Free What Might Have Been: Daniels Brother #4 (Daniels Brothers) by Sherri Hayes Page A

ready for her date.
    Two hours later, there was a knock on her door. Abby crossed her small living room and went to answer it. She placed her hand on the knob and steadied herself. You can do this.
    Seeing him standing there in dark jeans and a short-sleeve button-down shirt, Abby almost forgot to breathe. He’d left the top two buttons open and she could see the movement of his throat as he swallowed. Was he nervous, too?
    “Wow. You look amazing, Abby.”
    She’d tried to keep it simple with a yellow sundress. It wasn’t anything special, but it was far removed from what she wore to work. Living and working in New York, she had to present herself as professional and confident at all times. Looking feminine wasn’t always an advantage. Tonight she looked like a woman. She wasn’t hiding behind layers of fabric. It was just her—take it or leave it.
    The look in Trent’s eyes said he liked what he saw, which gave her some confidence.
    “Thank you. You don’t look half bad yourself.”
    Trent took a step forward, his eyes dark and full of heat.
    She felt a little lightheaded as he stared down at her. In that moment, everything else faded away. He parted his lips and her gaze was drawn to them.
    Trent leaned down and covered her mouth with his.
    His lips were so soft. They moved gently over hers, and before Abby could contemplate the consequences, she reached for him. It felt like a lifetime ago since she’d felt desire like this racing through her veins.
    Abby tangled her fingers in his hair, needing to get closer. He responded by wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against his chest. She could feel his heat radiating through his clothing and hers.
    Trent rested his forehead against hers, his breathing labored. He hadn’t let her go and to be honest, she didn’t want him to. Being in his arms felt right.
    She looked into his eyes. They were even darker than before and full of emotion. It made her throat tighten and her chest clench. She knew that look. Even still, she couldn’t bring herself to back away.
    “I’ve wanted to do that since you came home after spending the summer away at camp,” Trent whispered.
    She remembered that day. “Why didn’t you?”
    He ran his hands up and down her back before resting them on her hips. It put some space between them and she wasn’t sure she liked that. He placed a single kiss on her lips, and then guided her over to his truck.
    Opening the passenger side door, he waited until she was situated inside before he answered her question. “I was young and scared.” He cupped the side of her face with his hand and she couldn’t help but lean into it. “I’m not a kid anymore . . . and I know what I want.”
    Abby was still trying to come to terms with what he’d said as he pulled out onto the highway. There’d been no need for him to finish his thought. The implication was clear. He was going to go after what he wanted, and what he wanted was her.
    ***
    Trent probably shouldn’t have kissed her. He knew that. It had been pure instinct. He saw her standing there all pretty and perfect, and he couldn’t resist.
    On his way to her apartment, he kept reminding himself that he needed to take things slow. Abby had been reluctant to agree to the date in the first place. He didn’t want to scare her off.
    Plus, he had no idea what had transpired between her and Chris. He got the feeling there was a lot more to the story than he and the rest of the family knew. It wouldn’t be wise to rush into anything.
    His brain, however, hadn’t relayed that message to the rest of his body. The urge to pull the truck to the side of the road and kiss her again was strong, but he resisted. He had to spend the entire drive to the boat calming himself down. Otherwise, he’d be giving the rest of the boat’s passengers an eyeful.
    By the time they arrived at the marina, Trent was more in control. That was good given her reaction once she realized where they