“I think…I’m in love with you,” she whispers once we’re outside. “Is that crazy?”
A full and euphoric sensation nearly pries my ribs apart. “No, angel. I’m in love with you, too.” My throat strains with disbelief. Joy that only she could bring. “God help me, it was love at first sight. I didn’t believe it was possible until now.”
Her eyes fill with unshed tears. “Me either.”
Opening the door of the truck, I settle her onto the passenger side seat and buckle her in. Kissing her slowly, winding my tongue around hers until she needs to breathe. “We need to tell Emma,” I say, rubbing the pad of my thumb across her bottom lip. “Tonight.”
“A few more days. Please?” She fidgets with her seatbelt. “I’m so nervous.”
Impatient to be with her out in the open, I sigh. I don’t want to pressure her.
“A few more days, angel.”
Deep down, I know waiting to come clean is a mistake.
As usual, my instincts are right.
eleven
Shea
We walkinto Jason’s house together.
I leave my array of new clothes in the truck, though I do stuff one of my new matching bra and panty sets into my backpack, along with a single change of clothes. For now. I also take off the necklace, putting it in my wallet’s coin purse. Jason grinds his jaw over my lack of jewelry, but I reassure him that I’ll put it back on tomorrow.
We find Emma in the kitchen. She looks at us curiously when we enter the room together, tilting a can of Diet Coke to her lips. “Did you get a ride from my dad?”
“Yes,” I say, guilt already souring the lining of my stomach. “I went to the apartment to see what I could salvage. He was there to survey the damage, so…he just gave me a ride. Since we were going to the same place.”
“We’re going to start repairs tomorrow,” Jason says behind me, his voice gruff. When he moves past me to get a beer out of the fridge, I almost run after him and beg to be held. My hips ache for the rough sweep of his hands. I know that if we werealone, he’d be touching me. Kissing me. Cuddling me. I want that freedom so badly, but I don’t know how Emma is going to react to the news that I’m in love with her father.
That he’s in love with me, too.
I’m not the best at making friends and I want to keep her as mine. She might be a little cranky and my total opposite, but I’m so scared that my relationship with Jason is going to wreck my new friendship with Emma. I just need a few more days to practice what I’m going to say. I’m a planner. I prepare.
And maybe, just maybe, I’m a little bit of a fraidy cat.
“How were your classes today, Emma?” Jason asks, leaning back against the kitchen counter with a beer in his hand.
“They were good,” she says breezily, her eyes widening suddenly. “Ooh, Shea. I ran into a guy from the party. He’s like,superinterested in you. He said you were the hottest girl at the frat house last night. Even in that ridiculously large sweatshirt.” She performs a little drum roll on the kitchen table. “He wants your number.”
My pulse starts to hammer in my ears.
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see that Jason’s beer has paused halfway to his mouth. I sneak a glance in his direction, noting that his jaw is clenched.
“Oh, um…” I try to swallow but my throat is too dry. “I’m not really interested in dating anyone right now. I’ll pass.”
“What? But he’s so cute. I alreadygavehim your number.” Emma’s laugh is incredulous. “He’s on the football team. I was sure you’d say yes!”
Jason sets his beer down with a hardthunk.
Even from a few yards away, his anger is palpable.
“If he calls,” I say. “I’ll just explain to him that I’m not dating anyone right now.”
“But think of the double dates we could go on!” Emma whines.
“Yeah,” I manage, trapped. “I…um…”
