I knocked on her door, then opened it without waiting for her to answer. That was a mistake. The fucking best mistake I’d made in my life.

Emily was standing in front of the mirror in nothing but a pair of pink satin panties and a matching bra. I was jealous of those fucking panties getting to cup her juicy round ass. Her waist was tiny, but damn, she had some sweet hips. I was so lost in soaking up the view, it wasn’t until I heard her panicked voice that I lifted my eyes to meet hers.

She had spun around to face me. Her arms were wrapped protectively around her front, only making her cleavage stand out more. Those big eyes of hers were what finally snapped me out of the trance she’d put me in.

“Kiro, turn around. Please,” she begged me. Her voice was shaky and unsure.

I didn’t want to fucking turn around. Damn, my imagination hadn’t been doing those tits justice.

“Kiro,” she pleaded.

I lifted my gaze to hers. “Not sure I can.”

Her bottom lip trembled slightly. It was beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful. She didn’t say anything as her eyes slowly trailed down my body. My angel was curious.

I took a few steps toward her, and she didn’t move. She inhaled sharply but didn’t shift her body away from me. Slowly, as if I were a lion stalking its prey, I moved closer. If she made one small movement, I would stop. I swore to myself I’d keep her safe, pure, and sweet, just like I found her six months ago.

Problem now was, it wasn’t just my dick that wanted her. It was my heart. She’d managed to claim some of it, and I hadn’t thought that was possible. For anyone.

I stopped in front of her and waited, giving her a moment to make a decision. Her small, fast breaths made her tits bounce in a teasing way that I knew she had no clue she was doing. Which made it even more fucking desirable.

I reached over and ran the tip of my finger across her collarbone so softly I barely touched her skin. Her body trembled under my touch. Fuck. I wanted her. All of her.

“Tell me to stop.” I was the one pleading now. If I kept touching her, I was going to mess this up.

She didn’t respond.

I let the tip of my finger dip into the deep valley between her tits. Her quick inhale was followed by a shiver. God, I fucking loved it when she shivered.

“Tell me to stop, Emily,” I repeated. Her words would be the only thing to keep me from taking more.

“I-I can’t,” she whispered.

“Why?” I knew the answer, and I knew if she told me why, I’d lose my mind. But I wanted to hear her say she wanted me.

“I . . .” She paused, and I ran my finger over the lace of her bra. “I want this.”

Fuck me. She’d said it.

I was done. That was it for me. This changed everything.

My hands clamped her waist as I jerked her hard against my body so that I could claim her mouth. Those lips I’d been dreaming of and that sweet taste of honey that haunted my dreams.

Her arms reached up and wrapped around my neck as she clung to me. Nothing had ever been this important. With one kiss, my life had been altered. It would follow a different path now. One where a woman owned my heart.

Emily

Everywhere Kiro touched me tingled with anticipation. Under all the desire was my common sense screaming at me to stop. Sleeping with Kiro would mess up everything. Our friendship would end, and I would be sent back to South Carolina. Just like Vivian.

That realization was what I needed to stop holding on to Kiro’s hair for dear life and place both my hands on his shoulders and push him back. I wasn’t willing to lose him. I wanted him, but not enough to lose him forever.

“No,” I panted out as my body screamed at me in frustration. I couldn’t meet Kiro’s eyes. Had I let it go too far already? Would he send me home now because things had gotten awkward?

“Fuck,” he growled, and his hands clenched at his sides in fists. I felt cold without him. He’d made my entire body hum with warmth and electricity. Now it was just left aching.

“I’m sorry. I don’t, I shouldn’t have, it will mess up everything. I should have said stop.” I sounded ridiculous, but I was having a hard time catching my breath.

“Don’t.” His voice was raspy and hard. I studied his hands, because I wasn’t ready to look at his face. His hands were safer. He opened them and closed them tightly several times.

Just when I was almost brave enough to meet his gaze, he turned and left. The hard slam of the door vibrated throughout the room. I didn’t move to get dressed. My heart was breaking for the first time in my life. I had ruined everything.

I had made it to the bed before I collapsed and curled up into a ball. What had I done?

Tears wet my face and dampened the pillow under my head. He had been angry at me. I deserved it, but still, the fact hurt. Not as much as the fear of him sending me away and never hearing his voice again, teasing me. Asking me about my day.

When I opened my eyes again, the tears on my face were dry, and the sun was down. I had fallen asleep. Sitting up, I turned to see the clock beside the bed. I’d slept for two hours. Kiro hadn’t come back to check on me.

I hadn’t unpacked yet, and my boxes weren’t in this room. Would I be leaving tomorrow? I took several deep breaths and reminded myself that Kiro had never been mine. This world had never been mine. I would be OK. I would miss him terribly, but I would recover. I just had to stop wallowing in my pain and deal with this.

I grabbed a pair of shorts and a sleeveless blouse from my bag and quickly dressed. My face was a mess, so I just washed it and left it free of makeup. Once I had cleaned up all traces of my crying jag, I pulled my hair into a ponytail and headed for the door. I had to find Kiro and talk to him.

I was lost, but then I remembered he had told me to take a bunch of right turns, so I did. Sure enough, I was back at the stairs we had come up earlier. They were as elaborate as this house was. It was easy for two men to live in one house this size. Two families could live here and not see each other if they chose not to.

Voices trailed down the hall as I hit the bottom step. A high-pitched female voice surprised me. I started toward the voices but stopped when Kiro yelled, “Fuck that! You’re a lying bitch. Leave the kid and go.”

The kid?

I heard the sound of small feet hitting the wood floor just before something slammed into my legs with a thud. With a startled squeal, I reached out and caught myself by grabbing the wall. Then I looked down to see the most amazing silver-colored eyes looking up at me. The little boy’s dark hair was long enough to be a girl’s, but there was no mistaking he was a boy. He frowned as his little face studied me.

“Don’t tell me to leave! I came here to talk to you, and you’re going to talk to me, you stupid son of a bitch!” the woman yelled.

The little boy’s frown deepened as he looked back down the hall toward the yelling. Was this Kiro’s son? Did he have a kid?

A small hand wrapped around my calf and held on tightly. I watched as the boy slipped his thumb into his mouth and moved closer to me. He was scared. They were yelling right in front of him.

What kind of parents did that? Rock-star parents, apparently. Suddenly, all my pain and fear subsided as my fury at this kid’s parents grew. He was just a baby. He couldn’t be more than two years old.

I bent down, and the little boy started to move but changed his mind and held his ground. His attempt to be brave was adorable and heartbreaking all at once.