Hard to Handle (Caine Cousins #2)(48)

Taking a deep breath, Reagan gripped the steering wheel and fought the tears back. She couldn’t cry. It wasn’t going to do her any good. Didn’t matter that they were from the relief she felt. Truth was, she didn’t deserve Lynx’s kindness right now. She felt guilty enough about the way she’d treated him. More so about how she wanted nothing more than to hide in the shelter of his arms and let him take care of this mess. He would do it, she had no doubt. That was the way he was. The man looked out for his friends.

But she didn’t want to be his friend, no matter what she told him.

She wanted so much more. However, her heart wasn’t strong enough for what Lynx would do to it. He was the only man in the world who had the power to break it, and she would rather spend a lifetime alone than to feel that kind of pain again. It’d happened once before. Back when she realized Lynx wasn’t within her grasp, that he was more interested in drifting from one woman to another than to give them a chance.

That was the very reason she’d started dating Billy Watson. One day after school, Reagan had spotted Lynx with Angie Chesney in town, watched him kiss her near the gas pumps over at the Pump ’n Go, and her heart had been shattered. His desire to hop from one woman to another was also why she’d continued to take Billy back despite the fact that their relationship had been doomed from the start. Ten years she’d fought her desire for Lynx Caine.

She realized the two men on the tractors were watching her, so she waved, then started the truck. She figured she might be able to catch Lynx at the diner, and if not, he would probably be at the shop.

It was time they had a little heart-to-heart.

After all, the man was now officially divorced, which meant she had no more excuses.

Just as she’d thought, Reagan found Lynx at the shop a short time later. The door was open and she heard the whine of a saw spilling out into the parking lot. When she stepped inside the cool interior, her eyes took a moment to adjust. By the time they did, the saw had shut off and Wolfe was looking her way.

“Hey,” she greeted. “Is…?” Her attention was pulled to movement at the far end of the warehouse.

Her gaze landed on Lynx, who was armed with sandpaper and a worried expression on his face.

“Mind if I talk to him?” she asked Wolfe, waving her hand in Lynx’s direction.

“Not at all,” he grinned, glancing at his cousin. “I needed to talk to Amy anyway.”

She knew that was a lie, but she wasn’t about to say anything. A few minutes alone with Lynx was all she needed.

Okay, that was a lie.

She needed more than a few minutes. Not to mention, somewhere that offered more privacy than this. But right now, this would have to do.

“Thanks.”

By the time she reached Lynx, he was leaning against a table, arms crossed over his wide chest as though he was expecting an ass chewing.

“Imagine my surprise,” she began, “when I stopped over at the bar and found a couple of guys clearin’ things out.”

His dark eyebrow lifted slightly, but he didn’t speak.

Reagan moved closer, the butterflies in her stomach taking flight.

She closed the distance between them until they were toe-to-toe. Then she put her hands on his waist as she stared up into those gorgeous green eyes. Touching him was a gamble, but her hands didn’t seem to hear the warning her heart was giving them.

“I’m not sure…” Her heart squeezed in her chest and she started over. “I’m not sure what I’m gonna do with you.”

Her voice was so soft she wasn’t sure he’d heard the words. The way his eyes traveled over her face had her body warming. It didn’t help that she was touching him, but she couldn’t seem to help herself.

“You don’t have to help me out, Lynx.” She shook her head, knowing that came out wrong. “I appreciate it, sure. But…”

Lynx moved and the words caught in her throat when he cupped her face, then leaned down and kissed her. His lips were soft, warm, and so gentle her heart flipped over.

She wasn’t sure if the move was meant to shut her up or not, but it worked. Although he kept it soft and sweet, Reagan couldn’t seem to maintain his leisurely pace. Within seconds of his lips touching hers, her body throbbed, her pulse sped up, and she once again found herself trying to climb his body.

The rough groan that rumbled in his chest only made her body heat more, her need for him intensifying. She’d been fighting this for so long and she wanted to give in, to allow him to take her mind off all the crap that was going on right now. Granted, she’d learned not to say as much, because the man was quick to take the offer off the table whenever she mentioned that this thing between them could only be temporary. She wasn’t sure what he was after, but she knew he wanted her complete surrender.

Not that she was capable of giving that to him.

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t pretend so they could both get what they wanted.

The only thing she had to do was make sure her heart understood this wasn’t a forever kind of deal and thinking that it was would only cause more pain in the end.

Yeah. That was going to be the hard part.





20


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“Reagan,” Lynx whispered against her lips, hating himself for pulling back when he wanted nothing more than to strip her naked and bury himself inside her right here.