Deciding Love (21 page)

Chloe

Monday morning brought with it a renewed sense of dread. Worse than my first day. I wasn’t looking forward to coming face to face with Jax after everything that had happened.

Unfortunately I hadn’t been able to meet up with Kyle again Sunday, and that was making me feel even more nervous. He’d had to work later than he thought, and I’d had too much homework to do, so we barely even spoke before going to sleep. It sucked that he didn’t go to my school still. Even having him give me a pep talk would have helped.

Or maybe not. Taking a deep breath, I pulled on a floral, long sleeve maxi dress, loving the way the soft fabric danced around my ankles. Mom said it made me look like a hippy, but I loved it. It also happened to cover a lot of me, aside from the v-neckline, and I needed it today. The less skin Jax could see the better. I felt like I needed the extra sense of defense.

Fluffing up the waves in my hair, I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs to wait for Colt. Mom was already sitting in kitchen sipping on her cup of coffee.

“Morning,” she said cheerily.

I hadn’t told her about the party. Deep down I knew I probably should have, but I didn’t want to worry her. Especially with Dad being away for work, I felt like she would take it personally that something bad had happened to me. It was, of course, a ridiculous notion. But that was exactly how my mom would think. I knew her well.

“Morning,” I replied. “Did you talk to Dad lately?”

She nodded. “He’s still set to come back this weekend. He said the house they set him up with there is really nice.”

A pang of guilt hit me. Mom didn’t act upset over not going with Dad, but I knew she would have preferred to be with him than not.

“That’s good,” I said weakly.

A horn honked outside so I hurried, giving her a peck. When I stepped onto the porch, my steps faltered. Instead of Colt’s car waiting for me, it was Kyle’s. Cat waved out the window. I walked down, heading toward Kyle’s side when he stepped out.

The naked hunger in his eyes as he looked me over had my pulse racing, and my cheeks heating. I don’t think I’d ever get used to being with him, or the way he made me feel.

“Good morning,” I said.

His gaze ate me up, as if I wore nothing instead of a long dress. “Good morning,” he said with a crooked smile. “You look stunning as ever. Want to skip school today?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

I chuckled. “I’d love to, but I don’t think my parents would appreciate it.”

“You’re such a good girl.”

I shrugged. “But you like that about me, right?”

“At this moment, no,” he said teasingly. “Especially when I know how bad you can be when it’s just us.”

“Ew! I can hear you!” Cat yelled.

We both laughed.

“Colt usually picks me up,” I pointed out. “I should probably tell him you’re here instead.”

“Already did.”

“Of course you did,” I said with a shake of my head.

He winked. “Let’s get you to school.”

Jax avoided me all day, so when I walked into Geography I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t realize I’d been holding my breath as I walked in until it came whooshing out when I saw he wasn’t there. Relief washed over me when he didn’t show up for the whole period.

At the end of the day, I caught him coming out of the Guidance Councillor’s office. Had he switched his classes? I hoped so. Our eyes met for a second before he hurriedly looked away, speeding off in the opposite direction. I couldn’t help but flinch when I saw the bruise colouring his left eye before he turned from me, hiding it.

I stood in the hall watching him, anger bubbling in my stomach. As much as I didn’t want him to speak to me, I at least had expected him to try to apologize. The fact that he didn’t even do that made me want to follow him and demand one.

With a huff, I made my way out of the school, the anger dissipating as my eyes fell on Kyle leaning against his car, waiting for me. This time, he didn’t just stare at me, expressionless. No, this time those lips tipped up, and even though his glasses hid his eyes, I knew they were warm and full of heat.

As I walked up to him, I was consciously aware of Hilary and her group watching me with undisguised hatred. Ignoring them, I stepped in between his legs, letting out a sigh of content as his arms wrapped around me.

He leaned in, kissing me in a way that wasn’t indecent, but still sent my senses into overload.

Pulling back, he smirked, brushing my lower lip with the pad of his thumb. “How was your day?” He asked, his eyes flickering over my shoulder to something that had his eyes turning hard.

I didn’t have to look to know it was Jax. “It’s was fine,” I assured him.

“Good. Let’s go.”

“You two lovebirds done?” Cat called out as she approached.

“For now,” Kyle replied evenly. I swear I blushed more than I didn’t around him.

“Ew,” Cat said. She opened the passenger door, pulling the seat forward for me.

I climbed in chuckling at the look on her face.

“What are you doing?” Kyle asked over the back of his seat.

“Sitting?”

“Why are you not up front?”

Cat dropped into the seat. “Because this is where I sit.”

“My girlfriend should be sitting there,” he said as the two of them faced off.

A rushing sound filled my ears as I watched them, no longer hearing what they were saying anymore. He called me his girlfriend.

Girlfriend.

Suddenly I felt lighter, a sense of happiness and glee coursing through me.

“How can I touch her if she’s back there?” I heard Kyle say.

Chuckling, I interrupted them, not wanting to start a fight that would likely happen every time the three of us were in the car together.

“Kyle stop,” I said. “I don’t mind sitting back here.”

“I mind,” he said, glaring at Cat.

“I can still touch
you
when I’m back here,” I pointed out, scooting across the seat so I was directly behind him. Running my fingers through his hair, I bit back my laughter as he let out a low, drawn out groan.

“See?” I said. “It works.”

“Fine,” Kyle said begrudgingly.

“You sound like a sullen child who can’t get his way,” Cat said with a roll of her eyes at me.

I smiled at her. She was right, but I thought it was adorable. Who would have thought dark and serious Kyle Briggs could be adorable? And all because he just wanted me to be next to him. Me, his girlfriend.

Suddenly Monday’s didn’t seem so bad after all.

