Forever Love: A Friends to Lovers Collections Page 32

  “I’m glad you said yes.” He started the car.

  “Yes to the first trip, or this one?”

  “Both.” He took my hand in his. “I’m glad you said yes to everything.”

  The drive out to Kiawah was quiet and beautiful, and despite the humidity, I rolled down my window to enjoy the slight breeze and the scenery. Air conditioning is nice, but it takes away from the real experience.

  Kyle held my hand for nearly the entire forty-five minute drive out, pointing out a few sites along the way. After driving through two security gates, Kyle pulled into the driveway. “We’re here.”

  We got out, and I climbed the steep front steps while I waited for Kyle to unlock the front door. The house was large and open, the main living area was all one space. There were doors all over that I assumed led to bedrooms and bathrooms, but I didn’t spend much time exploring. We quickly got changed and made the small walk to the beach. I paused to look at a large turtle swimming in a lagoon.

  “Let’s hope a gator doesn’t get him,” Kyle teased.

  “Are there a lot of alligators here?” I asked.

  “Tons, but I’ll protect you.” He waggled an eyebrow.

  “Good because I was really nervous.” I bumped my shoulder into his.

  The beach was flat and covered with firm sand. It was the kind of sand that would make good sandcastles, not that I planned to make one.

  I wasted no time laying out my towel. We’d gotten a late start, and I didn’t want to waste a minute of beach time. Kyle laid his towel down right on top of mine. I didn’t mind, although with the beating sun, I knew it was going to get hot.

  The afternoon passed quickly, and I lay down on my back to take a quick nap. I woke up sometime later, and found Kyle staring at me.

  “You do know this isn't how normal people date.” I pulled down my sunglasses onto my eyes from where they'd been sitting on the top of my head.

  “What do you mean? I took you out for a day at the beach, and then we'll go home for dinner.” He sat up on his elbows.

  I tried not to stare at his chest too much. I would never get tired of seeing him without his shirt on. “Well, it's a nice date.”

  “Wait. Are you officially calling this a date?”

  “Maybe.” I bit back a smile.

  “Only maybe? I guess that means I need to try harder with dinner.”

  “What are we having for dinner?” I rolled over onto my stomach.

  “Kebabs and a chocolate torte for dessert.”

  “When did you go shopping?”

  “This morning.”

  “Wait.” I sat up. “You came all the way out here this morning?”

  “It’s less than an hour drive.”

  “Each way.”

  “I wanted to make tonight special.” His brown hair fell into his eyes. He’d let it grow out longer than I’d ever seen it.

  “You’re sweet.”

  “So are you.” He brushed his lips against mine.

  “I’m not sure we’re talking about the same kind of sweet.”

  “I don’t think we are.” His eyes twinkled.

  I glanced around at the kids playing in a tidal pool a little ways down the beach. “I’m ready to head back to the house.”

  “Funny, I was thinking the same thing.” He stood up and held out a hand to help me up. After shaking the sand off the towels, we made the short walk back to his parents’ house. It still amazed me that I was seeing a guy wealthy enough to have a beach house.

  We rinsed off in the outdoor shower before walking inside.

  “Think you got all the sand off outside, or do you need another shower?” He grinned.

  “I think I’m good. All that dinner talk got me hungry.”

  “I can make us a snack or a drink. Whatever.”

  “You’re really aiming to please today.”

  He put his hands on my waist over the towel I had wrapped around me. “I always aim to please.”

  * * *

  After a fabulous dinner, a shared bottle of wine, and a starry night walk on the beach, we eventually made it to bed. I was exhausted from the sun, but excited to spend a night with Kyle when I wasn’t worried about Savy and Glen overhearing.

  “Could you get naked already?” I teased Kyle. He was taking his time that night.

  “In a hurry, are you?” He grinned before running his lips down my neck. “I don’t see any reason to rush things tonight.”

  “Of course you don’t. As usual I’m the one who wants it more.” I was only half kidding.

  “Is that what you think?” He moved over me. His grin widened. “That I don’t want you?”

  I nodded, ignoring that I was only in a bra and underwear while he still had his shorts on.

  “It’s exactly the opposite.” He gently pulled one of my bra straps down my shoulder. “I don’t like rushing things. I want to savor every moment.”

  “I could understand if this was the first time, but it’s not. We do this all the time now.”

  “We do. Don’t we?” He pulled down my other bra strap. “Funny how that happened.”

  “You know very well how it happened.” I tried to calm down my body. No guy had ever made me want them more than Kyle. You’d think after all the times we spent together I wouldn’t be as affected, but it had only gotten worse.

  “Do I?” He unbuttoned his shorts before getting up just enough to toss them off.

  “Yes. You do.”

  He left tiny kisses on my shoulder while he reached around and unclasped my bra. “Was it because you threatened to start having random hook-up sex?”

  “No. It was because you made me pretend to be your fake girlfriend.”

  “Made you?” He tossed my bra where he’d thrown his pants. “I seem to remember you agreeing without a fight.”

  “That’s not how I remember it.”

