“Later,” he said. “We’ll talk later.” He opened the door and walked out, leaving her stunned by the force of her attraction to him as well as the endless need for more.

Hope followed him to the hallway, where Adam McCarthy studied his phone, a sly smile on his face. “Sorry,” she muttered.

“No worries.”

Thankfully, the party was beginning to break up, and Alex asked Paul if he’d give them a ride home. Since she’d had two glasses of wine, she took Paul up on his offer to leave her car there until tomorrow. He held the door to his truck for her and waited until she was settled before he closed it.

Alex and Jenny climbed into the back, whispering and giggling like the happy newlyweds they were. The sounds of sloppy kissing and more giggling seemed extra loud to her, or maybe it was the silence hanging between her and Paul that made it seem so loud.

“Guess what Erin told me tonight,” Jenny said.

“What’s that?” Alex asked.

“Slim, who came to her rescue when she sprained her ankle, has been coming by to visit and asked her out.”

“That’s cool,” Alex said.

“He’s a good guy,” Paul added.

“I’m glad you think so,” Jenny said. “She deserves only the best.”

“Drop us at our place,” Alex said when they drove into the driveway at home. “If you don’t mind staying with Mom.”

“I don’t mind.” Paul pulled up to the dark hulk of Alex and Jenny’s new house, and they fell out of the car, laughing as Alex scooped her up into his arms, whirled her around and carried her inside, calling over his shoulder, “Great time, bro. Thanks!”

Paul waited until they were safely inside before he backed out of their driveway and headed for home. When he killed the lights and shut off the engine, the darkness engulfed them. “Be with me tonight. No commitments, no promises. Just us taking what we both want.”

She should say no. More wouldn’t make the leaving any easier.

His hand found hers in the darkness. “Please.”

The desperation she heard in that single word had her saying, “Yes.”

“It’s dark. Wait for me.”

Her heart pounded and her chest tightened with the effort it took to draw air into her lungs. She shouldn’t do this. She absolutely should not, but when he opened the door, took her hand and helped her out of the truck and then pressed her against it to kiss her senseless, she wasn’t thinking about why she shouldn’t. No, she was thinking about all the reasons she absolutely should.