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  “Your definition of making out is different than mine. We kissed each other. I kissed his lips, he kissed mine. My last boyfriend, Chris Newton, got me to touch his…private parts.”

  “Great. Now that I know his name, I’ll find him and kick his ass,” he joked—at least I hoped it was a joke.

  “Anyway, we didn’t go further because I was self-conscious and uncomfortable.” My face felt like it was on fire. I couldn’t look at him.

  “It’s all right,” he said, his tone gentle. “Look at me.”

  I peered over at him through my lashes. “Is my…lack of experience scaring you off?”

  “No. It’s honest and sweet,” he said with another grin.

  I blew out my breath. “I don’t want to be sweet.”

  “Nothing wrong with being sweet,” he said. “Actually, I find it refreshing. Sex takes patience too. You have to be comfortable to enjoy it,” he offered, trying to put me at ease. It worked, and we went back to eating—until he asked, “He didn’t eat your pussy?”

  I choked. “Come on, Tyler.” My face heated up again.

  “Will you let me?” he asked. “Once you’re comfortable with me?”

  I shuddered and looked down. “I…I don’t know what to say.”

  “That’s okay,” he said. “You don’t have to say a thing, but I want you to know what’s coming, because I will. I promise when you’re ready for me to do it, you’ll love it.”

  That was when I gave up on eating and put my fork down. He was too much, but in a good way.

  “What do you love for the women you’re with to do to you?” I asked. I couldn’t keep the earnestness from my voice.

  He flashed me one of his infectious grins. “That’s another lesson. Right now, finish that meal I worked so hard to make.”

  We laughed together at that then talked about the game. He was absolutely incredible out on the field. I was completely captivated by his skill and talent, but when I tried to tell him so, he was really modest about it.

  “It’s how we all work together. It’s a team effort.”

  “But you’re a big part of the success,” I enthused.

  He sighed. “Yeah, tell that to Coach Frost. He doesn’t see anything I do as good for the club.”

  “I would tell him,” I said. “Although, after your performance, I thought he was going to freak when he recognized me.”

  “He doesn’t want to mess up the program,” he said. “It’s something he pitched to the owners, and a lot of publicity is riding on it.”

  I licked my lips. “I’m not in your program, but you’re still taking a risk.” My stomach flipped over at the thought, but then he reached over and touched my face. After a moment, he let his hand drop back to his side. “We both are.” I leaned a little toward him, wanting him to know I welcomed his touch and whatever he was willing to do with me, then his ringtone went off—DJ Khaled and Drake’s “To the Max.”

  He started singing the start of the song, and I joined in with him. His lip curved upward.

  “You like hip hop?”

  I grinned broadly. “I do.”

  We both sang the song with gusto until we started to laugh. I covered my mouth and he tugged my hand down.

  “I like seeing you smile.”

  I was a bundle of nerves and didn’t know what to do, but I let him stare until he got up and started clearing the table. I helped then excused myself to brush my teeth. I always carried a travel size with me, and I’d be prepared for whatever came next. Kissing? A flutter went through my stomach. Just thinking about it—or anything else he planned to do—and I felt like hyperventilating. I took a deep breath in, trying to calm myself. I can do this.

  I sat down on the couch, and a shiver of anticipation went through me as I waited for him.

  After a few minutes, he appeared at the top of the stairs. He’d taken off his jacket, and when he got close, I could see his strong, muscular upper body through his T-shirt flexing as he pushed his dark wavy hair back from his forehead. He sat next to me, so close that our thighs touched—his solid and firm, mine trembling.

  He laid his hand low on my leg. “Relax. It’s just me.”

  My breath hitched. Just him—the star of all my fantasies forever. I took in a ragged breath. “Am I already blowing this?”

  “No, you’re not,” Tyler said with a hint of amusement in his tone.

  I tilted my head down. “I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. I’m just nervous.”

  “I know,” he said. “But you don’t need to be. Want to know what I’m thinking?”

  I nodded my head.

  “I’m thinking you’re beautiful in so many ways, and I can’t believe I get to touch you.”

