Now she was touching him, and if she just leaned a little closer...

He made the decision easy for her. Wrapping his other arm around her waist, he pulled her closer on the bench, until one of her legs was draped over his. Cupping her chin with his free hand, he brought her mouth closer to his. “I’ve wanted to kiss you all day,” he murmured, his lips barely grazing hers.

She was on fire. Heat rushed through her core and anticipation was making it hard to steady her thundering pulse. “Well, what are you waiting for?” She was desperate for his mouth to meet hers. Dying to give in to the desire that had only made the morning that much more exciting and uncertain. The fact that she was craving this excitement and uncertainty, was starting to get addicted to the high, surprised her.

Where had her sensible, calculating, careful side gone?

And where the hell was her kiss?

Reed released her hand and cupped her face with his hands as he closed the tiny gap between their lips.

Finally.

She sucked in a breath. She didn’t plan on coming up for air anytime soon. She closed her eyes and sank closer.

Still no kiss.

She opened one eye. He was so close, staring at her.

“You are definitely not what I thought you were,” he said, pulling away slightly.

Both eyes open. More talking, really? “You really thought I was horrible?” She knew she came across all wrong in most situations. Her cold exterior was a shield she’d worn for so long and she wondered how many fantastic kisses she’d missed out on because of that. That, and the fact that she didn’t stop moving long enough for any guy to keep up. She gave no one the chance to get to know the real her.

What if they didn’t like what they found?

“Not horrible...just not this freaking amazing. You’re surprising the hell out of me and that doesn’t happen often,” Reed said. “I’m usually a good judge of character, but I’ve gotten you all wrong all these years.”

She swallowed hard, the world around them disappearing as she lost herself in his gaze, his arms, the gentle way his fingers stroked her cheek. Amazing. No man had even come close to complimenting her that way. She’d have settled for not horrible.

He was Cassie’s brother and that should be reason enough not to let things go any farther. Hell, she could list a dozen reasons—most of them having to do with her lack of experience with relationships, even casual, physical ones, but she suspected it was already too late to cool things between them. She didn’t want to.

He moved closer, but this time she pulled back. Suddenly, she had to know. “Why did you follow me that day?”

He didn’t ask for clarification. “Because I understood how you were feeling...and I didn’t want you to be alone.”

Of course his situation had been different—with his dad just disappearing one day without explanation—but of course he had understood how she was feeling. And at the time, she’d instinctively known it. “I’m glad you were there.”