Until I Make You Mine

“Kace?” my father asked.

“No, a friend. Ian.” Although truth be told I didn’t really see Ian as a friend, not in the sense I saw Mona and Alec. Not in the way I saw Kace.

“Ian?” My mother knitted her brows. “Like a date?”

I instantly shook my head. “No. Just friends. Only friends.”

My mother and father smiled. “Okay, well, tomorrow night then,” my father said and gave me a pat on the back.

I could see how proud of me they both were. Hell, I was proud of myself. As much as I wanted to cancel tonight and be with my family, most of all I wanted to be with Kace.

I wanted to go to him right now and tell him the good news. I wanted to go to him and tell him that I loved him, that as much as I wanted to go to NYU, leaving him behind broke my heart.

My chest ached at those thoughts.

I told myself that after dinner I was heading straight to his house. I was going to be honest with him. I was going to tell him that I got accepted, but also admit my feelings for him.

I loved him.

I’d waited long enough. Time wasn’t on my side, not when I’d already wasted so much of it.

Chapter Three

Kace

I was a fucking stalker, staring at the café, waiting for Shiloh and that douchebag to show up. Maybe I was being harsh on him. I didn’t even know him, but the fact that he was taking my girl out made me bitter.

I’d been sitting here in the parking lot for the last twenty minutes, and with each minute that passed, I grew even more jealous. But I wasn’t going to leave. Because I needed to see with my own eyes if she was happy.

Fuck, I didn’t want to see her happy with anyone but me.

I sure as hell didn’t want her to be with another guy, and I felt like an asshole because of that.

I rested my head back on the seat and stared at the roof of the truck, feeling antsy, agitated. I had my hands tightly wrapped around the steering wheel, one of my thumbs tapping on the leather as my impatience grew.

All I wanted to do was go back in time and tell Shiloh how I felt. This was my fault she was out with some guy right now.

I straightened and stared at the restaurant again, just in time to see Shiloh’s car pull into one of the empty parking spots. My heart started beating instantly and I tightened my hand on the steering wheel hard enough that I heard the leather creak.

A moment later another car pulled up beside hers. I watched as she stepped out, and a second later, a guy I assumed was Ian got out of the other vehicle. This low sound filled the interior of my car and I realized it had come from me.

The goofy smile Ian sported told me he was enamored by Shiloh. I couldn’t blame him, but I didn’t want him getting any ideas.

She was mine.

He was lucky he didn’t try and touch her then, even something as simple as giving her a hug. I might’ve had to break one of his bones in retaliation.

As I watched them go inside, I contemplated staying in my truck, making sure that the night ended the way I wanted it to … meaning he kept his hands to himself, they said their goodnights, and they never conversed again.

They were seated at a table in perfect view of the front window, which allowed me to watch. They sat across from each other, and the way he kept staring and smiling at her pissed me off. I shifted on the seat and leaned forward, bracing my forearms on the steering wheel as I narrowed my eyes at him.

He looked smart. He’d probably be perfect for a girl like Shiloh. Me, on the other hand, I wasn’t book smart. I didn’t have the skills to become a doctor. I worked with my hands, built shit.

I should just leave. This was an invasion of her privacy, and as I turned the ignition over and started my truck, I watched as he reached out and brushed a strand of hair off her shoulder.

Fuck that.

I was out of my truck and striding toward the restaurant, gripping the handle to the front door and pulling it open. Someone came up with a menu in hand, a smile on their face, but I waved them away as I headed toward the table where Shiloh sat. I probably looked like an asshole stalking inside, my head slightly lowered and my eyes narrowed.

Shiloh laughed at something he said, and then looked up at me, did a double take, and I watched as her eyes widened.

“Kace?” The surprise in her voice was evident, but my focus was on him.