  I looked up into his eyes and a jolt of electricity sparked, taking my breath. His eyes were deep brown with rings of gold, the center dilated and dark with an intensity that set my nerves pulsating. His hands were warm when he cupped my face then leaned in close.

  “Kiss me, Scarlet,” he whispered.

  My heart pounded hard and I inhaled sharply. My nostrils filled with the smell of his aftershave. He wasn’t moving; he was waiting for me to make the first move.

  I trembled as I leaned in for the kiss. My lips managed to make contact with most of his and part of the stubble at the sides of his sensuous mouth. I tilted my head down and sighed. I couldn’t even get that right.

  Then Tyler said, “Mmm, that was sweet. Now, I’ll kiss you back. That okay?” He spoke the last bit against my lips. His were like velvet and with gentle pressure, he moved against my mouth. “Feels good. Now open up for me,” he instructed.

  I slightly parted my lips and he ran his tongue over them. The sensation enlivened my senses. He slid his tongue against mine, and he tasted of mints. His tongue coaxed and guided me until I was moving mine against his. Then he closed his mouth on mine and sucked. The feeling went straight down between my thighs, and a moan escaped my lips.

  Tyler broke us apart and we both worked to catch our breaths. “Sweet Scarlet,” he purred. He kept me close, his hands still clasping the sides of my face.

  “Do you like the way I kiss?” I asked, my tone soft.

  “Very much, and I want more.” His lips closed over my bottom lip and sucked. A burst of sensations went off in my body and I moaned again.

  He groaned. “I’ve wanted to suck on your bottom lip for a long time.”

  I blinked at him in surprise. He’s been thinking about kissing me?

  He kissed all over my face and when he came back to my mouth, he didn’t hold back. He delved his tongue in and tangled it with mine, and I moved my tongue against his as he showed me what to do. Every stroke sent sparks of desire shooting through me. I let go of my inhibition and let myself get caught up in the wondrous feeling of our kiss, and I wasn’t the only one affected.

  Tyler moved me to sit on his lap and I could feel him stretched hard beneath me.

  “Damn, you feel too good.” He groaned. “But am I going too fast?” he asked, his breath heavy.

  “No, don’t stop,” I pleaded, just as breathless.

  He didn’t move me off, but kept his hold on my face. We both moaned as we pressed ourselves against each other in a kiss I would’ve willed to go on forever if I could have. So lost were we in making out, we didn’t hear the door open until it was too late.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  We broke away to find Zoey glaring down at us.

  “That key was for emergencies.” Tyler stood up and towered over her. “Not for you to come in whenever you want to.”

  “I told you yesterday I was coming over to get your old juicer,” she yelled at him. “You usually go to the house of the woman you’re fooling around with after a game. I didn’t expect to find you here with Scarlet. You promised—”

  “What did Tyler promise?” I asked, and Zoey turned to me.

  “He promised he wouldn’t mess around with you,” she said as she poked his chest. Messing around, sexin
g, whatever it was, she was blaming Tyler, but she shouldn’t have.

  I jutted my chin. “What if I’m messing around with him?”

  Her eyes widened, and Tyler shook his head behind her.

  “What is she talking about?” she asked him.

  “You don’t have to defend me, Scarlet,” he said, lifting his brows at me in a plea to follow along. “Yep. This was all on me. I invited her to come to a game and brought her back here.”

  I shook my head. “That’s not what happened.” From the twist of her lips, I could see she didn’t believe me.

  “It’s all right, Scarlet,” Zoey said. She glared at Tyler. “You’re an ass for this.”

  I turned away and touched my mouth. I could still feel the sweet caress of his lips on mine. The feel of him holding me, wanting me—it was marvelous, but already spoiled by yet another person in my life with ‘good intentions’ trying to protect me, just like my family. Tyler was keen on keeping what we did a secret and I knew it was right, but the thought of hiding made my stomach ache. I couldn’t keep up the charade, couldn’t turn it off like what we did together didn’t mean something to me.

