Page 58 of Cautious Love

“Are you sure this isn’t a trap?” I ask him.

“We figure if it is, I’m a police officer, they have to assume people will wonder where I am. And on the chance that he is interested in hiring me, then everyone wins. I’ll have to keep up appearances at the station, but I can still feed him information.”

“Document it tomorrow and tell no one else.”

“Got it,” Will says.

“And will?”

“Yeah?”

“Please be careful,” I mumble.

“You worry too much. I’ve got this.”

I sigh. “Alright, thanks for the update.”

“No problem. Goodnight.”

“Night,” I grumble and set my phone on the stone.

I stare longingly down the hall, knowing the moment was broken because of me, and she’s probably regretting all of it.

Regret is not in my nature, and I don’t regret kissing her, but maybe I should be because we crossed a line and I don’t think I can go back.

The music starts up again, and I think it’s louder this time. I sigh, listening to the pop tune. Glancing at the clock on the wall, it’s eight and I should tell her to turn it the hell down. But I don’t. Instead, I wonder what’s going through her mind as it shifts from pop music to country, and what I can only call 90s rock, then to an artist I know well, Ella Langley. The only reason I know anything about music is because Gracie and June wouldn’t stop playing it morning to night.

So I end up going to bed thinking about her lips, her warm body against mine, and Ella Langley’s voice to frame it all in, and I don’t say a word.

Chapter 15

Shiloh

WhatwasIthinking?What am I doing? I shouldn’t be kissing my husband who is basically my landlord and … no, justno.

But oh my word, hismouth.Thatmustache,thosemuscles.

I could get lost in that man.

But I shouldn’t. He’s so buttoned up, and I’m sonot.Honestly, he’s equally as irritating to me as I am to him. Yet, he kissed me like the world was ending and all we could do is die in each other’s arms.

No, Shiloh. No. You can’t like him. You just got out of a relationship. You don’t need to dive right into another one.

But I’m already married to him.

Not that he wants arealrelationship. I’m assuming.

Maybe he’s a short-term kind of guy. My brain shakes in my head at the thought. No, he’s not that man, and I’m willing to bet he never has been.

But maybe … no, I can’t suggestthat. If I offer, then he’s going to think I … no. There’s no way he would be open to scratching the itch. Maybe the bigger question is, do I want to do that?

I’m a woman on a mission. My goal is to save enough money, get an apartment, and do things on my own. I’ve only ever been with my dad or Grey. It’s time to fly solo for a bit. Right? That’s how this is supposed to work.

I sigh, replaying the kiss again because I can’t get the way he groaned into my mouth, held my face, kissed me out of my mind. It’s imprinted there, it’s never going to fade away, and as much as I don’t want to admit it. I don’t want it to.

What do I do?

My alarm went off, but I haven’t rolled out of bed because I can’t get my husband out of my head, and I’m far too comfortable replaying that kiss over and over again. I went to sleep thinking about him and woke up thinking about him.