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Hollywood’s eyebrow rose. “Hot for you?”
I shrugged. That about summed it up. “Dakota is okay with it if we get together. She told him as much. And if it’s not going to upset her, then…why not?”
“Well, only you can answer that,” Hollywood said. “I just worry because I think you really like this guy. And if he doesn’t feel the same way—”
“So what if he doesn’t? We’re just hooking up. We’re not starting a relationship. This isn’t like you and Tex or Knight and Aiden, okay? It’s just sex.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Yeah. It’s the most I can expect. It’s more than I thought I’d get with him. And I just…need this, okay?” I opened my Hummer door. “I gotta go. He’s waiting at my place.”
“Okay.” Hollywood took a step back from the Hummer. “Just be careful. I don’t want you hurting more than you already do.”
“I will.”
I shut the door, started the engine, and fired a text off to Kit.
omw. Don’t go anywhere.
CHAPTER 18
KIT
I skulked outside Joey’s pool house. There was really no better way to put it. I stood to the side of the sliding door, resisting the urge to let myself in. The wind cut through my hoodie, telling me it would soon be time to break out a winter coat, and blew my bangs into my eyes.
The porch light snapped on at the main house and the front door opened. I edged farther into the shrubbery growing to the side of Joey’s door.
Joey’s dad stepped out, checked his ornate mailbox affixed to a porch column, then glanced in my direction. I ducked down. Shit. What if he saw me? What if he came over?
What the hell was I doing here, anyway? This was madness. I’d told Dakota I had to work late—which I did, because I couldn’t stand to lie to my sister—but on the way home, I’d detoured to Joey’s place.
It wasn’t planned. But also, I didn’t really need to work all that late, so maybe it was—in the deep reaches of my subconscious that didn’t want to admit how much I wanted to see him again.
Fuck. I should just leave.
A motor rumbled. Joey’s dad turned as headlights cut across the circle driveway. A yellow Hummer continued around the drive, veering toward the pool house and coming to a stop.
Joey hopped out of the door and glanced around, missing me in the gloom—and the shrubbery.
He turned and raised a hand in a wave. His dad waved back, then disappeared into the house. I exhaled, some tension leeching out of me.
“Kit?” he called softly as he walked forward. “Are you here?”
I edged out of the shadows—and the shrubs—quietly, hoping he wouldn’t see just how much skulking I’d done.
“Damn,” he said, voice heavy. “Of course he left.”
He started toward the door—then jumped when I took another step forward.
“I’m here.”
“Shit.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “You just like to scare me, huh?”
“Didn’t want your dad to see me.”
“Fair.” He slid the door open. “Next time, just go inside and wait for me.”
I walked into blessed warmth. “What makes you think there will be a next time?”
