Deciding Love (6 page)

“Of course,” Jax said immediately. Shoot. Now what was I supposed to do? Smiling, I thanked him, my face burning.

“Cool. I’ll see you in geography.”

When he left I leaned toward Cat. “What the hell was that? I don’t want him to drive me home!”

“Why not? He’s super-hot, and he obviously likes you.”

“You don’t know that.”

She rolled her eyes. “Why else would he come over here to invite you out Saturday? It wasn’t me he really wanted there, trust me. We’ve been going to school together since grade six, and he’s never been interested in me. That leaves only one other possibility.”

I fidgeted in my seat, struggling not to glance over to where he’d gone. “I don’t even know him,” I argued weakly.

She shrugged. “So get to know him. What do you have to lose? We’re young, live a little.”

What
did
I have to lose? Cat started to giggle.

“I can see you giving in,” she said. “Trust me, Chloe, this will be good. I think it will make things a lot more interesting for you.”

That sounded kind of ominous, but I just went with it. Interesting was a good thing, right? It was better than boring.

6

Kyle

“You going to come?”

I blinked, tearing my eyes away from Chloe who had just exited the school and stood talking to Cat. She was wearing tights that hugged her long, lean legs, making my mouth water at the thought of them wrapped around me. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, showing off her slender neck.

Chad still leaned against the car, his face expectant. Shit, what had he been saying?

He must have seen my confusion because he said, “to the party Saturday? You’re going right?”

Oh yeah. “I’ll think about it,” I said. My commitment issues didn’t just apply to relationships and women. Being locked down was never my thing, and that included plans with friends.

“Cool, talk to you later man.”

I nodded in goodbye as Cat opened the passenger side door.

“Hey, Ky,” she said with a big smile. I was expecting her to be pissed since I had reminded her this morning that I wouldn’t be driving Chloe home. She seemed her usual happy self though, which had my eyes narrowing on her from behind my shades.

“Hey,” I replied. “Good day?”

That had her mouth flattening. “Could have been worse, I suppose.”

I leaned back in my seat to look at her over the rim of my glasses. “Someone giving you problems?”

“Nope,” she said tightly. “Although I got to hear all about what someone’s been giving you.”

Shit. Fucking Hilary. She had started making out with my neck last night while we’d been around the fire. I was too drunk to care, or stop her when she’d grabbed my hand and pulled me away from everyone. However, as soon as we had, my wits had returned and I’d stopped her before anything serious happened. Figures she would have exaggerated to all her little fucking friends.

“Nothing happened,” I said. Defending my actions wasn’t something I was used to, but Cat was different than everyone else. I didn’t want her thinking badly of me.

“Uh huh, sure.” She twisted in her seat, facing away from me.

I turned to start the car just as a Jeep came roaring past us, parking right in front of me. Jax jumped out, a shit-eating grin plastered on his pretty boy face as he looked at someone. I followed his gaze to see a nervous looking Chloe approaching him. He opened the passenger side door for her, saying something I couldn’t hear.

“What the hell is this shit?”

“What?” Cat asked, blinking at me with innocent eyes.

I glared at her.

“Oh, Chloe? Yeah, Jax is going to give her a ride home since she doesn’t have one. He was super eager to offer.”

The fuck he was. I unbuckled my belt, reaching for the door handle before I could stop to think.

“What are you doing?” I heard Cat calling out as I stood between the open door and my car.

“Chloe!” I shouted.

She jumped, looking over at me with wide eyes. Damn it, she was adorable. Jax looked over too, his face confused while he continued to hold open the door for her.

I nodded my head toward my ride. “Let’s go,” I said.

Chloe looked between me and Jax, unsure of what to do. She needed to realize that, between the two of us, it was me she would be choosing. Always.

She gestured to Jax with her thumb, hesitating still, which just pissed me off. “That’s okay, Jax is going to give me a ride.”

“No he’s not. Get in.”

“Dude, it’s cool. I don’t mind,” Jax said.

I moved my glare to him, swallowing a snort when he took a step back. “I mind,” I said. Dismissing him, I looked to Chloe again. “Come on, sweetheart.” I reached down to pull my seat forward.

Thankfully, when I looked back up she was on her way over, her grip white around the strap of her bag, her face an adorable shade of pink. Without looking at me, she ducked into the car and moved to the back. I couldn’t help but let my eyes roam over her ass as she did. The girl was built like a dream.

Slamming the seat back in place, I got behind the wheel, ignoring the look Jax was giving me, and Cat’s. Taking a deep breath, I winced at the smell that hit my nose. Chloe’s scent enveloped me, making my nerves twitch even more.

Without a word, I started the car and took off, the silence around the three of us thick with tension. I knew most of it was coming from me, my body strung tighter than ever before. I was my own worst enemy.

“Sooo...”

I sighed, my body tense as Chloe’s scent still wrapped around me even after we’d dropped her off. I knew this was coming, and wasn’t looking forward to it.

“So what?” I asked evenly.

“Do you want to tell me what that was all about?”

“What, what was all about?”

“Uh, I don’t know, the caveman show you just put on? ‘Chloe, come. Get in car. Arrrrggggg.”

She made me sound like some Neanderthal. Had I really said everything in short sentences like that? I winced. Shit.

“I did not growl like that,” I said.

