She’s bracing herself. For what, I’m not sure, but I’m going to work my ass off to make sure this look never washes over her features again.

This connection between us is even more powerful than I could have imagined, and now that I have her in my arms, nothing will stop me from making her mine.

“YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND,” I gasp. “A pregnant girlfriend, at that.”

Of all the things I could have said at that moment, that’s what I go with. It seems safer than asking him what the heck he’s trying to prove here. Or better yet, safer than to acknowledge the fact his erection is pressing firmly against my wet core. Good God, I don’t know what’s come over me. I have never acted so brazenly.

“I don’t,” he insists, allowing me to climb off his lap.

My eyes narrow, and anger fires my blood. “You most certainly do. I might be naïve in a lot of things, but pictures don’t lie, Mr. Masters. I would have to be blind to miss the headlines that have been all over the place for the last few weeks.”

“It’s Kane,” he forces through tight lips before the silence returns around us. He shakes his head and opens his mouth to speak before closing it and shaking his head again. I can tell by his body language that he’s uncomfortable. I’m assuming that’s because he just tried to cheat on his pregnant girlfriend. Oh God, he did cheat on her. I’m going to be sick. I’ve turned into my sister!

His voice breaks the silence of my inner thoughts. “You can’t believe everything you read in those fucking magazines, Willow. They print what will sell. What will cause people to stop and throw down a few bucks on what really equates to a handful of pages full of bullshit.”

“So you’re saying that every single one of them, plus the online media outlets and television reports, are lies? Just like that?”

My body hums with anger. I’m angry he had the nerve to kiss me. And the tipping point of my anger is the fact my body loved every second of it, girlfriend or not.

He wasn’t wrong. I feel it too; I’m just not sure what I’m supposed to do with it. I felt his reaction to our kiss against my soaking wet core. There is no way he could have faked a reaction like that. I’m just having a hard time understanding how he could feel that way about me. Each time I’ve been face-to-face with him has been during the most humiliating of situations. I’ve been at my worst. Those magazines he claims prints lies can’t make up the kind of woman he usually has at his side and they’re nothing like me.

“You’re right. They couldn’t hold a candle to you,” he says, breaking into my thoughts with a smooth purr of hypnotizing tones.

I snort out a laugh and throw my hand over my mouth, my eyes widening. Well, that’s just lovely; apparently, my thoughts slipped through my lips yet again. I really need to work on that.

His distressed gaze falters at my unladylike display. Those full lips curling. The way he looks at me is so unnerving.

Well, Eddie—what was it he said? Life begins at the end of your comfort zone? I’m so far outside of my safe zone of comfort; I might as well be on another planet.

“I don’t have the slightest clue what I’m doing here,” I tell him honestly. “Things like this don’t happen to girls like me.”

Those crystal eyes slight, and he cocks his head adorably. “That’s not the first time you’ve referred to yourself negatively, Willow.”

I laugh again, his eyes narrowing further. “Yeah, well, one thing you should know about me, Kane, is that I’m not exactly the most positive person.”

“And why’s that?”

Yeah, right. As if I’m going to open the floodgates of the cesspool of my many issues.

“Willow? I asked you a question.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a very intimidating person?” I hedge.

“Wouldn’t be the first time. But you don’t get to where I am by not taking what you want.”

“Look,” I start. Hike up those big girl panties, Willow. “I’m really not sure what I’m supposed to say here. I don’t understand why I’m here … with you … and I’m really not sure I trust you and whatever is motivating this situation.”

His features smooth out and he reaches out, again, to take my hand. I try to resist, but his determination is something I can’t match. I shift uncomfortably and swallow the lump in my throat.

“You don’t know me, Willow, but I don’t lie. You’re here because I want you here. Sure, I went about it unconventionally, but I live a life that isn’t conventional in the least. I’m the kind of man who takes what he wants with no apologies. So I won’t give you any. Just like you don’t know me, I don’t know you, but what I’ve felt by just being around you makes me believe it’s a feeling worth some drastic measures to explore further. I took what drastic measures I needed in order to rectify the situation at hand.”

“And that situation being me?”

He laughs. “The situation has everything to do with you. I haven’t felt a bond like I feel with you toward anyone in a damn long time, if ever, and I would be a stupid man not to use all my cards to explore that.”

“And your girlfriend?” I question, my voice coming a heck of a lot more steady than the rapid beating of my heart.

“I told you, I don’t lie. I don’t have a girlfriend, Willow.”

I sigh, shifting again before pulling at my top when I feel it tighten against my belly. I don’t miss the way that his eyes move to follow my hands movements.

Crap.

“I’m going to be honest,” I warn him, shifting again. My body betraying the calm I’m trying to present outwardly.

“Please do.” He nods, the hand still holding mine and giving me a squeeze before his dexterous fingers sweep across my wrist, spiking my already pounding heart to dangerous levels.

“Okay,” I squeak, clearing my throat. I look down at our connected hands and take a deep breath. “You … the things you talk about … crap.”

“Willow, you can speak your mind,” he assures, his voice calm and low.

“This has never happened to me. I’m not sure I can be the person you want me to be.” Spit it out, dang it. “You’ve seen me twice before, that I know of, and both of those times could probably sum up the downward spiral of my life. I’ve been a roller coaster of dips and turns that have made me a skeptical person who doesn’t have the type of … confidence that you seem to exude. I’ve learned it’s easier to tighten my buckle and take the safer rides in life. Ones that don’t set me up to fall on my tail.”

He’s quiet for a moment when I finish speaking, but his eyes are telling me everything his silence isn’t. Kane is a smart man, so I’m sure he’s reading between the lines with no difficulties at all.

“Three times,” he says confusing me for a second before I remember his claim to have seen me years before.

“So you say,” I respond.

“We’ll come back to that,” he promises with purpose. “You say it’s easier to take the safer rides in life, so I guess that means I just need to show you that life is a lot more fun when you learn how to enjoy the ride. Look, I’m not asking you for forever, Willow, but at least give me a chance to show you the fall is worth taking off your seat belt and saying to hell with it, regardless of what your mind is telling you.” His eyes look over to where my seat belt is hanging, unconnected, next to the door. “I think you’ve already seen what fun it can be when you decide to unbuckle.”

“Not that I had much of a choice,” I mumble.

“That’s right. But can you tell me you didn’t enjoy the fuck out of it? Feeling the rush when you stopped thinking and just rolled with it. Each and every hard inch created by that rush?”

I gasp, catching his meaning.