Page 23 of Make Me Stay

“Right.”

Wouldn’t want Wyatt to know what we were doing. Because I wouldn’t stick around.

I glanced over my shoulder to see her wounded eyes, turned back, and kept walking because all I wanted to do was gather her up against me and never fucking let go.

I listened for her car to start. She peeled out, kicking up dirt as she revved her engine.

I’d pissed her off. Hell, I was pissed off too.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

It was just supposed to be for fun. To make Lexi feel alive and wanted while I was in town. No strings.

No rings.

I slapped the hood of my truck. Why the fuck did I think about a ring?

That life wasn’t for me. It never had been. I liked traveling the world. I liked not having any responsibilities other than making money enough to get to the next stop on my list.

Annoyed, I took off for my brother’s shop. I couldn’t trust myself to go to Wyatt’s place right now.

Ripley was the eldest of all of us and owned an auto detailing shop on the edges of Indigo Valley. It was an old parts factory that used to make bicycles, but Rip had picked it up on auction then gutted it and created bays for his cars. His Indian was tucked in the first bay, with the next two open. A gorgeous cherry red Firebird was up on one of the lifts with Frank happily tinkering under it.

Rip was changing out tires on the next bay. It was a monster, boxy Jeep with tires nearly half my height. He looked up when I pulled up and parked. He walked out, ever-present red rag in hand. “What brings you out here, Kai?”

I stepped down and stuffed my hands in my pockets. “Not sure. Just wasn’t ready to go home, I guess.”

“You and Wyatt beefing?”

I snickered. “Wyatt would rather walk than throw a punch.”

He leaned against my front panel, pulling out a pack of Dentyne and offering me a piece. “With that swollen mouth, I’d say girl problems instead.”

I took one and popped the gum in my mouth. The familiar bite of cinnamon dragged me back ten years. Back then, Rip had worked at a different garage, and he’d helped me fix up my first car. I’d been tempted to ride out of town even then at sixteen. It wasn’t like I had a bad home life, just annoyed that everyone was in my business all the time.

I should be annoyed at the question now, but instead, I stared at my boots. “Yeah, I probably fucked up.”

“Married?”

I lifted my gaze. “No. That’s just stupid.”

Rip lifted a shoulder. “Does it count if you didn’t know?”

I laughed. “In this town, you should have known.”

“True, but it wasn’t in town.” He tucked his rag in his back pocket. “So, how did you fuck up?”

“Lexi.”

He whistled. “Boy, you are dumb.”

“I know. I didn’t mean to.”

Rip snickered. “What? Did you trip and your dick fall in?”

“No. She wanted to have some fun, and I know I should have said no.”

He pushed off the truck. “This conversation needs a Dr. Pepper.”

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