, God,” December whispers, jerking away before I have a chance to get ahold of her. Then she takes a step back out of reach, holding her hands up between us. “I don’t….” She shakes her head with her eyes looking wild. “I’m sorry. I…” Her tongue once more touches her bottom lip. “I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry,” she says, right before she turns on her heel and takes off. I watch her go with my gut tight. The only thing that brings me relief is knowing without a doubt that this is the last time I’ll ever let her walk away without a fight.

Five

December

“WHAT THE HELL?” I groan as the doorbell rings for the third time in a row. “Seriously,” I shout, stumbling through my mostly dark living room, pretty sure I’m still drunk, really sure I haven’t even been asleep for more than an hour. “I’m here,” I call when the bell goes off again. “You can stop pressing the stupid button.” I fumble with the locks then swing the door open and stare in disbelief at Gareth. “This is not happening.”

“Do you sleep in that every night?” he asks, referring to my blue Supergirl nightgown that has a red cape attached at the shoulders, and my eyes narrow on his.

“How did you find me?” I bite out while I grab a jacket off one of the hooks near the door and put it on as he walks past me into my living room.

“The same way you got my number—your cousin hooked me up.”

“Sage gave you my address?” I ask, not believing him for one second.

“He did.” He shrugs. “Or I should say Kim talked him into giving it to me after I told them what happened earlier at the restaurant and explained I wanted to talk to you in person and apologize.”

“Great,” I mutter, because that I do believe. Women always think crap like that is romantic, and I’m sure Kim was swooning all over the damn place when she heard it from a guy who looks like Gareth. “Where are your kids?” I ask, stopping in the middle of my living room and watching him as he walks around, looking at the photos and things I have on the walls and shelves.

“I tried to call you, and I sent you a few texts,” he says, ignoring my question. I know he tried to call and sent me a few texts. I read each one at least a dozen times while I drank a bottle of wine all alone, trying to forget the kiss he gave me and remind myself why he’s bad news.

“Where are your boys?” I ask again, glancing at the clock. It’s not exactly late; it’s only a little after eleven, but I’m not sure two kids should be home alone at this time of night.

“They both decided to go home with my sisters after dinner,” he says, studying a photo of my sisters and me. My mom took the picture without us knowing last summer, when we were all at the lake. It’s one of my favorite photos of my sisters and me. We’re all standing in a row with our arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders, laughing at something. I don’t remember what we were laughing at, but I do remember feeling happy and thankful, and I get that same feeling every time I look at it.

“Did you want something?” I ask, fighting back a shiver as his attention moves to my bookshelf and his fingers skim down the spine of one of my books.