Craving You (TBX #2) (12 page)

“Brea, you know how I am.”

“Yeah, I do. I also know you need to venture out. How can you downgrade something you’ve never had? Look at Colt and me. Doesn’t that make you want to fall in love?” Her smile is blinding me, so I look out toward the road.

“I’m happy for you. I just don’t think that’s ever going to happen for me.” Falling in love is not an option for me. It’s just a hopeless dream people chase.

“You never know,” she singsongs.

“Well, I know for sure it won’t be Parker I fall in love with and vice versa.”

When we pull into a parking spot, Brealynn looks over at me. “Whatever you say, Kels.” But she really means, like we say here in the Texas, ‘hide and watch.’

“Let’s go eat, loser. I’m tired of talking about the love life I never want anyways.”

We chose our favorite Mexican restaurant, The Table. It’s locally owned and has been in business for over two decades. Nowhere, and I mean nowhere, has queso like they do.
Mmmmmm
. Jamie waves us over to where she’s sitting in a booth to the far right side of the restaurant with two of her new friends. They were at the party last night, as well; I just never had a chance to introduce myself.

Brealynn and I scoot in over the worn green vinyl of the seats. “Hey, Jamie.”

“Hey! I’m so happy you wanted to meet for lunch. We didn’t get to hang out much last night.”

“What can I get you girls to drink?” I’m tipping the waitress big time for saving me from having to reply to what Jamie just said. We all order waters and a large queso with corn tortillas. You can’t come here and not order it. And if you do, we can’t be friends.

“So.” Jamie levels her stare at me and cocks a brow. “What’s new?”
Shit.

“My mom’s getting married.” It’s the first thing that came to my mind to help distract from the obvious.

Brealynn barks out a laugh. “That and she and your brother are-wait for it … dating!” I’m re-evaluating the meaning of best friend right now.

“That’s great!” Jamie claps her hands together in excitement.

“He’s sexy,” Jamie’s friend adds eyeing me.

“Sorry- this is Melanie.” She points to her left. Melanie’s smile is a bright contrast to the dark waves that frame her tanned skin. “And this is Candis.”

“Hi!” Candis beams. Her curly blonde hair bounces against her milky skin. She seems to have a vibrant personality. I’m so glad to see Jamie surrounding herself with decent looking people. The ones before, from what Colt says, were questionable.

“So, y’all are pretty much like my sisters now. That’s cool.” She takes a sip of her water that the waitress just brought over to us.

“That was intense, last night, with you and Parker. I bet y’all had some hot sex.”

“Mel! That’s my brother you’re talking about!”

“He’s hot, Jamie! You should’ve seen the way he picked her up and carried her off all caveman-fuck-me-right-now style. Mmmmm, I want someone to do that to me!”

“I wouldn’t hate it either,” Candis adds.

“Ew. I don’t need the details!” Jamie grimaces covering her ears.

“It
was
hot.” I sigh, thinking about last night and lost in my head. Brealynn nudges my arm. “I mean, uh- change the subject.” I’m going to get hot and bothered thinking about last night.

“So what’s up with you and Tim? You guys sure are seen together
a lot
,” Brealynn asks Jamie.

“We’re just friends.” The fact that Jamie can’t or won’t make eye contact with that statement has me thinking they are more than friends.

“You sure don’t act like
just friends
,” Brealynn assesses.

“She likes him,” Candis chimes in, and Jamie glares at her.

“So why don’t you go for it?” I ask.

“Have you met my brothers? Plus, Tim is one of their best friends.” Poor girl, she looks torn.

“That didn’t stop you over spring break. I believe I saw you exiting the bathroom after a feel up.” A deep red blush covers her face.

“I do like him. He’s good for me- my brothers would have his head.” She’s rushing through the sentence.

“I wouldn’t be so sure, Jamie. They just want what’s best for you and for you to be happy.” Brealynn’s right. Those boys worry so much about Jamie.

Our waitress comes over depositing the queso and tortillas on our table. Once she takes our orders, it’s back to our conversation.

“Tell that to Tim. He’s scared shitless for them to find out anything.”

“You can’t spend your whole life pleasing everyone else, girl. You need to do what makes you happy. You’ve already had to deal with so much grief, so young. Life’s short.” Melanie’s words ring true, even to my ears.

“If you want to date Tim, you should,” Candis agrees.

“If Colt freaks, I’ll talk him down. Just do what makes you happy,” Brealynn adds.

“Maybe.” At Jamie’s comment, my phone buzzes.

I’m hot and sweaty and you aren’t here to enjoy it. - Parker

Damn
. I do love seeing him during or after he rides. Seriously, nothing else is sexier. I chance a quick glance up and see four sets of eyes focused on me.

“What?”

“Damn. You’ve got it bad,” Melanie assumes.
I don’t have anything.

“It’s just a text.”

“Girl, don’t make me get crazy. If the smile that’s on your face is just from a text, I can’t imagine what it’s like after a night in the sheets with that man.”

Brealynn has a blinding smile plastered on her face. She loves the fact that I’m finally in, well, I guess this is a relationship. I ignore them and text Parker back.

How dare you.

This is so weird to me. For the longest time, Parker and I fought against our attraction, and I’m scared to find out what happens when we don’t. There is no twisted idea of how this will go in my head. I know it’s strictly physical, and I’m okay with that, but what happens when our passion collides?