The rest of the week went by without any contact from Jax. And Kyle? Kyle was amazing. For someone who told me he wasn’t boyfriend material, he sure made the best one.

We were both busy with school, but we still made an effort to see each other, even if it was just to work or grab a quick bite to eat.

On Wednesday he’d asked me to go to the library with him, which I jumped at right away. We’d worked side by side at a table in the back. Kyle was taking business courses in college, stuff I had no idea about. Economics and things like that. He wanted to be an entrepreneur after school, something I’d never known about him.

As much as I’d tried to focus on my own work, I couldn’t help but watch him from the corner of my eye, my body in tune with everything he did. When he’d chew on the end of his pencil, or when he’d run his hands through his hair, the concentrated look on his face as he read - all of it had my thighs clenching and my body heating.

I’d been completely entranced by the simplest of gestures, thinking I was observing unbeknownst to him. That was, until he’d slowly grinned, glancing up at me through his lashes.

“I can’t concentrate if you keep eye fucking me,” he had said darkly.

My cheeks had, of course, burst into flames.

“That telltale blush just confirms all the thoughts I see running through that mind of yours.”

“I-I’m not e-eye fucking you,” I’d said softly, looking around quickly to make sure no one was around to hear us.

Kyle had only chuckled. “Come here,” he’d said, motioning with his head as he’d pushed his chair back.

I’d risen hesitantly, moving to stand in front of him, unsure of what he wanted me to do. Sensing my confusion, Kyle had pulled me down onto his lap, his nose burying into my neck. He’d let out a slow groan.

“I love the way you smell,” he’d said into my ear.

My breathing had increased as his hand slid up my inner thigh.

“What are you doing?”

“Relieving some stress,” he’d said simply.

I’d gripped his hand with mine as his thumb grazed the apex of my thighs. God, I’d needed him badly. He drove me nuts, and he’d insisted we take things slow. Which was both a blessing and a curse.

“Someone could walk by,” I’d said, warring with myself. I’d wanted him to touch me there, and yet I knew it was inappropriate.

He’d hummed under his breath, and then stood, taking me with him. Silently, he’d gripped my hand and led me through the stacks until we were in a back corner where no one would see us. I’d looked at the area, noticing the layer of dust on the shelves, and figured no one came back here.

Kyle had backed me into the wall, taking my mouth in a searing kiss that left me breathless. His hand had continued down to where he’d been heading before, this time slipping into my skirt and underwear, sliding his fingers through bare flesh. I’d moaned against his kiss as his thumb had circled me until my hips had begun to move of their own accord, searching for that sweet release he always managed to bring.

“I want to taste you,” he’d said, breaking our kiss.

I’d watched him lower down my body, hiking one of my legs over his shoulder, his head disappearing beneath my skirt. After that I’d been lost in a haze of pure bliss.

Once I’d come back to my senses, I’d returned the favor, something I actually enjoyed doing. Having Kyle’s eyes on me, knowing I drove him just as wild as he did me, was empowering. I wanted to see him looking at me the same way as he thrust inside me, but Kyle hadn’t moved things to that stage.

Granted, we hadn’t had the opportunity all week, but it was definitely something I felt ready for now. So when Friday came around, and Mom had said she would be out late to go pick Dad up from the airport, I’d instantly wanted Kyle to come over so we could have alone time.

I put on a short, summer dress and did my hair in soft waves, before heading out to pick him up from work. He’d let me keep his car since I’d had to run out and get some food for us for dinner, something I knew was a huge deal. Even Cat had seemed shocked when Kyle suggested I drop him off at the shop and take his car.

Driving over, my nerves started to increase as anticipation shot through me. Pulling into the parking lot, my eyes instantly found him even though he was bent over a car, his upper body hidden by the hood. I’d know Kyle anywhere, every part of me connected to him in some strange way.

Parking, I turned the car off and got out, walking over to him so he knew I was there. A couple of the other workers looked over, their eyes running up and down me in a way that had my cheeks flushing. The one nearest must have said something to him, because he straightened, his gaze coming to me instantly. That heat I was getting used to filled his face as he watched me, unsmiling, his eyes roaming over my legs. Wiping his hands on a rag tucked into the front pocket of his jeans, he said something to the other guy and headed my way.

24

Kyle

“I’ll be right back,” I murmured to Joe as I kept my eyes on the prettiest thing I’d seen all day.

“Mm hmm,” I heard him murmur behind me.

Chloe looked like every man’s fantasy driving up here in my car, and wearing a short dress that showed off mile long legs. I’d been trying my best to take things slow for her, even though it was torturing me, because I needed her to know she was different to me.

I’d never met a kinder soul than Chloe Morgan, and I wanted to be good enough to stand beside her and call her mine. Even as I got to know her better, I realized just how sweet natured she really was. I was used to girls always bitching and tearing each other down, but she wasn’t like that. It was refreshing.

My patience might have worn out, I thought, as I walked toward her. She looked a bit scared, as if she were a rabbit caught in a snare. How true that was. Without speaking, I grabbed her hand and brought her toward the front office.

No one was in there anymore, so I figured might as well make use of the space. With a private smirk, I led her into the small space, shutting the door behind us. She started to ask what we were doing, but stopped as soon as I had her pinned against the wall.

Reaching down, I laced my fingers with hers, bringing both hands up so that her arms were pinned above her. Keeping the rest of our bodies from touching, I leaned in and took her mouth in a hard kiss, sweeping in to absorb some of that sweetness that was all Chloe.

It was a long kiss. Once I got started, I couldn’t bring myself to end it. Having Chloe in front of me, unable to move, her breasts shoved toward me because of the position of our hands - all of it was too much of a temptation to resist.