“I think it’ll take some time, Evie,” she warned.

Nodding, I agreed. “Yeah, I know, but if there’s one thing Jeremy’s death has taught me, it’s that we don’t have all the time in the world.”

“And how does forgiveness factor into all that? ‘Cause unless we can all forgive each other, I don’t see anything changing.”

“Forgiveness isn’t for the other person, Julie, it’s for us. It lets us move forward, out of our hate and anger at the other person. And I don’t think it necessarily means you forget. You just choose to move past that bad stuff so you can have more good stuff in your life.”

She raised a brow at me. “Sounds like you’re speaking from experience, little sister?”

“I guess I am. I wouldn’t say I hated Kick after he walked away, but I was so mad at him for giving up on us and it took me a long time to work through those feelings. I realised he didn’t know how bad I was feeling, so the only person it was affecting and hurting was me. That’s when I decided to forgive him, just so I could let those feelings go.”

“And now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, now that you’ve forgiven him, would you take him back if he asked?”

“Like I said, just because I’ve forgiven doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten. I didn’t go through all that to not learn a lesson there. Unless Kick has changed dramatically in some things, I won’t take him back.”

“The way you’re speaking makes me think he’s trying to get you back. Is he?”

I took a deep breath. “Yeah, he is.”

“I said it to you the other day, I truly think you two were made for each other, Evie. At least give him one more go.”

“I don’t know if my heart can take another round,” I whispered, my heart already hurting at the thought of not giving him another go, but at the same time guarding itself from more hurt.

She drank some of her coffee, and nodded. “I get it. Love’s a scary thing when you’ve been stung before. But you’ve given me another go.”

I smiled. “You’re different. You’re family.”

She leant closer to me. “So is Kick, Evie. Haven’t you worked that out by now?”

Shit, she had a point.

When I left her home an hour later, my thoughts were completely consumed by Kick. How long would it take for him to wear me down? I’d do my best to stick to my guns but I knew if he kept pushing, I’d eventually cave. He’d left soul prints on me. I could never say no to Kick . . . I could never deny the pull his heart had to mine.

***

The next day I dropped by my mum’s house after work to check on her again. I was surprised to see Kick’s brother’s work ute out the front. Braden was a builder and I doubted my mother needed a one.

“Mum,” I yelled out as I entered her house, “why is Braden here?”

“Evie, we’re in the living room. Come and join us,” she yelled back, so I headed in that direction.

A minute later, I came face to face with Kick.

Not Braden.

Kick.

Shit.

“Where’s Braden?” I blurted out.

“What?” Mum asked, clearly confused.

I jerked my thumb in the direction of the driveway. “Braden’s ute is out front. I was wondering where he is.”

Kick had been sitting on the couch opposite Mum, but he stood and came towards me. I tried so hard not to let my gaze drop to his body, but it was impossible, and a second later I found myself checking out his fitted tee and the muscles straining under it.

Shit.

Eyes up, Evie. Stop looking.

It was useless.

My eyes kept wandering down his body, soaking in the sexiness that was Kick Hanson.

He chuckled and dipped his head so our faces were centimetres apart. “It’s all yours, baby, you just say the word,” he said, his deep voice causing an explosion of need in me.

Shit.

I placed my hand on his chest and tried to push him away, but, just like the last time, his body didn’t budge. He did move his face away, though, but grinned at me as he did it.

He knows I am close.

So damn close.

I ignored what he’d said. “What are you here for today, Kick?”

He shrugged. “Do I need a reason? I remember when I used to practically live at this house.”

“That was a long time ago.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I miss those days.”

Regret flared deep within me. “I do, too, Kick, but we can’t go back. That’s not how life works.”

His eyes revealed his own regret, and we stood silently watching each other for a couple of moments. Finally, he said, “Yeah.” Taking a step away from me, he turned back to face Mum and said, “Thanks for the drink, Loretta. I’ll see you soon.”

“Thanks for dropping in,” Mum replied, “come back whenever you want.”

He nodded and then faced me again. Stepping closer, he reached out to cup my cheek and ran his thumb over my lip. “We can’t go back, Evie, but we can sure as fuck go forward.”

Kick had always been able to turn me on with just a look or his voice or the lightest of touches, and now was no different. His touch, his voice, and his words melded together and caused desire to spread to every nerve ending in my body.

The other thing he’d always been able to do was read me well. Awareness flickered in his eyes and the corners of his mouth twitched in the slightest of smiles. He traced my lips one more time and then he let me go and said, “I’ll see you soon, too, baby.”