“Whoa, slow down.”
Lori bites her lip, clearly trying to keep the other million questions she has from spilling out. I take a sip of her drink—itisvodka cranberry—and try to remember what she asked. “I don’t know if we’re official or not, he didn’t ask me to be his girlfriend, and there’s no way inhellwe’re telling Adam, so don’t say anything.”
Her eyebrows draw together. “So, what happened?”
You’re the only one I want, Faye. Just you. Always you.
I shiver at the memory of his words, smiling behind the straw. “I don’t really know if I’m being honest. But it doesn’t matter.” I set the now half-empty drink back on the table so I can stare into her eyes, letting her recognize how serious I am.
“Something’s changed, Lor, I know it. Kellan and I are going to be different from now on—better.” And even though I don’t know the specifics ofhow, I don’t care. We can figure that all out later, together.
She doesn’t point out the obvious flaws with my statement or tell me that Kellan and I need to have an actualrealconversation about what’s going on between us; instead she squeezes my hand. “I’m happy for you, Faye.”
On that note . . . “I’m meeting him in the room in like five minutes so . . . don’t come up for a bit.”
She bites her lip and nods. “Keep off my bed.”
I laugh, pulling my hand from hers and finishing the rest of the vodka cranberry. “I promise. You just worry about kissing Dean. I see that box still isn’t checked off.” I gesture to her shirt as I stand, and her cheeks redden. “Have fun, Lor, I’ll see you later.”
“Youhave fun! But not on my bed!” she calls after me as I make my way through the crowd and head toward the pool’s exit, to the hotel where Kellan will be waiting for me.
It feels like forever since I’ve been with Kellan, since I’ve been in his arms, felt his muscles flex under my fingers, felt his skin under mine, but we were together only four days ago.
I’m still wearing a dreamy expression on my face when someone steps in front of me, blocking my path. Adam’s staring down at me, a scowl on his face, and my mood sours. I thought he was content to ignore me all night, especially since our last encounter, but apparently, he sought me out.
“Where are you going?” he asks.
The impatience in his tone makes me pause. Did he see me and Kellan? Does he know something? No, he can’t. This is his normal “talking to my sister” tone.
“To my room,” I say. “Why?”
His looks like he doesn’t believe me, and now there’s a pit in my stomach from doubting how ignorant he is about me and Kellan.
“It’s still early, and I’ve never known you to leave a party early.”
No. If he knew, he wouldn’t be this calm and detached. He’d be freaking out.
“I don’t feel good,” I lie, then can’t resist throwing a dig at him. “Not that you care.”
I shoulder past him, and he doesn’t stop me as I march out of the party and down the lit path to the hotel.
Who does he think he is, coming in allyou never leave aparty early blah blah blah? What does he know? He doesn’t talk to me. He doesn’t pick me up from a party unless Mom yells at him to, so how is he suddenly an expert Faye timekeeper? And why is he pretending to care where I’m going? He made it abundantly clear before we got on the plane that he wanted to pretend I didn’t exist on this trip, and now he’s asking where I’m going as if he cares, especially after yelling at me last night?
I scowl the entire trek back to my hotel and up the stairs, at least until I round the corner and spot Kellan. He’s leaning across the hall from my door with his patent smirk, the one that has my aggression instantly melting away.
You’re the only one I want, Faye. Just you. Always you.
His words fill me with butterflies, and all thoughts of my annoying brother vanish. There’s just me and Kellan and the way he’s looking at me like he wants to devour me.
I cross the space between us and then I’m wrapped in his arms, his lips on mine, my hands tangled in his hair. My heart is so full it might explode. All I’ve wanted is to be held by Kellan like this, like I matter, like I’m something to him.
He walks us until the door’s at my back, and without taking my lips from his, I fish my key card out of my pocket. My hand bumps frantically at the door as I try to find the key card insert, and then Kellan’s lips leave mine and trail down my jaw, over my neck, and my brain can’t process anything past the sensation of his lips on me, on the trail of sparks they leave in their wake.
Without warning, his hands grip the backs of my thighs and push them up to wrap around his hips. With the door against my back and my legs around Kellan, I feel every single contour of his body pressed against my front; I feel exactly how much he wants me. I might even moan out loud, but I can’t be sure because I’m too lost in Kellan, in the things he’s making me feel.
The key card disappears from my hand and a beep sounds, and suddenly Kellan’s lips find mine and he’s carrying me into the room. The door slams shut behind him, and we don’t bother stopping to turn on any lights or turn on the TV for some music.
I let out a little squeal when he throws me onto the mattress.