Well Built
Page 25

That was the reality of the situation, and she’d been well aware of all those variables when she’d asked, or rather begged, for just one night with him.
On that disheartening thought, she got out of bed and walked into the adjoining bathroom. There was a new toothbrush on the counter, along with a fresh towel and washcloth and her clothes from the guest room that she’d worn yesterday so everything was in one place. The sweet gesture made her smile.
After cleaning her teeth, she found a comb and worked the tangles from her hair, then twisted the strands into a knot on top of her head. She took a quick, hot shower, and once she was dried off, she put her hair into a loose braid and got dressed. There wasn’t much she could do about the fact that she didn’t have a speck of makeup on, but as she glanced in the mirror, she was glad that she moisturized twice daily, because it at least made the skin on her face look soft and supple.
She headed down the hall and followed the sounds to the kitchen, where she found Kyle standing in front of the stove turning bacon in one pan and scrambling eggs in another. Judging by his damp, tousled hair, he’d already showered, and he was dressed in a pair of jeans and one of those fitted T-shirts that seemed tailor-made for him and conformed to his wide shoulders and strong biceps. He put the food on two separate plates, then turned to retrieve silverware from a drawer.
He glanced in her direction, looking surprised to find her there. His expression softened as he met her gaze, and there was something in his eyes that made her feel weak in the knees. A desire and tenderness that echoed deep inside of her. Time seemed to stand still, and all at once, everything she’d tried to deny for the past hour in his bedroom now hit her like a ton of bricks—that this man’s emotional effect on her was as strong as ever. She might have justified last night as a casual hookup, but no-strings-attached sex shouldn’t make her heart hurt at the knowledge that that’s all it ever would be. One night only.
With that reminder, she put her guard up and stuffed those feelings right back into the box they’d been in for the past ten years.
Slowly, he smiled, his gaze now sweet and sentimental as it roamed over her face—a complete one-eighty from the hot alpha man she’d been with last night. It made her feel shy and a bit uncomfortable.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked, not sure what had caused that look of his.
He strolled toward her, closing the few feet of distance that had been separating them. Very gently, he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tipped her head up toward his. “I’m staring because you look beautiful without any makeup on, like the girl you were back in high school.”
For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. Longing unfurled inside of her, and somehow, someway, she managed to block the sentiment and pulled her chin away. “We aren’t those kids anymore, Kyle.” Her words were meant to give them both the reality check they seemed to need. They could never go back to what they once were.
“No, definitely not,” he agreed with a sigh, then let it go. “I put a mug by the coffeemaker just in case you want a cup with breakfast.”
“Yes, please.” She headed toward the counter, grateful for the distraction.
“Sugar is in the cupboard right above you, and creamer is in the refrigerator.”
While she made her coffee, he took their plates to the table, and she sat across from him. She ate a couple of bites of her eggs before inquiring about the reason she’d ended up at his condo in the first place.
“Did you hear back from your friend about my car?” she asked.
“Yeah, he called a little while ago,” he replied, making Ella wonder how long Kyle had been up before she’d joined him. “It’s definitely a failed fuel pump. He sent one of his guys to a nearby auto parts store to pick up a new one while he started dropping the gas tank so all they’ll have to do is make the switch, then put things back together. He said he’ll have it installed and your car ready to go in about two hours.”
“That’s great,” she said, relieved. “Thank you.”
They went back to eating, and once again she could feel Kyle watching her, and the few times she glanced his way, she caught the slight furrowing of his brow that told her he definitely had something on his mind. The quiet between them started to make her feel anxious, and her apprehension only increased when he finally spoke in a very determined tone.
“Ella . . . about last night . . . ”
She knew what was coming, and she cut him off before he could finish. “Having morning-after regrets?” she teased, praying that her attempt at humor deflected the serious conversation she suspected he wanted to have.
He didn’t even crack a smile. “Not a single one,” he said with certainty. “In fact, I’d really like to see you again.”
She swallowed hard, hating that Kyle was trying to change the rules they’d agreed on after the fact. “See me again?” She tried to play dumb, but already, her insides were in a twist and her emotions were conflicted.
He nodded and set his fork across his empty plate. “Yeah, like a real date.”
He made it sound so simple, so easy, when the two of them dating was problematic for half a dozen reasons. Clearly, it was up to her to keep a level head about the situation. “Kyle,” she said, softening her voice, as if that would take the sting out of her next words. “Let’s not make what happened last night into something more than it really was.”
Beneath his trimmed beard, she saw his jaw flex and his eyes flash with a challenge. “Which was?”
Was he really forcing her to say the obvious? Apparently, he was. “Last night was sex between two adults who wanted it and agreed that it would be just one night.”
“It doesn’t have to be.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Yes, it does.” She put her hands in her lap, feeling sad and strangely lost. “You and I both know that things are complicated between us. And as for dating? Well, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Woodmont, and you already know I won’t be coming back into the city anytime soon. It doesn’t make sense for us to get involved as anything more than friends.”
His expression conveyed his frustration. “Sunshine, friends don’t fuck like we did last night.”
The man didn’t play fair. He was calling her out, and as much as she agreed that last night had been more than just getting laid, she also knew, without a doubt, that dating him would just end in heartbreak. Again. Which meant she had to issue an ultimatum.