Cin Wikkid: April Fools For Love Read Online Free PDF

still wasn’t looking at her. Just as she’d finally worked up the nerve to meet, was ready to risk admitting her feelings, she’d pissed him off. She stowed her phone and his card in the front pocket of her pants, sighed, and turned to put on her own coat. “I’m sorry,” she said again.
    “Me, too,’ he said, and her heart sank. Until he added, “But can I walk you to work?”
    She spun around and gawked at him. He was zipping his jacket, grinning openly at her, warming her chill into pleasure.
    “Oh. Yes. I’d like that.”
    As she shouldered her backpack, he held the door open for her. Another flush of pleasure made her hot.
    The winter wind outside bit through her warmth and her coat until Rafe came alongside her. His big body blocked the worst of the chill. Then his arm came around her shoulders, and cold fled entirely. His arm is around me. Is this a friendly gesture…or something more? If she shivered now, it was with happiness.
    They chatted the whole six blocks to the sub shop, but she couldn’t remember a word they’d said.
    Just outside the store, she turned to him. “Thanks for your company. I—”
    “Shh.” Gripping her shoulders, he bent.
    She blinked in surprise at his face, coming closer. Is he…? Could he possibly…? Her instinct shouted to turn her face up, to put her lips at ground zero.
    But years of the Steps made her doubt. What if she was misinterpreting? What if he intended a friendly peck on the cheek? Fear kept her frozen an instant too long.
    Rafe hesitated. Then he straightened and scrubbed a hand through his dark hair, a pained expression on his face. “Sorry. I thought maybe…but I was wrong.”
    She was still confused, breathless at the almost-kiss. “Wrong about what?”
    “Nothing. It’s okay.” He jerked a shrug. “I get it. Most women are turned off by the scars.”
    His tone was abrupt, businesslike, as if it didn’t matter, but she could see it did—it mattered a lot.
    Then he floored her with, “It’s okay that you don’t want me to kiss you.”
    “Wh-what? No, that’s not what I…look, I was just surprised that you were…I mean, we don’t know each other that well, except of course we do, but… I was just surprised. I don’t mind kissing you. I-I’d like it.” She searched his face, knowing her own hope sat stark on hers.
    “Oh? Oh.” His pained expression transformed into a smile, not his usual toothy grin, but soft and satisfied. “Right.”
    Wrapping her in both arms, he kissed her.
    His mouth was warm, beguiling. Her temperature quickly rose.
    She’d been kissed before, but pecks stolen in high school hallways and under random mistletoe didn’t count, not compared to this sweet teasing, this delightful taste of male breath and skin.
    All too soon it was over, but he kept his arms around her a moment longer. “When are you off?”
    Her head whirled. “Off what?”
    His chuckle rumbled against her. “Off work.”
    “Why?”
    “So we can go over the basics of presentation.”
    “Oh. Oh. ” She mentally slapped herself a couple times, bringing her brain back online. “Tonight? Eleven, but I still have to do the grocery shopping. I can meet you my next day off. That’s a week from today.”
    “Perfect. Come to that address I gave you, the one on the card.”
    Releasing her, he turned and sauntered away, whistling.
    Cin wrestled the card out of her pocket and stared at it. N183 Downer Street, #301. “Rafe?” she called after him. “What is this place?”
    He threw her his trademark grin over his shoulder. “My apartment.”
    Her stomach dropped onto the sidewalk.

Chapter Three
    March first. A new month. A new phase in her life. Cin told herself that was all she was excited about.
    Deliciously aware of, but ignoring, the real reason.
    She stood outside N183 Downer Street and gazed up at the three-story brick building, stars twinkling around it like sparks of delight. Smiling, she checked the bent, worn card in her hand once more.