couldn’t take it any more. “Dale, something’s up,” she said flatly as he pulled into her drive. “Stop brooding and just spill it.” Dale laughed, the sound totally without humor. “Yeah, there’s something up. But I really doubt you want me to spill it.”
As she waited for him to come around the car, she ran her tongue over her lips. Her gut was feeling tight and raw and it didn’t help any as she saw the look in his eyes as he helped from the car. Ever the gentleman, Dale was. But this time, after helping her alight from the car, he didn’t release her hand. In fact, he tugged her closer, grasped her chin and lifted her face. “Yeah, there’s something wrong,” he repeated.
“This.”
And then he fit his mouth over hers while Nikki stood there motionless. Shocked. Stunned.
Oh, hell.
Gentle, strong hands cupped her chin and Dale rained loving kisses over her face while she stood passively, unsure of what to do. “I can’t keep doing this, Nicole.” He groaned, burying his face in her neck, his strong arms locked around her back. “I can’t. You’re all I’ve thought about for years and it’s killing me to be this close to you, knowing you don’t want me for anything more than a friend.” Hard, hot hands trailed over her shoulders and arms, caressed her back as he whispered, “From the moment I saw you, I wanted you. Every moment since.”
Nikki had to strain to hear him as he whispered into her hair. As he sought her mouth again, hot little darts of pleasure raced through her. He was so warm, felt so good against her. And he was safe. Dale wouldn’t ever hurt her. She had felt enough love in her life to know what it was like to receive it and there was love and heat twined together in his embrace.
“Just give me half a chance, Nikki. I swear I’ll make you happy,” he promised.
It was tempting.
So tempting.
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61
Shiloh Walker
She was so lonely…
She couldn’t. Tempting or not, lonely or not, she couldn’t do it.
It wouldn’t be fair to him.
He deserved so much better than a woman with only half a heart.
“Dale, I can’t,” she whispered. “I just can’t. I’m sorry, but—”
“Nikki, please—”
Reaching between them, she rested her fingers against his mouth, shaking her head. “Dale, I can’t.
I’m sorry. This wasn’t fair to you,” she said quietly, putting distance between them as they spoke. “And as much as I would like to, as flattering as it is, it’s no good. I’m not whole—I don't think I ever will be.” If I had a choice in this, I would pick you. Staring at his almost poetically beautiful face, she shook her head and repeated once more, “I can’t. I can’t give you what you want, and if I can’t do that it’s not right to pretend otherwise. It’s not fair to you.”
“Maybe you should let me decide that. I want you,” Dale said, his voice whisper rough, his hands gentle and caring as he eased her back against him. “I’ll take whatever you can give me. I just want you.” With a sad, faraway look in her eyes, Nikki smiled at him. “If I’ve learned one thing in my life, it’s that we can’t always have what we want. I’m sorry, Dale.” She reached up, cupped his cheek in her hand.
“If I could have chosen, Dale, I would have chosen you. You mean so much to me. You got me through some very rough times, and I’ll never forget that. But I can’t be what you want. Or what you think you want.”
“I know how I feel. I know what I want and don’t want.”
“Yes, I guess you do.” Rising on her toes, she pressed her lips to his jaw. Man, she felt like an utter bitch doing this to him. Why hadn’t she known? How could she have not seen this?
Because you never looked. You never thought to look. He’s always just been Dale.
“I’m sorry.”
Dale stroked her cheek, his own eyes sad and wistful. “So am I. Does he have any idea how big a fool he was to let you go?” he murmured, shaking
As she waited for him to come around the car, she ran her tongue over her lips. Her gut was feeling tight and raw and it didn’t help any as she saw the look in his eyes as he helped from the car. Ever the gentleman, Dale was. But this time, after helping her alight from the car, he didn’t release her hand. In fact, he tugged her closer, grasped her chin and lifted her face. “Yeah, there’s something wrong,” he repeated.
“This.”
And then he fit his mouth over hers while Nikki stood there motionless. Shocked. Stunned.
Oh, hell.
Gentle, strong hands cupped her chin and Dale rained loving kisses over her face while she stood passively, unsure of what to do. “I can’t keep doing this, Nicole.” He groaned, burying his face in her neck, his strong arms locked around her back. “I can’t. You’re all I’ve thought about for years and it’s killing me to be this close to you, knowing you don’t want me for anything more than a friend.” Hard, hot hands trailed over her shoulders and arms, caressed her back as he whispered, “From the moment I saw you, I wanted you. Every moment since.”
Nikki had to strain to hear him as he whispered into her hair. As he sought her mouth again, hot little darts of pleasure raced through her. He was so warm, felt so good against her. And he was safe. Dale wouldn’t ever hurt her. She had felt enough love in her life to know what it was like to receive it and there was love and heat twined together in his embrace.
“Just give me half a chance, Nikki. I swear I’ll make you happy,” he promised.
It was tempting.
So tempting.
www.samhainpublishing.com
61
Shiloh Walker
She was so lonely…
She couldn’t. Tempting or not, lonely or not, she couldn’t do it.
It wouldn’t be fair to him.
He deserved so much better than a woman with only half a heart.
“Dale, I can’t,” she whispered. “I just can’t. I’m sorry, but—”
“Nikki, please—”
Reaching between them, she rested her fingers against his mouth, shaking her head. “Dale, I can’t.
I’m sorry. This wasn’t fair to you,” she said quietly, putting distance between them as they spoke. “And as much as I would like to, as flattering as it is, it’s no good. I’m not whole—I don't think I ever will be.” If I had a choice in this, I would pick you. Staring at his almost poetically beautiful face, she shook her head and repeated once more, “I can’t. I can’t give you what you want, and if I can’t do that it’s not right to pretend otherwise. It’s not fair to you.”
“Maybe you should let me decide that. I want you,” Dale said, his voice whisper rough, his hands gentle and caring as he eased her back against him. “I’ll take whatever you can give me. I just want you.” With a sad, faraway look in her eyes, Nikki smiled at him. “If I’ve learned one thing in my life, it’s that we can’t always have what we want. I’m sorry, Dale.” She reached up, cupped his cheek in her hand.
“If I could have chosen, Dale, I would have chosen you. You mean so much to me. You got me through some very rough times, and I’ll never forget that. But I can’t be what you want. Or what you think you want.”
“I know how I feel. I know what I want and don’t want.”
“Yes, I guess you do.” Rising on her toes, she pressed her lips to his jaw. Man, she felt like an utter bitch doing this to him. Why hadn’t she known? How could she have not seen this?
Because you never looked. You never thought to look. He’s always just been Dale.
“I’m sorry.”
Dale stroked her cheek, his own eyes sad and wistful. “So am I. Does he have any idea how big a fool he was to let you go?” he murmured, shaking
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