I bite my lip, nodding.
He smiles against my skin. “Then let’s have some fun, and we’ll tell them once we have a clear getaway. Give them time to process.”
“Kind of cowardly of you,” I muse.
He gives me a love bite, his teeth barely sinking into my flesh. “I’m thinking of you. I know how you get when Mom is upset. Some space may help you both work through your emotions better. Dad is going to try to kill me. I don’t want you there for that.”
I roll my eyes. “Very chivalrous of you, but if we’re doing this, we’re in it together.”
Kaden rises up on his knees, tilting his chin up as his eyes become hooded. “I fucking love you.”
“I love you too,” I giggle as I kiss him.
Chapter twenty-seven
Melody
Twodayslater,mycab is pulling up the stone driveway that holds every beautiful memory of my newfound family since I was ten. I notice Kaden’s bike is parked at the end, and I snatch my bag excitedly off the seat.
He wanted to stay at Cornell with me and just drive me home, but I told him it would draw too much attention. Especially if we’re going to have fun with this.
Maybe now I can convince him to give me another ride on his bike. The first time I ever rode one was the night of the party that he picked me up from. I didn’t even get the chance to enjoy it because I was so angry with him…
Thinking of that first kiss still leaves me reeling. How had I never seen his love before then? It was right there in front of my face the whole time.
As the cab stops, I tip the driver before stepping out. Mom is already running down the steps, the front door wide open, before she crushes me in a tight squeeze.
I laugh, hugging her back. “You act like you haven’t seen me!”
“Oh, I missed you so much!” She gushes. “FaceTime isn’t the same, Jellybean.”
“I missed you, too,” I smile. Dad stands in the doorway now, grey streaks running along the sides of his dark hair as he tucks his hands into his slack pockets.
“It’s good to have you home,” he says warmly, taking the steps before smothering Mom and me in a bear hug. “Both of our kids are under the same roof again.”
Kaden steps into view, his dark jeans tucked into his boots and a black t-shirt stretching across his chest as he crosses his arms and leans a shoulder against the frame. My heart picks up at his crooked grin. “Hey, little sister.”
His greeting has heat pooling in my lower belly as my cheeks twinge red. “Hey.”
He steps down, sauntering over before encasing me in a hug as if he hasn’t been staying the night every other weekend in my dorm. It’s all a part of our game, and the excitement has me clutching the back of his shirt in my fists.
His lips turn into my hair subtly, his voice barely a whisper. “You look good enough to eat.”
I swallow, releasing him as I plaster on a smile. “I missed you, too.”
Mom pats my shoulder before wrapping an arm around Kaden’s waist. “We have so much to talk about! Dinner is almost ready.”
“How does chili sound?” Dad asks as we shuffle inside.
I can feel Kaden’s heated stare, his eyes caressing slowly over me. “Sounds fucking amazing…”
“That’s the spirit!” Mom says joyously, unaware that her son isn’t thinking about food right now. We move into the dining room as Kaden helps Dad set the table. Mom questions me about midterms and my final project for Botany 101. Easy conversation flows, the evening full of hearty laughs, and a connection I’ve missed since being away from home.
Kaden’s hand rests on my thigh under the table, his finger dangerously close to the crook as his pinky rubs in slow circles. Every pass makes me fidget in place, my blood sizzling with something forbidden. Across from us, our parents remain oblivious. Mom is rambling about coming to visit during homecoming, and Dad is catching us up on everything that’s been happening with his business.
“Kaden has also been working on something big, I hear,” Dad says with pride as he points his spoon at my brother. “How’s the business with Ivan coming?”
He tenses. It’s faint, but I feel it when his pinky slows on my thigh. “We’re looking to get it up and running soon. By next week.”
