She grips my hand tightly in hers, a small gesture that speaks volumes. She does understand. “When something you love so much slips away from you, it’s hard to go on. I understand that more than anyone else. I’m still healing from the loss of my sister, but the one thing that has helped me the most is finding a new focus. For me, it was school and learning how to help other people.”

Frannie stares at me for a long moment, gauging my reaction. When I don’t immediately respond, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “I know what it’s like to want to lose yourself.”

I stare at our connected hands while the same thought runs through my mind over and over, pushing me to tell her how I’m feeling. “I wish you weren’t my doctor so I could kiss you right now.”

When my gaze meets hers, she whispers, “I wish that, too.”

There we sit, at an impossible crossroad. Our desire for one another evident, but our circumstances preventing us from ever acting on it. The most beautiful woman in the world who seems to completely get me is off-limits, and I already know simply being around her without touching her is going to be pure fucking hell.

I pull her hand to my lips. “Maybe someday, when I’m out of here, our dreams will become reality.”

Her breath catches the moment I kiss her skin, and I know she feels it, too—the overwhelming desire to be something more. “Tyke—”

“Don’t,” I plead. “Don’t tell me again how we’re never going to happen.”

“No matter if you’re out of here or not, a relationship between us would never work.”

“Why?” I tilt my head. “If something is meant to be, it will happen. Like us. I don’t know why, but I have this gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that we met for a reason.”

She sighs. “We did meet for a reason.”

“I’m not talking about what landed me in here, Frannie. I’m talking the big picture here. I don’t know why, but I feel like we can help each other, like we’re—” I stop myself from saying what’s on the tip of my tongue because it sounds totally lame and semi-creepy.

“Like we’re meant to be?” she questions, a hint of a smile on that sexy mouth of hers.

I shrug, embarrassed. “Sounds fucking ridiculous, right?”

She gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “No, it doesn’t. I can’t tell you how often I’ve thought of you the last few days. Especially at night, when I’m alone.”

A fiery blush assaults her cheeks, and I know exactly just how she was picturing me. My cock jerks in my jeans at the memory of how close we were to saying “fuck it” in her office and just going for it. The thought of how it felt when her mouth melted with mine causes my stomach to flip with anticipation, instantly wanting to feel that once again.

I lick my lips and stare into her eyes as her lips part. She wants me to kiss her. She’s practically begging me for it as she leans into me. All I would have to do is inch forward and it would be all over. We’d be crossing a line, but I think it’ll be worth it.

I reach up and stroke her cheek. “You don’t know how bad I want you right now.”

She leans into my touch, batting her eyes. “Not as much as I you.”

That’s when I lose it and cross the line. I know I shouldn’t, but after hearing that she wants me too, it’s impossible to resist the taste of her mouth. I lean in and crush my mouth to hers, enjoying the taste of her sensual lips. Carefully, I set my guitar down, and then cradle her face in my hands.

“This is wrong,” she murmurs between kisses as I pull her onto my lap.

“I know,” I agree but flick my tongue into her mouth.

She hikes her dress up and straddles me, and God, I know this is wrong but I don’t have the fucking willpower to stop it. I want her too damn much.

I begin to work on the buttons on the front of her dress and she wraps her hand around my wrist. “Not out here. Not in the open.”

She pushes herself off me and begins to walk backward into the thick forest surrounding us. I watch as her eyes beacon me to follow. It’s then I know.

I would follow her anywhere.

“Desire” – Meg Meyers

When Tyke’s hand meets mine, I can tell by the look in his eyes that he’s just as hungry for this as I am. I know I’m breaking every single rule I set for myself, but there’s something about him that I just can’t resist. The thing is, even though I don’t know him extremely well, this doesn’t feel like it’s just about sex. We actually have a connection. Most men I’ve had random moments of passion with I didn’t even know their names, let alone have them open up to me the way Tyke has.

I know he still has an addiction issue, but hell, I can’t fault him for that. Look at me right now, falling back into my old ways, seeking comfort in physical intimacy, even though I’m risking everything for it.

I pull him further into the trees until the sun is no longer shining down on us, just merely squeaking through the autumn leaves.

“How much farther do we need to go?” he questions.

“Far enough that we won’t be caught,” I answer. “No one can ever know about this.”

Hopefully, one time with Tyke will be enough to curb this damn craving. If I can just fuck him and get it out of my system, maybe I can focus more on my actual job, rather than allowing him to take up all the space in my brain.