Fair enough. Jason had no idea if her theory was correct or not. But he wasn’t going to argue. Kendra was the kind of person who wanted lots of logical reasons for anything she did. Him, not so much. He didn’t analyze things the way she did. Of course, that probably meant they weren’t a good match, but for the purposes of a rebound, did it matter?
“What else did you find out about rebounds?”
“What else?”
“Benefits, pitfalls, that sort of thing. I know you. I bet you dug deep into that research.”
“Of course I did.” She cocked her head with that “take on the world” attitude that he would always associate with her. “Are you sure you want to hear it?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Well, if you’re not considering it, why waste your—”
“I want to hear it,” he said firmly. How could she possibly think he wasn’t considering it? Had she missed the “slam dunk” reference?
“Okay. It’s complicated, like everything emotional. A rebound can be very healing, as long as you’re aware that you’re in a rebound, and that you’re still trying to work through things from the previous relationship.”
“So calling it a rebound right off the bat is a good thing.”
“It might be.” Her lips curved in a smile. It reminded him that she still owed him two kisses. Couldn’t they kick off this rebound with those? Like, soon? But she was Kendra, and Kendra approached things a certain way. With a lot of analysis and preparation. He could be patient. “The downside is that a rebound can prevent you from learning everything that the breakup could teach you. Breakups can be important growth experiences.”
“Fuuuck that.” His heartfelt exclamation had her laughing.
“I hear you. When I first read that, I had the same reaction. But seriously, they can be. Sitting with negative emotions, learning to be alone again, being independent. I mean, if I’m going to get dumped, I want to ninja that shit into being a better, stronger woman.”
He burst out laughing. Who else besides Kendra would insist on maximizing the growth potential of her breakup? And by the way, who on earth would break up with someone like her? Whoever this Dominic was, he hoped never to meet him, because he’d have a hard time keeping his insults to himself.
“I don’t mind being alone. It’s just that it doesn’t happen very often.”
“Because there’s always another woman ready to step in?”
He nodded, then added a wry shrug. “Maybe there’s a man shortage in Minnesota.”
“Oh stop. You know you’re a catch. Name me one cute fireman who has trouble finding a girl.”
Did he mind being reduced to a “cute fireman”? Nah.
“But seriously, Jason, did you ever think that maybe you’re in a constant loop of rebounds and it’s preventing you from really going deep?”
“Damn, Kendra.” He tugged her arm, destabilizing her so she tumbled on top of him. “Can’t we put the therapy session on pause and get to the good stuff?”
She smiled down at him with those brilliant eyes that seemed to gather all the starlight and shine it back just for him. “We can. But should we?”
He cupped her face in his hands. Her skin felt like lush velvet. “You might be overthinking this. We’re both available. I’m crazy attracted to you. You just called me a cute fireman. We’re both grownups who can decide if we want to take a chance or not.”
Tentatively, ever so lightly, as an experiment, he brushed his lips against hers. He just wanted to know what that contact would feel like. Her lips were so beautifully shaped, so generous with their laughter and their moods. He’d seen them tighten when she was upset, lift with scorn when something irked her, quiver when she was trying not to laugh. Now he wanted to see what they felt like.
So soft, and so so sweet. Her lips parted against his and he felt her warm breath. Kendra was such a self-possessed person that maybe he’d expected something different, nothing but strength and confidence in her kiss. But she was just as tentative as he was, as if they were both taking a tiny baby step across quicksand. Just feeling it out. Is it safe? Is it worth it?
Safe was debatable. “Worth it” wasn’t.
He touched his tongue to her pillowy upper lip. Her taste made him think of the top-shelf brandy he’d sneaked from his parents’ liquor cabinet as a kid. Not because of the rich flavor, but because of how adult it felt, how new and intoxicating. Maybe it was just a kiss, but he was sharing it with Kendra, and that put it in a category all its own.
She pressed against him, parting her lips so his tongue slipped inside. The heat and sleek wetness of her mouth made him dizzy.
Adrenaline coursed through him, all the way to his fingers. He was still cupping her cheeks and he wondered if she could feel the energy zapping from his fingertips. He felt alive and energized and ready to tumble her onto her back and strip the clothes off her beautiful body.
Get a hold of yourself, he scolded. But it was hard. He hadn’t felt this kind of wild desire for a long time. Ever?
A moment later, they were kissing each other with a kind of franticness that made him forget they were in a public place. He plunged his hands into her hair, loving the way her soft natural curls felt against his palms. Kendra could be very creative in how she wore her hair, and he always admired that, but for now, for tonight, he was glad it was loose so he could immerse himself in the sensual texture.
She was still lying partly on top of him, partly on the dock. He gathered her against him to cushion her from the wooden planks. She murmured something against his mouth, and eagerly fitted her body against his. What had she said? Did it matter? As long as neither of them was stopping, she could recite the Declaration of Independence for all he cared.
But the next time she murmured, he reluctantly dragged his mouth away from hers. “What?” he managed.
“You really know how to kiss.”
“You interrupted our flow for some commentary?” As the lust cleared from his vision, he laughed. He stroked his hands down her back, reveling in each delicious curve.
“Yeah, I’m annoying like that.” Her rueful tone made him think she’d gotten that complaint before.
“It’s not annoying. One thing about Kendra Carter, she’s always going to have something to say. And it’s always going to be worth hearing.”
Her eyes gleamed down at him, more dazzling than the panorama of stars behind her. “No wonder you get all the girls. You know just what to say.”
He didn’t respond to that, because it didn’t really sound like a compliment. Maybe it was one of the dreaded compli-sults. And besides, it wasn’t accurate. He was saying what he thought, what he knew to be true. Why did she have to turn it around on him like that?
“Sorry,” she murmured. “I don’t mean to make you sound like a man-slut. I know it’s not like that.”
“Good, because it’s really not like that. Even if I date a lot, it doesn’t always end up in bed or in a relationship.”
“It doesn’t?”
“No. I mean, you have to find out if the chemistry is there. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. Then you have to find out if it’s going to be fun hanging out with someone or not. Usually, one of those things doesn’t pan out and we agree to not take it any further.”