Page 31 of In a Perfect World

“So, I’m just supposed to forget that kiss?”I asked, my chest tightening with turmoil.

“Yes,” she answered brutally.“You need to forget that kiss and everything that is Kairo Booker.You need to forget him and focus your energy on getting a new job and figuring out what you’re going to do with your life now.”

I hated how right she was, and there really was a bigger picture to consider here.Kairo Booker wasn’t just some random man that could get arrested without thought.His father was a very important man, and it was even argued that he could have been President had we still lived in times when one was still elected.If Alvin Booker ever found out that his son was breaking the law to be with someone from Rancher Hills, I could see him spinning the entire situation to appear as if I’d been the one to corrupt his son, and maybe I had been.After all, it’d been me that had accidentally crossed the border, not Kairo.

“No, you’re right,” I said.“I need...Kairo Booker would just be another distraction that I don’t need.”

Sonia’s blue eyes narrowed.“You don’t sound convincing at all, Triana.”

“Maybe that’s because I’m not fully convinced that I can stay away from him,” I admitted.“I mean, I can try, but...but I can still feel his lips on mine, and...and it’s making me feel too many things.”

My best friend shook her head, but because she was my best friend, she said, “We’re going to give it a couple of days, give you some time to process all that’s happened, and then we’ll revisit both conversations.If you still feel the same about Kairo Booker after you’ve had a chance to really think about everything, then...well, I’ve been known to be a great alibi.”

The tears immediately erupted, and when I felt Sonia wrap her arms around me, I got comfortable, then cried until the woman finally put me to sleep.

Chapter 16

Kairo~

I still couldn’t believe what I’d done, but there was no going back now, and I wasn’t even sure that I would if I could.I still had the taste of Triana’s lips on mine, and it was taking everything in me not to text her and demand that she meet me at the tree again.

I also wasn’t ignorant of the position that I could have put my family in had we’d gotten caught, and that’s what really had me wondering if I’d really lost my mind.Up until earlier, I hadn’t ever done anything to jeopardize everything that my family had built, and I still couldn’t quite believe that I’d done something so damn reckless.

So, since Triana had put me on ice for the moment, now I was knocking on Winston’s front door because I needed someone to talk to.Luckily, Winston was solid, and unlike my brothers, he wouldn’t be torn between me and doing what was right for our family.Whatever Winston said, it was going to be said with my best interest at heart, and that’s what I needed right now.

When the door swung open, Winston grinned wide.“Well, isn’t this a nice surprise.”

“You really are a dick,” I grumbled as I muscled my way past him and into his house.

He just laughed.“You already know this, so I don’t understand why you feel the need to keep announcing it.”

“I’m in trouble,” I blurted as he shut the door, and I ran my fingers over my hair, not caring about the waves at this point.

“What are you talking about?”he asked, suddenly serious.“What kind of trouble?”

Since we’d been best friends for years, I didn’t need Winston’s permission to make myself at home, so I took a seat on his couch, then ran my hands down my face, still finding the entire situation too unbelievable to be real.