“Yes, you do!” she yelled out, still trying to give herself a southern drawl. “I’ve known you almost a year—it’s about time you tell me.”
My laughter slowly died down as I took in Kinlee’s expectant expression, her eyes the most sober I’d seen them since our first margarita that night. I wanted to tell her, I wanted to tell her everything. Who I was, about Brody and me . . . all of it. But I couldn’t yet. Sitting back up, I grabbed on to her arm and looked her in the eye. “Lee, what if I told you I’m not ready for people to know about my life before I moved here?”
She pouted, but not because she wasn’t getting her way. “Was it really that bad, KC?”
“It might not have been as bad as you’re thinking it was. But it was something I hated, something I wanted so badly to get far away from. And now that I am away from it, I’m so happy. Happy to not have to be that girl or think about her anymore, if that makes sense. And I guess I’m not ready yet for anyone to even get a glimpse of who I was. I’m sorry if that hurts you, I want to tell you, Kinlee. I really do. I swear, when I’m ready to think about that girl again, you’ll be the first to know.”
A slow smile crossed her face, and she nodded hard once. “Now that is something I can deal with. As long as I know that someday I’ll know, then I’ll stop bugging you to tell me. But I’m never gonna stop bugging you about the way you talk.”
All expression left my face. “I really don’t talk weird.”
“Oh, yes, yes you do!” She stood, then had to steady herself for a few seconds. “Come on! One more margarita, and then I want to dance until Jace picks me up!” The bell rang, and she glared at the door. “No! Go home!”
“It’s open!” I yelled and waved at Jace when he walked into the living room.
“Hide me!” Kinlee whispered as she pushed me back and lay down on top of me.
“That is the exact opposite of hiding,” I said back to her and patted her back.
“Come on, drunkie. Time to go.” Jace lifted her off me and cradled her in his arms. “Looks like the two of you had fun tonight,” he said to me.
“Always.”
Kinlee smiled widely at me and waved as Jace carried her away. “Don’t forget, KC, you can always join in on the fun with Jace and me!”
Jace raised an eyebrow, and a horrified expression crossed my face. “Kinlee, go home and go to bed!”
“Do I want to know?” Jace asked.
“No. No, you don’t,” I assured him as I opened the front door.
With a nod, he turned and walked out the door with Kinlee still grinning in his arms.
Shutting the door, I went to the kitchen and began cleaning everything up from our girls’ night in, and just as I was finishing my phone chimed. I ran to get it, hope building in my chest as I pulled up the text.
B:
I can’t call tonight. I’m sorry. I miss you.
The hope that had been building quickly faded, and in its place was a feeling I felt myself drowning in, as I had so many nights before. One day, Kamryn, I chanted to myself. One day.
10
Kamryn
June 15, 2015
A LOW MOAN sounded in the back of my throat, and my head tilted back so it was resting against Brody’s shoulder as his lips and teeth tortured the sensitive spots on my neck. Pushing my bottom against him, my body heated as I felt his erection pressing against me.
“You need to go,” I said halfheartedly. It’d been a week and a half since we’d seen each other at the hotel. Now that I finally had him near me, I didn’t want him going anywhere. “What if Kinlee comes in and catches you?”
“She won’t.” He spoke against my neck. Goose bumps covered my arms as his lips softly brushed against my skin.
“You can’t know that. What if she sees your car?”
“Black Expeditions are everywhere. She isn’t going to see one and automatically think it’s mine.”
I started to speak again, but was quickly spun around, and then Brody’s mouth was on mine, effectively silencing me.