Page 48 of Undeniable

“Only two?” he asked, and I nodded. “When?”

I threw him an exasperated look. “What is with the third degree? Do you want to know how they were in bed, too?”

When he didn’t respond, I peeked over at him, coming to a stop at one of the three red lights in town. The muscles in his jaw flexed and his throat bobbed as he slowly swallowed. He’d crumbled the bag of candy in his fist.

“Never mind,” he finally ground out. “I don’t want a play-by-play.”

I thought he muttered something about torture, but I didn’t have a chance to ask what he said.

Our houses finally came into view as the tension in the car ratcheted up once again. Our reprieve was momentary, but it had at least lasted until we made it most of the way home.

I just hoped we’d last the next four days together.

SIXTEEN

James

The momentwe pulled into the driveway of my parents’ house, I was simultaneously relieved and more nervous than I ever remembered being.

The first thirty minutes and the last ten minutes of the drive were pure hell, but the middle was like no time had passed between us. I didn’t think we stopped talking for nearly an hour until I’d made the fatal error of asking about her previous relationships.

I don’t even know how we got on the topic or why I asked—the question was out of my mouth before I could think of what I was asking. It was the very last thing I wanted to know. The boys, or so-called men she’d been with, I would’ve preferred to remain nameless and faceless. Because maybe if I didn’t know those details, its effect wouldn’t be as strong.

“My mom told me to meet everyone here,” Ivy explained. “They’re going to shit a brick when they see you.”

I grunted and tried to suppress my nerves. It felt like a good idea to surprise my family and friends until Ivy made me second-guess that decision the moment we got in the car.

But I was already there and there was no time to be nervous.

“Well, let’s hope it doesn’t hurt too bad on the way out,” I quipped as I opened the door. I watched Ivy slowly close her eyes and shake her head at my horrendous joke. She nearly laughed.

Something in my chest stirred at the idea of her laughing or, hell, even smiling at me. But I suppressed the feeling for the time being.

I grabbed both of our duffels from the trunk before she was even halfway out of the car. With one in each hand, I passed a scowling Ivy and hurried up the stone walkway lined with flowers our moms had planted together, only to pause at the screen door.

I could hear the commotion on the other side, and I really dreaded walking into a crowd.

“Rethinking your plan?” Ivy stepped up beside me and lifted her light-red brows in question. I studied her green eyes, plump pink lips and freckled cheeks for a moment before I took a deep breath.

It smelled like flowers. Likehome.

“Nope, let’s do this.”

I shifted both of our bags to one hand and hauled open the screen door. Ivy shook her head and pushed open the wooden door on the other side.

“Ivy, that you?” my mom called, and hope blossomed in my chest at the happiness in her voice.

“Hi, yeah, it’s me, and…” she trailed off, which I took as my cue to walk in behind her.

I stepped inside, the air conditioning quickly cooling my heated skin, and waved to the sea of faces staring back at me.

“Hey, everyone,” I smiled and waved.

“Wha—” My mom’s jaw dropped and her hands flew to cover her mouth. “You’re—I—” she stuttered a few times, starting and stopping several words before I dropped our bags near the door and crossed to her. She immediately wrapped her arms around my waist, and I could feel her begin to shake against me.

My nerves shattered, and relief washed over me.

“Good surprise?” I asked, and she chuckled, pulling back and wiping at her eyes.

---