Page 51 of Miss Understood

Little does Kennedy know that’s exactly what scares me: finding any amount of happiness in someone else. That’s how hearts get broken. People quit, or leave, or, worse, they die. They leave people behind. I saw what that feels like in my father’s eyes after we lost my mom, and I know I’ll never be ready for it.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I pat her hand, and a new song starts, catching her attention.

“Oh, my God, this is my favorite song!” Kennedy screams.

Monica laughs and rolls her eyes. “You say that about every song.”

She’s not wrong.

Kennedy gives Monica a playful shove and starts dancing in place along with the rest of the stadium.

After a while, I even find myself getting caught up in the music. Swaying along to the hits from the radio and even singing some of the lyrics. Monica ditches her phone in her pocket, and we spend the rest of the concert with arms linked, the three of us against the world. I’m not sure what I did to deserve friends who understand me when I don’t even understand myself, but I’m lucky to have them.

By the encore, we’re leaning into each other’s bodies just to stay standing. Energy hums through the stadium, and my head is euphoric. I close my eyes on the final song, and there’s something in Sebastian’s words that cuts right through me.

Loneliness was enough until you.

It was enough. I was enough. But now all I can seem to think about is getting back home to Jesse. The thought is overwhelming, terrifying, and no matter how much sand I throw on top of it, pieces peek through.

It takes longer to get out of the venue than the length of concert itself, and by the time I finally get back to the apartment, my feet hurt, my head is pounding, and I’m sticky with sweat. Not a great look.

I grab a large glass of water, but it does nothing to soothe my throat after all the screaming.

“Fun night?” I jump at the sound of Jesse’s voice.

I turn around and find him coming out of the hallway shirtless in a thin pair of black sweats. It might be the high from the concert, but one look at his hard pecs has my head spinning even more.

“You’re up late,” I tell him. My eyes dart to the clock, and I realize it’s already two in the morning.

“Heard you come in.” He takes a step forward. A delicious grin stretches his face as he looks me over. “You look so fucking hot right now, babe.”

I wipe cold, damp hair off my face and laugh. “I appreciate the compliment, but I’m a mess. I swear it was a thousand degrees in that place.”

Jesse closes in on me, and I have to crane my neck up to look at him. He pushes my hair off my face, raking his nails along my scalp in the process, and I can’t help but let out a moan. He grips my hair and pulls my head back, bringing his lips to my neck and kissing a trail up it. My skin is humming, and I don’t realize I’ve lost track of his other hand until his fingers cup my pussy over my jeans.

“Oh, God,” I whimper as he tugs my hair harder.

“I’ve been hard thinking about you for hours, and my hand is a sad replacement for this perfect pussy.” Jesse squeezes, and I’m instantly wet. “Did you have fun at the show while the thought of you sweaty and dancing tortured me?”

“Yes,” I breathe as he traces the base of my throat with his tongue.

Whatever has gotten into him has my entire body in flames. Jesse lifts his head up enough to hover his mouth over mine. His minty breath is short and almost panicked.

“You’re going to make up for that,” he growls.

He reaches his hand between my legs to grab my ass, and it almost lifts me up off my feet. I dip my fingers under the waistband of his sweats and wrap my hand around his rock-hard cock, stroking from the wet tip down slowly. A growl rumbles in Jesse’s chest, and the raw heat that radiates off him soaks me instantly.

“Take me to bed and I will,” I whisper in his ear.

Jesse bends down to wrap his hands around my thighs, and I grab his waist with my legs as he carries me across the apartment. His teeth sink into my neck, and I let out a scream.

“Yes, ma’am.”

19

Jesse

I’mnotsurehowmy bed never felt empty before.

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