Twelve Days of Temptation (A Hot Holiday Novella) (Temptation #1) by Ruth Cardello

wasn’t leaving until he spoke to her.
    He stood when he saw her walking down the street. She approached him cautiously, both hands tucked in the pockets of her short jacket. “I couldn’t stay away, Kate. There is something I have to tell you.” She looked at him with the sweetest, largest blue eyes he’d ever seen, and he’d never felt more like an ass than he did in that moment. “I’m sorry about yesterday.”
    She shrugged one shoulder. “Don’t be. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
    He stepped closer to her. “I did everything wrong. You were upset, and I was a selfish prick.”
    She shrugged again. “I’ve met worse. In fact, I just divorced one.” She smiled sadly. “That joke sounded funnier in my head.” She met his eyes and said, “I was just as much at fault for yesterday as you were. Coming home has been strange for me. I’m sorry if I’m sending you mixed signals.”
    “I like you, Kate.”
    “I like you, too, but . . .”
    “Does it have to be more complicated than that?”
    She brought a hand up to her lips as if remembering his kiss. “I meant what I said yesterday, Brock. I’m so confused. I feel like I let my life get out of control, and I need to find my footing again. That’s not a good time to start seeing someone. Trust me, I’m much more fucked up than I look.”
    Brock sat down on her steps. “You think you’re the only one? I’m a fucking mess on the inside. I just hide it beneath this handsome face and amazing smile.”
    Kate reluctantly returned his smile and sat down beside him. “You do have a nice smile.”
    “You should see my other parts. It’s too cold to show you my favorite one right now. You wouldn’t get the best impression of it.” He glanced at her and wiggled his eyebrows.
    She laughed. “Keep it in your pants, buddy.”
    He rounded his eyes as if her comment shocked him. “I was referring to my six-pack abs that are ghostly white in the winter. What did you think I meant?”
    Kate shook her head and laughed again. “I guess I have a dirty mind.”
    Pretending to be serious, Brock said, “I have never considered that a fault in a woman.”
    “Thank you for coming over yesterday when you knew I was upset.”
    “I’ll always come when you need me, Kate. I care about you.” As he said the words, he realized how much he meant them.
    Kate picked a leaf off the bush beside her and folded it carefully again and again. “I don’t know what there’s been to like lately.”
    For the first time since he’d read her letter, his desire to hold her had nothing to do with wanting to have sex with her. He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. “Do you remember the first summer we met? Before you, I couldn’t understand why anyone would hang out with a girl. But we had fun, didn’t we? It didn’t matter how different we were. Being with you made me happy. I missed you after that summer.”
    Kate laid her head on Brock’s shoulder. “My mother hated seeing me in jeans. Especially the dirty jeans she always found in the hamper after I’d been outside playing with you. That summer was fun. I missed you, too.”
    “There has to be a reason we keep coming in and out of each other’s lives.”
    Kate tensed beneath his arm. “Brock, I wish I were in a better place right now.”
    “You will be, Kate. This is a rough time for you, but you’ll come out of it. I want you to know you don’t have to be alone as you work things out. I’m right here. If you need a friend, I can be a friend for now. If you want more, just sit on my lap again.”
    She looked up at him quickly, and he winked down at her. “It’s that simple?”
    He shrugged. “Guys are not that complicated.” Brock stood up and held out a hand to her. “Hey, let’s go to dinner. No expectations. Just you, me, and an extra-large pizza. We’ll drown your sorrows in carbs.”
    She placed her hand in his and stood before him, searching his face. “You’re really okay