She snorted. “You might as well have.”

“Look, I was just looking out for a friend.”

“Chloe’s your friend now?”

“Fuck no,” I scoffed. “I’m looking out for Colt. He wouldn’t want his sister getting into some stranger’s car.”

She hummed. I couldn’t tell if that was her way of accepting my excuse, or wordlessly calling bullshit. My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter.

“I just want to point out that Jax isn’t really a stranger. I mean, we both know him. He’s a decent guy.”

I snorted. “Here’s a little tip for you, Sis, no guy in high school is a decent guy. They all want in your pants. Some are just smoother about it than others.”

“That’s not true!”

I looked over at her. “It’s true. Even your rocker friend there wants the same thing. He’s just the patient, stalking kind, like all good predators.”

“Wow. You just made Jessie super creepy...so that’s great.”

I shrugged. “I’m just stating the facts.”

“Your facts suck.”

We drove in silence again until I pulled up beside our place. As I shut off the car, Cat turned to face me.

“So that whole episode has nothing to do with you, maybe, thinking Chloe’s super-hot and wanting her for yourself?”

I laughed, ignoring the feeling in my chest at the thought of having her as my own. “You’re cute, kitty.” I shook my head, getting out of the car. She did the same, looking at me over the roof of the car. “Chloe is your friend, and Colt’s sister. I would never even attempt that shit.”

Her eyes narrowed on me, so I looked away, grateful that my aviators hid my eyes. Thankfully she didn’t bug me again as we went inside.

7

Chloe

“Chlo! The phone is for you,” Dad called up.

“One second!” I quickly wrapped the towel around my body before heading out of the bathroom. The steam rushed out as soon as I opened the door into the cold hallway. Shivering, I sped-walked to my bedroom, my wet feet slapping against the worn hardwood floor. Shutting the door, I fell across the bed, reaching the receiver.

“Hello?” I said, out of breath.

“Hey, it’s Cat.”

I got more comfortable. “Hey, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to let you know that I talked with my mom, and she’s totally cool with us getting ready here. She said you could even sleepover so you’re not getting home too late.”

“Cool, I’d love to sleep over.” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone to a sleepover. I was, lamely, more excited for that than the party itself. It would be a full night out, doing something, rather than sitting at home and reading until eleven before crashing.

Now, what to tell my parents?

“There’s one problem,” I said.

“What?”

“I don’t know what to tell my parents. They’d be ok with me going to a party, but a college frat party? I think that might be pushing it.”

“Don’t tell them it’s a college party, just say a party. It’s not technically lying unless they ask you outright.”

I laughed. “Omitting the truth, rather than lying, huh?”

“You got it! That’s what I did with my mom.”

It didn’t sit well with me, but I figured it wouldn’t really be hurting anyone.

We talked about what we’d wear and then I told her I had to get off before my hair got too dry in the towel. It was always harder to dry straight when that happened.

“Wait,” she said before I said goodbye. “So are we going to talk about it, or just pretend like it never happened?”

I knew what she was talking about, but I’d spent all afternoon and evening forcing myself not to think about it that part of me just wanted to play dumb. Cat was too smart for that though.

“What’s there to talk about really?” I said, keeping my voice neutral. It wasn’t a big deal. Right?

Who was I kidding? My mind wanted so badly to go over every second of what happened. I’d denied myself that since the moment I’d gotten into his car.

“How about my brother acting all weird and possessive over you?”

I laughed even though my breath had left me at the thought of Kyle Briggs being
possessive
of me. Those dark, soulful eyes popped into my head and I shivered.

“He was just being nice,” I replied lamely.

“Nice? He was two seconds away from tearing you away from Jax’s car and tossing you in his. I’ve never seen him act that way.”

“I’m sure he was just looking out for me because I’m your friend, and Colt’s sister. Just like he’d be for you.”

“Yeah, I guess. That’s pretty much what he said.”

“He did?” Was that disappointment in my voice? Shoot. This was exactly why I didn’t want to over think the whole thing. I knew I’d start hoping it meant more than it did. Because the idea that Kyle didn’t want me driving with other guys had made every girlie romantic part of me flutter and spark. Of course it hadn’t been anything like that. He looked at me like a kid sister. I was probably just this young, immature girl to him.

“Yeah,” Cat said. “It was still weird though. Hopefully Jax doesn’t get scared and call off our date this weekend.”

I laughed even though I had to force it. “It’s not a date, Cat. And I can’t see him canceling it. He looked too excited.”

“You’re probably right. This will likely just make him want you more.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you know how guys are. As soon as they think another guy wants you, it makes them want you more. It turns into a competition thing.”

I scrunched my nose up. I didn’t want to be someone’s idea of a competition.

“But your brother doesn’t want me,” I pointed out.

“Jax doesn’t know that.”

No, but I did, and suddenly I felt like wallowing in sadness.

“Anyway, I’ll let you go. Make sure you ask your mom about the sleepover,” she said.

“I will,” I replied. “See you tomorrow.”

We got off and I hung up, my eyes unseeing as I stared at the receiver.

It wasn’t as though I had thought Kyles’s actions had been some declaration of interest, but I couldn’t deny that part of me had maybe hoped. Kyle put butterflies in my stomach. That same feeling I always read about in my romance books. The kind I had never felt, and was starting to think I never would.