Page 83 of Love Me Reckless

I kissed a man who is not my fiancé.

When Sawyer gripped the back of my neck and pulled me closer, a wild heat broke free inside me. All I could think of wasmore.

More hungry kisses. More of his firm touch. His quickening breaths. Underneath his jeans, he was hard and thick. Did just kissing me do that to him?

“Kirilee!” Birch snaps.

Shit. “Sorry, what?”

“Call your parents.”

“Oh, right.” I dig out my phone. When I toggle it out of Do Not Disturb, my screen explodes with messages and missed calls. Guilt trickles through me.

My dad answers on the first ring. “Where are you?”

“With Birch.”

He huffs a sigh but it’s mixed with frustration. “Do you have any idea what you’ve put us through? Your mother had to take medication.”

I wince. “I’m sorry. I had something I needed to do.”

“What could possibly be more important than your safety?”

I frown. “What makes you think I wasn’t safe?”

“Why did you leave your car in Pinedale?”

“I wanted to ride with my friend.”

Birch gives me a sideways glance. Did he see me on Sawyer’s lap? The truck’s back window is blocked by the canopy, but the windows were foggy and I’m pretty sure my cheeks were flushed.

“When we can’t reach you, it brings up a lot for us.”

I shrink into my chair. “I’m sorry.”

“You’ve always been so good, Kirilee. Never careless like this. Promise me it won’t happen again.”

Outside the window, the mountain landscape passes by in a dark blur. Making this promise feels heavy, and sad.

And final. Like a dead end. “Okay.”

My dad releases a tight sigh. “Good. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

We end the call and I slip my phone back into my purse. Birch pulls up to my car, looking so foreign in the bare little lot.

“I’ll follow you to Grayhawk,” he says.

My skin prickles with dread. “I think I’ll just go home.”

“Was that an option?”

My stomach drops.

“It’s time you start acting like my fiancée,Kirilee.”

Acting. At least he got that part right. I want to scream. Instead, I cover my mouth with my hands and breathe in slowly.

---