My phone alerts again.

Babe, there’s so many things I’m goin’ to dare to do to you tonight.

Holy hell, is it hot in here?

“You’re flushed,” Candis points out and the girls all laugh.

They’d be flushed too if he did the naughty things to them that he does to me. At that thought, my stomach dips and possessiveness coils in my stomach.

This feeling is for sure not keeping it surface level. Get it together, Kelsey,
I try to convince myself.

Just hang on for the ride.

Come to the box. - Parker

Speaking of rides … I do love to watch
him
ride. Nothing beats seeing the freedom written all over his face and the happiness that drips from his voice when he mentions TBX.

“I can’t wait to see how Parker is with you. He’s never really done the girlfriend thing. However, I’m glad he picked you.” Jamie’s beaming at me from across the booth.

“Yeah-uh- me either. It’ll be new for both of us.” I nervously run my hand over my bicep.

“It’ll be good for both of you,” Brealynn adds, stilling my hand and squeezing it.

Parker

Today, I woke up feeling refreshed with Kelsey in my arms. I feel like I could run a marathon,
twice
.

“What’s with all the smiles today? Last night work to your advantage, finally?” Colt teases coming to a sudden stop on his bike and causing it to fishtail out behind him. Cocky grin in place, it doesn’t faze him.

“Yeah, she’s mine.”
Mine?
Yeah, I just said that.
What. The. Fuck
. The scary thing? I
fuckin’
meant it. It’s like my mind knew before I could catch up to nix it.

“Whoa, really?” Colt looks shocked. Hell, I’m shocked.

“We’re seeing how it goes. She’s not fighting me anymore. So that’s a plus.” Trying to shrug off my comment as if it wasn’t screaming in high volumes.

“I’m happy for you. Who knows, maybe she’ll be the one.” I laugh at Colt’s remark.

“She’s the one, right now.”

“So you’re tellin’ me, in I don’t know let’s say a year, you wouldn’t mind seein’ her with another man?” Colt’s head is slightly tilted to the side assessing me.

“No.” The lie burns my throat before it’s even out of my mouth.

“No, you wouldn’t mind or no, you would mind.” Of course, he wants me to clarify my response.
Asshole
.

“Fuck! Yeah, I’d mind.” The thought sets my blood vessels simmering with rage.

“I knew it. Stop lyin’ to yourself and just let her in.”

“Look …” My voice is rough with frustration toward myself and my brother. “I’m fucked up. We both know that. If she gets in …” There are things Colt doesn’t even know, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to break the news to him. He took our mom's death so hard. I don’t want to lose him again. I’ll carry the burden of my knowledge for the both of us.

“Then she will know
you
. That’s okay.” His hand on my right shoulder, eyes fixed on mine. He means it.
Every bit of it.

“You say that now because you have Brealynn.”

“You’re right. My eyes are open now, brother. I wish you’d open yours.”

“Let’s get back to practicing,” I say, changing the topic. Colt shakes his head turning to go back up to the top of the ramp and I shoot a text off to Kelsey before getting back to our tricks.

Dust is twirling in the wind, covering the view of Brealynn’s Jeep by the time she parks. The woman drives like a maniac. Lowering my hat bill to shield my eyes from the sun, the tan legs that I can’t get off my mind extend down from the passenger side of the vehicle. Colt slides up next to me on the ramp, skidding his bike to a stop beside me.

“We are two lucky son-of-a-bitches.” Disbelief clear in his voice, I nod in agreement as we watch the girls make their way toward us. Kelsey’s hair tangles in the wind, whipping around her sun-kissed face. A piece finds its way between her lips before she promptly removes it as she tilts her head back and laughs at something Brealynn said.

She’s breathtaking.

She’s mine.

“Hey, Par-“ Rushing her into my arms, my face falls between her shoulder and her jaw, and I inhale her.
Fuck
. Could I have really missed her this much? She wraps her arms around my neck with a giggle.

“You’re so beautiful.” I tangle my hand in the hair at the nape of her neck, bringing her lips to mine. Once we meet, everything makes sense in life.

At this one moment, we are all that matters.

Her warmth against me with my pulse beating in rhythm with hers centers us.

We pull apart, but not before I savor one last nibble to her bottom lip. Her gray eyes snap open to mine, lit with a fire only I can feed.

“I didn’t get a welcome like that,” Brealynn tells Colt.

“I’ll welcome you in my own way, B. Don’t you worry that pretty head.” She sighs and falls into his embrace.

“It’s my pretty vagina I’m worried about being offended.” She pouts with a playful smirk.

“Well, we can’t have that now, can we?” Colt tugs on her hand, pulling her from the ramp. “Let me welcome you properly. See you guys later!” Colt calls out after picking Brealynn up and carrying her toward the house.

I look down to mine and Kelsey’s intertwined hands and a jolt runs through me. When did we start holding hands? Did I subconsciously reach out to her? Either way, it feels right. I pull her closer to me.

“Hey.” A smile spreading across her pretty face.

“Sweetness.” Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and a light shade of pink crosses her face at my endearment. The way she’s looking up at me right now—her big gray eyes wide and searching—for once doesn’t scare the shit out of me. Maybe that fact should scare the shit out of me?
I’m fucked
. I lean down till we are a breath apart. “I’ve missed you.” The way she lights up hits me right in the chest.