Page 7 of No Second Chances

“Let’s go to my house,” she says quietly once we are away from everyone else. “So I don’t have to do the walk of shame in the morning.”

I struggle to hold on to the little bit of control that I have left and nod once. I’ll take her to the moon if it means that I get to be with her. Kennedy leads the way to my truck, and I open the passenger door like a gentleman. When she goes to step up, I know there will be issues. Her brother has a massively lifted truck, yeah, but his beast has nothing on mine. During the summer, I go mudding. That means big wheels and a lift kit to bring my Dodge Ram up to snuff. Kennedy takes one look at the seat and looks at me over her shoulder, catching me staring at her ass.

“You’re gonna have to help me.”

Her words are the invitation I need to put my hands on her body again. I do in my next breath, lifting her up by the hips and helping her get in. I even avert my eyes, mostly. Even though there is nothing that can erase the wisp of hot pink that I see from under that dress.

She doesn’t say a single word to me after that until we are sitting in the driveway outside her house. The silence between us is charged with our growing need and I know without a shadow of a doubt that she wants this. Still, that doesn’t stop me from asking.

“Kennedy.” My voice breaks on her name. All I can do is cough to hide it. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

She turns to face me then, tears in her eyes that break my heart.

“Of course, I want this.” Her words are worse than any blade to my skin could be. “I wore this dress in front of those people, didn’t I?” She waves one hand over her dress, drawing my eyes to her exquisite body. “You just rescued me.”

My eyes snap back to hers. “What do you mean?”

She wraps her arms around her chest, doing her best to shut me out. Even when she looks out the window into the darkness, she is still beautiful. There isn’t any other option, so I lean over the center console and brush her hair behind her ear, using my hand to gently turn her face to mine.

“Look at me, Kennedy.” I don’t mean for the words to come out like they do, but that doesn’t stop them from sounding like a harsh demand. One I’m glad she obeys when her eyes meet mine. “Tell me what happened.”

She hedges but gives in just enough. “I was uncomfortable. You got me out of there. Thank you.” Kennedy turns her lips into my hand and kisses my palm, effectively dismissing my question.

All the uncertainty is gone when she opens her eyes again. “Come inside with me.”

I’m not a genius, but I’m also not a complete idiot. I go with her, willing to take anything she is going to give me. The entire time I follow her up to her room, I know I’m one lucky fool.

4

KENNEDY

To say that I’m nervous is a massive understatement. Had I cleaned my room before leaving for the party? Yes. Does that mean that I am one hundred percent comfortable with Linc seeing everything inside it? Hell no. But am I worried about him seeing me naked? Yes… Yes, I really am, more than I want to admit.

None of that stops me from leading him through the silent house and up the stairs to my room. Nerves, fears, and worries that would have made it impossible to even try moving forward with anyone else only fuel me on when it comes to Linc. Sweaty palms, butterflies, everything I’m currently experiencing can all be attributed to the fact that I am finally going to get Linc.

It should have been him.

Shaking my head at the intrusive thoughts, I walk into the bedroom with my head held high and a smile on my face. Sure, it is a nervous smile, but it is a smile, nonetheless.

“Finally,” he breathes against the nape of my neck.

I didn’t even realize he was that close. Still, as soon as the door clicks shut behind him, there is no mistaking the desire that flares in Linc’s eyes.

He doesn’t make a move, though. Instead, he crosses his arms over his chest and tilts his head to the side.

“You wore that just to torture me, didn’t you?”

The way his voice caresses my skin sends sparks of anticipation down my spine.

“Yep.” The honest answer slips off my tongue easily enough. “I wanted you to see me. No one else.”

Linc snorts but doesn’t move any closer than he already is. “It sure as fuck worked. I almost beat Ray’s head in for staring at you all night. I could literally see him touching you in my mind, and there’s no way I’d let that happen.”

“You’re not touching me.” The words come out before I can stop them.

Those words don’t come out alone; with them comes the insecurities that I’ve worked so hard to hide. The problem is that they aren’t some tiny things peeping out from behind the mirror or even out from under the bed. They are standing right in front of me, like a wall blocking out the way I know Linc is looking at me. All I’ve wanted, for longer than I can remember, is him. At this very moment he is literally standing in my room, with a tent practically bulging his pants. Yet, I don’t feel like I’m enough; all of my courage, my confidence has vanished.

“Hey.”

---