Page 42 of Ice, Love, & Other Penalties

I make it three steps before Dad calls out, “You forgot the dog, the cat . . . Oh, and your laptop.”

I halt in my tracks, cursing internally. After a few seconds of trying to think of what to do I choose the most logical thing. “Have Jude bring them to my place. He owes me.”

With that I leave and don’t look back.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ty: Your brother just threatened to smash my face if I ever dare to glance into your direction. Which may become an issue if you’re taking care of Myra. Should I wear a blindfold from now on?

Indie: Oh, God, I swear I’m going to disown my entire family. And that blindfold joke is terrible—don’t quit your day job to become a comedian.

Ty: I can be funny when I try, don’t kill the dream.

Indie: What is it you want? I’m not in the mood today.

Ty: So, I take it you told your family about the memorable kiss we shared earlier today. It’s good to know that it made an impact on you too.

Indie: First of all, there’s nothing memorable about it. It was okay at best. Second, I didn’t go telling anyone. My older sister guessed. She told my parents because . . . I still don’t understand why this is part of her recovery. It sounded more like a way to fuck with me.

Ty: So, I don’t understand who told your brother. Not that I care. I’m not afraid of him.

Indie: Who knows what happened after my sister blurted the information to my parents. We Deckers are like a small town. Gossip spreads like wildfire and it’s impossible to extinguish.

Ty: Okay, but let’s circle back to the kiss, shall we?

Indie: Forget about it.

Ty: I couldn’t even if I tried, but also, you think that kiss was just, okay? We might need to repeat it until I get it right. I was going for something like . . . It was unforgettable, out of this world—best kiss I’ve ever had.

Indie:I hate to break it to you buddy, but it wasn’t that great. I’d give it a four.

Ty: On the scale of one to three?

Indie: Ha! Nope. It’d be on the scale of one to twenty.

Ty: Ouch, that hurts. (rubs chest gently)

Indie: You can’t tell me that was an unforgettable kiss. It was just lust and nothing important.

Ty: I see what you’re doing.

Indie: What am I doing?

Ty: You’re trying to deny that something happened during that kiss.

Indie: No. I’m pretty aware that you stuck your tongue inside my mouth. Because that’s all that happened between us.

Ty: Call it whatever you want, but you kissed me back, which means you did feel something. If you want to deny it, that’s on you.

Indie: Good sentence, I like the way you started it and ended it. You’re not just a jock. Have you thought about writing fictional stories for a living?

Ty: I’ll let your sarcasm slide, because, let’s face it, we’re talking about something much deeper than a playful kiss here. You’re right, I don’t just think it—I know it. That kiss? It shattered all expectations, rewrote the rules you’ve played by. But it’s not just about craving another taste, another moment. It’s the fear, isn’t it? The fear of what it means to need someone so intensely, to have that craving turn into a necessity. You’re scared, because deep down, you know. You know that one more kiss, one more moment of surrender, and there’s no turning back. You were on the edge of something irreversible, something that could redefine you. And that, my darling, is the real reason you’re holding back. The reason why you want me to forget it even happened.

Indie: That’s a pretty arrogant statement.

Ty: I can honestly say that I enjoyed your mouth and I want more—a lot more than just that tiny kiss. I want to burn inside you—have more. That kiss? It was just the beginning. I want the full experience to burn so brightly together that we light up the night sky.

Indie: Umm . . . that’s too intense. It was just a fucking kiss. You do understand nothing can happen between us, right?

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