Southern Sunshine (Southern 8)

"Were you with the father?" Amelia asks, and Chelsea smacks her hand. “Oh my God,” she says, putting her hand to her mouth. “I’m so sorry, that was …" She holds up her hands, and I look over at Hazel, who smiles, trying to pretend it doesn’t bother her, and inside, I die just a touch. "Insensitive."

"It’s fine," Hazel says. “Things happen."

"How involved is the father now?" Chelsea asks. “If you don’t want to talk about it …"

"No," Hazel says, looking down at the wineglass in front of her that she hasn’t taken a sip from.

"It’s me,” I say, and even my brain doesn’t get what is going on. I look at my cousins, and I can see Harlow standing behind the bar with her eyes about to come out of their sockets. “I’m the father."

Chapter 28

Hazel

I watch the black road, not saying anything as the words linger in my head. "I’m the father." I sat there, shocked he was coming out with it. I knew that we would start telling people since we told Casey and Olivia, but I just didn’t know it would happen so fast.

"We need to tell your grandparents." I look over at him, and he nods now, his hair pushed back from his fingers.

"I mean, hopefully, they take it better than my cousins did,” he says, shaking his head, and I feel so bad for him. “I thought Amelia was going to throw a glass at my head." I see him shaking his head. “If looks could kill, I would be dead right now." He looks over. “Chelsea looked at me with daggers in her eyes."

"I’m so, so sorry,” I say, turning now. “I shouldn’t have even answered any questions." My heart sinks.

"Why should you be sorry?" he asks, pulling into my driveway. "It’s not like the truth isn’t what it is."

"I know," I tell him. “But." I swallow. “I never meant to make it sound like …”

"Like I abandoned you,” he says, turning the truck off and turning to look at me.

"I know that if you'd known, you would have been there,” I say, and my hand goes up to open the truck door. "Thank you,” I say. “For bringing me out tonight." I look down as I try to stretch the time we're together. I keep waiting for him to stop me from going in. "Have a great night,” I say with a smile, and I get out before I beg him to kiss me.

I open the door and shut it just as fast without looking back to see if he is watching. All night, my senses were on alert, waiting for his touch. It started when we were walking to the bar, and our fingers grazed each other’s. It continued when his leg rubbed mine. I thought I was going to pull out my hair, even with everything going on and the questions that they had for us and for me. The only thing I could concentrate on was where his leg was touching my bare leg, sending shock waves up my spine. I swear I shivered so many times I thought they were going to think I was freezing cold when, in fact, my body was on fire.

I drop my purse on the floor, kicking off my flip-flops, and make my way upstairs. “You should have asked him to stay," I tell myself. I’m about to take off my shirt when I hear banging on the door.

I run back downstairs, my heart beating now with worry as the banging starts again. I open the door and look at Reed, who stands there with his hands holding the doorframe. He looks up at me. “Reed," I say. “Is everything okay?" I ask, wondering if maybe his mother called.

"Yeah," he says, his voice sounding like he ran a marathon. “I just forgot this." I don’t even have time to think before he takes two steps to me. He puts one hand around my waist at the same time the other buries itself in my hair. “I forgot this,” he whispers before his mouth crashes on mine. My hand slides up his arm and wraps around his neck as my mouth opens, and his tongue slides with mine, drowning out our moans. He kicks the door closed with his foot and picks me up now. He turns us in a circle with my back toward the door. His hand releases my hair to sit on my neck. He pushes me against the wall, our mouths playing catch-up. All those times I closed my eyes and thought about his kisses, I knew it was nothing like it would be in person. He moves his head to the other side, deepening the kiss. My hands are frantic to touch him, going to his shirt and moving it up. He only lets go of my mouth when I pull it over his head. He comes back to my mouth, his hands moving from my hips to my tits. My nipples pebble, waiting to be played with, and he pinches them through my shirt as I arch my back.