  “I’m…I’m going home.”

  “I’ll drive you,” they both said at the same time.

  “No,” I replied. “I’d like to be alone and clear my head right now. I’m taking the subway.”

  “Wait a minute,” Tyler said. He came to stand close to me, the fronts of our bodies touching. The awareness caused my own body to heat with desire. I wanted him so much, I feared what he’d think if he looked at me. “You sure you’ll be all right?” he whispered.

  I tilted my head away and averted my eyes. “Yes…um, thanks.”

  His hand closed around my wrist and a spark flared between us at just that contact. “Stop right there,” he yelled to Zoey, who walked toward us. “I’m talking to her for a minute alone before she leaves. You’re going with Scarlet to the subway. You can meet her at the door.”

  “Fine,” Zoey said, looking at us as she reluctantly moved that way.

  “You want her to walk you?” Tyler asked me.

  “She can,” I said. “I know Zoey won’t tell anyone.”

  “You do, but I know it’s hard to think after what we did. She thinks I’m taking advantage of you.” He ran his hand through his hair like he did when he was uncomfortable. “Maybe we—”

  “Don’t say anything right now, okay? Please, let me have today,” I pleaded.

  “Okay,” he said softly. “I enjoyed kissing you.”

  “Me too,” I murmured. I turned and went over to the door, power walking past Zoey.

  She rushed down the sidewalk to catch up to me.

  “Hey, wait up,” she said, and I stopped. “Why are you mad at me?”

  “I’m mad at you because you’re the one person in my life I thought wouldn’t try to interfere, but you did.”

  “I don’t care if you kiss someone or date. I’m all for you finding a relationship,” she said. “What I don’t agree with is you trying to date Tyler. He’ll have sex with you, but then he’d want to move on.”

  I crossed my arms. “Why would him just having sex with me be wrong? Maybe that’s all I’m looking for.”

  She gaped at me. “Oh, believe me, it would be. You’re only saying that because you’ve never been hurt before. I have. I’ve been on the receiving end of a man who wined and dined me until I had sex with him then dumped me. It doesn’t feel good. It can do damage to everything that’s important, including your dancing.”

  She had some valid points, but I wasn’t as easily dissuaded since I was aware what would happen going in. Over and over again, I swallowed my feelings and did whatever was expected for everyone else’s benefit. I had reached my limit. “I’m not supposed to live out of fear of living?” I asked.

  She opened her mouth then closed it, and we walked the rest of the few blocks over to the subway station in silence. “Fine, live your life,” she said. “I only ask you not to live it with my brother. It would absolutely break my heart if we ended our eighteen-year friendship over him.”

  “We won’t,” I tried to assure her. “I know Tyler, and I still chose to…kiss him. I moved into the city to get away from everyone interfering and not letting me live my life. Just stop interfering. Please trust in me.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said then sighed. “We’re both really upset right now, but now that I understand that you understand that you and Tyler aren’t serious, I’d like to call in a favor. There is a guy in my building, and I’m hoping you’d be willing to go out on a double date with him, me, and his roommate—as friends,” she added.

  I crossed my arms and looked at the picture she held up with her phone. It was of a good-looking blond male with square glasses. “He’s a sexy geek. He works as a programmer for a game company,” she added.

  “I don’t know.” That was the only answer I had for her at the moment.

  “All I ask is for you to think on it,” she said. “And I’m sorry.”

  I nodded and walked the rest of the way to the subway, relieved to find she didn’t follow me. Sinking down into the seat, I pushed away thoughts of Tyler backing out of the lessons and smiled dreamily as I replayed the way he kissed.

  I WANTED TO INSIST ON taking Scarlet back home, but I understood her. She wanted to be trusted to handle herself. She wanted independence, and I wanted to show her she had one person who wasn’t going to control her—me.

  When Zoey came back, I met her at the door with the juicer in one hand. “Hand over my key. You’ve lost your privileges here.” I held out the other hand, waiting for her to put the key in it.

