Finding You (Finding You Series Book 1) by Amanda Mackey Page A

on his head in response.
    What started out as a light, tender kiss, soon rocketed into hunger. A yearning rose in me like never before and it scared me. The sensation of needing this man to possess me fully was throwing caution and reason out the window. I was letting my guard down and my guard was what would keep me safe. If I had learned one thing in my destructive marriage it was to always be on guard. Expect the worst.
    That put a damper on my newly discovered libido, much to my disgust. Kyle must have sensed it. He pulled away and held my gaze.
    “Are you okay?”
    I whimpered at my hesitance. I wanted to be okay. I really, really did. “I’m sorry. This is going to sound so cliché but it’s not you, it’s me.”
    I couldn’t look at him anymore and found a spot on the wooden floor to focus on.
    “Hey.” Kyle softly held my chin and pulled my face up so I would look at him. “Dakota. It’s okay. Hey, look at me. Please? I won’t hurt you, I promise. We don’t have to do this.”
    My line of vision rose to meet his concerned eyes. He seemed genuine enough and wasn’t putting any pressure on me.
    I let my shoulders sag and let out a deliberate breath. “Thank you. I like you, I really do. It’s just…well, some things have happened in my past to hurt me…”
    I wasn’t able to continue because Kyle interrupted me. “It’s perfectly fine. I totally get it. I’m sorry if I came on so strong, it’s just that you’re so pretty and well, you’re kinda standing there in your robe and I’m in mine…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen, I’m sorry. Let’s start this evening again. I’ll behave.” His blinding grin set my heart alight and my libido started punching my brain in utter abhorrence.
    I smiled at him, relieved that he wasn’t annoyed with me. I walked over to the tea and coffee facilities, suffering caffeine withdrawal and needing something to distract me. “Would you like a coffee or tea?”
    Kyle moved to the small sofa at the side of the dining table and sat down. “Mmm, I’ll have coffee, thanks. White with two.”
    So far Kyle had been extremely respectful and hadn’t asked me to elaborate on my past, which I was grateful for. I decided to keep the conversation directed elsewhere. “How is the movie coming along?”
    “Really good. We’ll probably have it all wrapped up in another few weeks. It’s been a lot of fun.”
    Once the kettle was boiled I filled our mugs and joined Kyle on the sofa, careful to keep some distance.
    I tucked one leg up under the other and turned more so I was facing him. “Can I ask you something strange?”
    “Sure.” He sent me one of his panty-dropping smiles.
    Sucking in a breath, I blurted out what I had wanted to know more than anything, “Why me? I mean, what is it about me that you like? I’m just a nobody.” My eyebrows seemed to pinch together as I pushed a lazy strand of hair behind my ears.
    His hand found my shoulder as he squeezed tightly before raking his knuckles down my face. “Don’t ever say that. You are somebody. You’re somebody so great, yet you don’t see it. I like you because you’re normal. You don’t seem to have any pretenses about you. What you see is what you get. Not to mention that I think you’re hot!”
    I giggled and squirmed on the couch, my cheeks aflame. “What if what you see isn’t necessarily what you get?” I wasn’t going to go into detail but guilt shredded me. There was so much more to me than he could ever know.
    Running his fingers through my hair, he moved in closer. “We’ve all got skeletons in the closet. That doesn’t define who we are. You’re real. You’re funny and sweet. Trust me when I say that you are such a refreshing change to the women I’m used to.”
    Yes, and you’re such a refreshing change to the man I’m used to.
    I decided to leave it at that. Putting my mug down on the side table, I felt a sudden urge to be closer to him. I grabbed his shoulders and