  His mouth descended on my breast. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  He lifted up his head. “Then maybe we should stop. If you don’t actually want to be with me, then we shouldn’t be doing this.”

  I pulled his head back down. “We should be doing this.” I didn’t actually believe the words, but I didn’t care. I needed him, and I wanted to believe he needed me.

  He grazed my nipple with his teeth. “Why should we be?”

  “Because we work. This works.” I reached into his boxers and took him in my hand.

  He groaned. “Stop trying to distract me.”

  “You are already distracting me.”

  “You want distracting?” He hooked his finger in the side of my panties.

  “Yes, distraction is good.”

  “I knew you were going to say that.” He slowly eased my panties out of his way.

  “Distract me.” I let go of him, so he’d have all the attention he needed.

  “Are you sure?” He pushed the cotton material slightly further down.

  “Completely sure.”

  He brushed his lips against my shoulder. “Then tell me the truth.”

  “The truth about what?” I breathed out. Just having his hand that close to me was making me hot. I wasn’t sure how much longer I was going to be able to wait.

  “Why you agreed to pretend to be my girlfriend.” He slid my panties all the way down to my ankles. I kicked them off before he could get any idea about putting them back on.

  “Because I liked you, and it was a free trip.” He ran his finger along my inner thigh.

  “And now? Do you still ‘like me’?”

  “If I admit that my feelings for you go beyond sex, will you stop teasing and get busy?”

  He grinned. “Say it as more of a statement.”

  “My feelings for you go way beyond like.”

  “Way beyond?” He kissed me gently.

  “Yes.”

  “And does that go beyond sex?” His eyes locked with mine.

  “Yes.”

  He kissed me hard on the lips. “I’ve waited so long t
o hear that.”

  “Now it’s your turn.”

  “You already know it, but why not? Jade, my feelings for you are deeper than the world will ever know.”

  I pushed up against his chest. “Be serious. If I’m being honest, so are you.”

  “I’m crazy about you Jade, and it only gets stronger every day.”

  “We’re going to work. This is going to work,” I said to convince myself.

  “Of course we are.”

  Kyle’s phone rang from where he’d left it in the kitchen. He ignored it.

  “You know if we’re really together that means you’re only my second boyfriend.”

  “Yeah? I like the number two.”

  “I don’t want to know what I am for you.”

  “You’re the only one who counts.” He ran his lips over my ear.

  His phone rang again.

  “Maybe you should get that.”

  “Weren’t you the one telling me to hurry up?”

  “Yes, yes I was.”

  “Whoever it is can wait.”

  “I feel honored.”

  He moved above me. “You should feel honored. You’re always going to come first with me.”

  * * *

  “Is it me, or was it even better that time?” He ran his hands through my tangled hair.

  “It was.”

  “It’s amazing what honesty can do.”

  “Says the guy who had me pretend to be his girlfriend.”

  “It turns out that was honest.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Keep telling yourself that.”

  “I mean things can be so much more intense when we’re open with each other.”

  “I agree.”

  “Does that mean you’ll finally tell me?” He ran his lips along the sensitive spot on my neck.

  “Tell you what?” I shivered from the contact of his lips. He knew exactly where to touch me.

  “Why you were afraid.”

  “I wasn’t aware I was afraid.”

  “Savy told me.”

  “Told you what?” I sat up.

  He sighed. “Don’t get mad, but she told me you were afraid I was going to get bored and walk away from you.”

  “I told her that privately.” I couldn’t believe she’d betray me like that.

  “If it helps, it was an accident. She didn’t mean to tell me.”

  “Uh huh.”

  “And it helped. I was going crazy trying to figure it out.”

  “It was still private.”

  “Don’t be mad. She cares about you.”

  “I know.” I wouldn’t stay mad for long. Savy was unnaturally invested in Kyle and me getting together. Cara was too. She’d have probably done something similar if she weren’t across the country.

  “So? Why were you?”

  “Because I’ve been hurt before.” I lay back down next to Kyle.

  “By who?” He ran his hand down my back.

  “The guy I dated in high school.” I couldn’t believe I was admitting any of this.

  “What happened?” Kyle encouraged me to continue.

  “I fell really hard, and well, he didn’t. Not even when I told him I was pregnant.”

  “You were pregnant?” Kyle looked at me funny. “You’ve got a kid?”

  “I had a miscarriage. It happened right after I found out he’d already moved on—to my best friend. I always wondered if I hadn’t gotten so upset, would it have turned out differently?” My body went numb thinking about it. No matter how much time passed it still hurt.

  He took my hands in his. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all that… but you have to know it wasn’t your fault.”

  I shrugged. “I guess I successfully ruined the mood for tonight.”

  “No. You didn’t ruin it.”

  “I did. Why don’t you fix it? Tell me something happy.”

  “Something happy?” He continued to run his fingers up and down my arm. “Okay. When I think happy I think about my grandfather’s old hunting cabin. Dylan and I used to spend a few weeks there in the summer, and it’s like all of our cares and worries disappeared. It was so relaxing, so tranquil. I haven’t been back in years, but it’s my favorite place and I’ll have to take you some time.”

  “Sounds nice. I like tranquil.”