  “Come on, Tyler, stop being dramatic,” Zoey said, moving past me like I hadn’t just kicked her out. “You were with my best friend, for fuck’s sake. How the hell else did you expect me to act?”

  I put the juicer down on the counter, harder than I intended to. It made an unsettling bang, which startled both of us. “Fine,” I snarled. I took out my phone and hit up my Yelp app. “Keep the key as a souvenir. I’ll get it changed anyway.”

  I ignored her mocking snorts and made an emergency appointment with a locksmith. It was over the fucking top, but so was the way she’d embarrassed the shit out of me in front of Scarlet, coming at me like we were kids caught with our hands in the cookie jar. “I’ll let you know when you can come over again.” I put my phone away and gestured toward the juicer.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, finally picking it up. “I just freaked when I saw you with her. She likes you.”

  “Maybe I like her back,” I said, surprising myself, but I went with it.

  I wasn’t lying; I did like Scarlet. She was easy to talk to and funny. She was also beautiful, sweet, and unassuming. I was turned on by her acquiescence and got a rush from the control, and kissing her was crazy addictive. She wanted the sexual experience, and I was more than willing to give it to her.

  “Sure, you like her as a friend,” Zoey said. “But you kissing her means more to her than just friendship. What she needs is someone who’s serious. That’s why I asked Scarlet if she’d go on a double date with me.”

  My jaw tightened. “Oh, you did, did you?”

  She smirked. “Yeah, and she seemed interested. Unlike you, he’s looking for a relationship.”

  She was pissing me off, so much so that I was looking around for something to break. The juicer was the only thing in reach, and believe me, I thought about it. Fuck. A date with who? I frowned.

  “Now I don’t care who else you’re with,” she continued. “But Scarlet’s my best friend. I don’t want her avoiding me like all the rest of the women did after you dumped them.”

  I’d had enough of Zoey so I opened the door wider so she could go on back home. Scarlet and I could both make up our own damn minds.

  “Fine. Later.” She sauntered out and I slammed the door behind her.

  I decided to send a message over to Scarlet.

  Tyler.Wilson: Call me
when you get home

  I was too keyed up to sit, so I went up to my home gym and kicked the shit out of my bag until my phone rang. I picked it up, but the display was a number I didn’t recognize. “Hello?”

  “Hello, Tyler. It’s Yasmine from the ballet,” she said in an upbeat tone.

  “Hello, Yasmine from the ballet,” I repeated flatly. “How did you get my number?”

  She laughed. “It wasn’t easy. Anyway, I think I might be able to get us partnered up for the show.”

  “Since when do dancers get to choose their partners?” I asked in a way that let her know I knew better. Christophe, their instructor, would choose the partners.

  “There are ways to influence the choice,” she said. “Let me explain. I heard from Zoey you’ve danced before?”

  I blew out my breath. “Yeah, a little. So?”

  “Well, that can be an advantage,” she said. “I’m a soloist and sometimes help other corps members as a mentor. We could practice together and that could strengthen the possibility of us partnering in the show.”

  “I still don’t see what the advantage of doing this would be for me.” It was my way of letting her know I wasn’t interested in her without having to spell it out, but she wasn’t done.

  “Okay. There’s more,” she said. “The couple that gets a solo dance will more than likely get to do the promotional spots for the performance. It would involve doing the morning shows and other events. It’s great publicity.”

  Now she was talking about something I was interested in. This could give me a chance to show myself as someone who could be used as a spokesperson for the team professionally—though I wasn’t sure about dancing on television and told her so.

  “We won’t have to dance,” she assured. “It will probably be a recorded clip like I’ve seen done for other events. The couple gets to talk about the charity and our work. If there is dancing, it would be short, and if you take me up on practicing together, you’d be ready. I know we’d look great together.”

  Was she flirting or just giving me the hard sell? Probably both, but her offer wasn’t something for me to dismiss. My phone sounded with an incoming call. “I’ll think about it. I have another call.” I ended the call and switched over to find Scarlet on the other line. I got that weird feeling in my chest at the sound of her voice.