Page 83 of The Penalty

“He asked if I wanted to hang out again on Sunday. If it goes well, I was thinking about suggesting that double date.”

I sigh, and my shoulders slump. I’d really hoped she had forgotten about that. “Kylie, I told you, I’m not really looking to date anyone.”

“And I told you, it would be good for you to get out, even if it’s just for a night.” She gives me a pointed look.

“Ky, don’t push it if she doesn’t want to go,” Tyler adds. The two of us share a quick look. I know he doesn’t want me going on a date with anyone else, but it’s hard to give a good excuse without telling her that I’m already seeing someone.

“She needs to have fun before she graduates. She hasn’t dated anyone in like a year. It’ll be fun, McKenzie. I’ll even plan it around your work schedule so you don’t have to take any time off.”

Well, damn. There goes my last excuse.

I don’t get to say anything else before Kylie says, “Ok, I’m going to go get ready for bed. Come up, and I’ll tell you all about tonight.”

“Yeah. I’ll be up in a sec. I’m just gonna grab some water,” I tell her.

She turns and heads for the stairs, and I look over at Tyler.

“What do I do?” I whisper.

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “I guess you’re going to have to go on a date.”

I freeze in my seat. “You’re really going to let me go out with another man just so you don’t have to tell her that we’re together?”

“You think I want that to happen? I don’t even like it when other men look in your direction. But the second that I tell Kylie that I’m in love with you, everything is going to change. She’s going to hate me. I’m not ready for that yet. Are you?”

Of course, I’m not ready for that, but what are we supposed to do here? “The longer we wait, the worse it’s going to be.”

I stand to walk upstairs because I know there’s nothing more I can say tonight. I don’t want to push Tyler too fast, but I hate keeping this from Kylie. She’s been so good to me, and I’m betraying her at every turn.

“McKenzie.” Tyler grabs my wrist and turns me toward him. “I love you.”

“I know.”

“This is killing me.”

I blink back tears because I feel the same way. “I know.”

He drops my wrist, and I make my way to Kylie’s room to listen to her tell me all about her date.

A little after midnight, Tyler sneaks into my room. But this time, we’re not instantly pulling at each other’s clothes. He slides in behind me and tugs me toward him. He holds me all night, and I’m starting to feel like we’re in so far over our heads that we can’t recover from this.

THIRTY-THREE

MCKENZIE

It’s been three weeks since Kylie’s first date with Jake. I managed to get out of the double date, but I did agree to go with her to a party at the house that Jake shares with some of his teammates. Kylie made sure to introduce me to every hockey player in attendance and asked me what my interest level was after each one of them.

It was not my favorite thing.

Honestly, most of them were great and seemed like really nice guys. But none of them are Tyler.

As much as I know what Tyler and I are doing is wrong, I can’t stop it. I let him in my bed every night. I smile every time I see his name pop up on my phone. My heart flutters every time he tells me he loves me.

And it was Tyler who encouraged me to go to the party with Kylie. As much as I would love to spend all my free time with him, he insists that I still need to have a real college experience and that includes going to parties.

So I went to the party knowing I’d just end up with him later that night.

I left out the part where Kylie tried to hook me up with every male within a five-mile radius.