Page 13 of March’s Bad Boy: Ty

I let out a breath slowly, "Good."

She tilts her head, studying me. "What are you doing here, Ty?"

I swallow hard. "Kara, I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to be that guy..." I trail off, trying to find the words to make her understand.

"What guy?" she asks softly as she studies me.

Go big or go home, right?

"The guy who just sits back and watches you fall for someone else. I don'twantto bethatguy."

Her expression softens. "Ty..."

I step closer, my fingers twitching at my sides. "Tell me I'm not crazy. Tell me you feel it too."

She exhales shakily. "I do."

Relief floods through me. "Then let's stop pretending there isn't something more between us."

Without hesitating, she steps into me, closing the space between us, and I don't waste another second. I cup her face, tilting her chin up, and kiss her like I've been dying to since last night. Like she's the only thing in the world that matters because right now she is.

She melts against me, her hands gripping my shirt, pulling me closer. It's different from last night, no hesitation, no second-guessing. Just us, finally giving in.

When we break apart, I rest my forehead against hers, breathing hard.

"What now?" she whispers.

I brush my thumb over her cheek, grinning smugly. "Now, I'm taking you home."

She grins. "Your home?"

"Yeah," I murmur, pressing another kiss to her lips.

She knows that it's a big deal. I may have slept around, but I had one rule I didn't break. No girls at my house. It's easier for me to get away if I'm the one leaving. It's much harder to kick someone out.

Kara has been to my place because she's my friend. Now she's more and I still want her in my space. I don't hesitate. Quickly, I open the car door and help her in.

Without bothering to wipe the smile off my face, I walk over to my side and get in. I notice she's on her phone and the smile is gone from her face.

"Everything okay?" I ask when I start the car.

"Yeah, I had to text Caitlin and let her know you showed up. I had slipped into the bathroom to ask her to come get me earlier," she says.

"Why didn't you call me?" I hope she knows she can always call me.

"It felt weird after that kiss," she says, blushing a beautiful shade of pink.

I reach for her hand and bring it up to my mouth, kissing it.

"You can always call me. Even if things are weird between us," I say.

She smiles big at me and that’s all I need.

Not much is said on the rest of the drive, but the second we step inside my house, the air shifts. Kara fidgets slightly, biting her lip.

"Hey," I say softly, tilting her chin up. "We don't have to do anything you're not ready for."

Her cheeks flush. "It's not that... I just--I know you've been with a lot of women, and I haven't--"

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