  “I know. I saw you on that hike.”

  I rested my head on his chest.

  “I’m sorry you’ve been hurt, Jade.”

  “Yeah well, life involves hurt.”

  “It does. It involves a lot of hurt,” he mumbled.

  I turned to look at him better. “Do you know that from experience?”

  “Let’s not go there. We’re supposed to be focusing on the good now. Life involves hurt, but it also involves happiness and love.”

  “It does.” I wanted him to keep talking, but I didn’t want to push him and ruin the night. Things were going to work, we’d figure it out. I squeezed his hand, and I could have stayed in that moment forever.

  Kyle

  Dropping Jade off after our night away was easier than the last time I dropped her off. I knew she was ready to give us a shot, and that was all I needed. Sure, there would be road blocks, like segueing back into the regular school year, but we could handle it. We could handle it all.

  I was flying on cloud nine as I drove back to my apartment. The sex had been even better the night before. She wasn’t holding back with me and it showed. I couldn’t wait to see what our next night together would bring. Just thinking about it had me grinning, and I didn’t care one bit. After weeks of uncertainty, I finally had what I wanted.

  It was late enough in the morning that most people were at work, so I was able to get a good parking spot right out front of my building. I locked my car and ran up to my apartment.

  “Glen?” I called out as I opened the door. I couldn’t remember if he had class or not.

  He didn’t answer so I went right to my room. I finished unpacking my bag before I finally picked up my phone. I had three missed calls and a couple of messages. They were all from the night before and all from my brother. I’d been right to ignore the calls. He was probably wasted and asking for more money. Still, I had to listen.

  I hit play on the first message. Hey Kyle, you around? I need to talk to you.

  Nothing new there. I skipped to the next one. I really need to talk to you. Where the hell are you?

  And then the last one. Call me the fuck back. I have to talk to you now.

  I tossed my phone on the bed while I started to boot up my laptop. What would it be this time? More gambling debts? More stupid decisions at the company? I needed to call him back, but I wasn’t ready yet. I wanted to pretend my life was normal for a few minutes.

  My phone rang. I expected to see Dylan’s name on the screen, but it was my dad’s. He never called. He always made my mom do it.

  “Dad?” I said his name hesitantly. I had to be in some kind of trouble for him to be calling.

  “Kyle.” He said my name formally. “I have some news.”

  “What kind of news?” My chest tightened. No news from Dad was going to be good.

  “Not the good kind.” His voice was strained.

  “Is everything okay?” My body went numb. I thought over the messages from Dylan. Had he gone and done something stupid? Had he been arrested or was he in more trouble with Russo?

  “It’s your brother,” Dad choked out, and if I wasn’t imagining things I’d have thought he were crying.

  “What about Dylan?” My mouth went dry.

  Dad didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he cleared his throat. “He’s gone.”

  “What?” I pushed the phone more firmly against my ear. “Like he’s missing?”

  “No. He’s gone, Kyle. His car went off a bridge.”

  I couldn’t be hearing right. “That’s not possible. Why are you saying that?”

  “I’m saying it because someone has to. Someone had to tell you, and your mother can barely spea
k.” He fell into silence, and I knew he was trying to compose himself. “We’re having the funeral down in Charleston where the family plot is.”

  “No. There’s got to be a mistake. Is this some kind of joke?” I checked the screen of the phone again. It displayed my dad’s name, and it was his voice, but my dad would never mess with me like that. Dylan was the only one who’d joke about something like that. Was this all Dylan’s idea? Scare me into caring or something?

  “There’s no mistake, and I need you to hold yourself together for your mother’s sake.”

  “Hold myself together? You just told me my brother’s dead.” I felt the sting of tears in my eyes.

  “And my son is dead, but there are some things a man has to do. I’ll be in contact with all the details.” He hung up.

  My body went cold. This couldn’t be real. I had to be sleeping or something. Dylan dead? It made no sense.

  I pressed play on the message from earlier again.

  Hey Kyle, you around? I need to talk to you.

  I really need to talk to you. Where the hell are you?

  Call me the fuck back. I have to talk to you now.

  Dad had said his car went off the bridge. Was that purposeful? Had I ignored his calls to what, fuck a girl?

  I felt the blackness setting in, spreading around me. It had been months, almost years since I’d felt it and this time I knew it wasn’t going anywhere. Dylan was dead, and I’d done nothing to help him. He’d called me. I’d ignored his plea for help because I was too busy with a girl. Too busy with a girl who I’d had to spend over a month convincing that she even really liked me.

  All of the times I’d helped Dylan were worthless now because I wasn’t there for him when he needed me most. I’d failed him, and I’d failed my family.

  I dropped my phone. I didn’t know what to do. What to feel. The darkness swirled around me again, and I gave in. What was the use of fighting it anyway?

  Jade

  I tossed my phone across the room. Kyle still wasn’t returning my calls. I was right from the beginning. Sleeping with him was a mistake. I’d bared my soul to him, sharing my most painful memory, and now he was ignoring me? He hadn’t even showed up at the station for my show. We’d never gone this long without talking since the Lake George trip.