Page 27 of Kissing Chaos
I watch the gears turning through Jett’s eyes as her body begins to sink in on itself, her eyes becoming guarded like she just upped her mental shields with a thought.
What are you hiding, chaos?
McKenna comes out of the back hallway carrying an armful of blankets. She’s been noticeably absent for the last little bit while she unpacked boxes in Jett’s bedroom. She sets about organizing blankets and more pillows than I’ve ever seen in one room but pauses a brief moment when Jett asks if Reece is back there somewhere.
“Um, yeah. He’s in the bathroom, I think,” McKenna replies as she gets back to organizing.
When Reece slips quietly back into the room a few minutes later, I chance a look at Jett to see if she notices her friend’s blush. When it becomes obvious Jett is clueless to what just went down with her best friend and her brother, I look over at Jace, who just shakes his head in warning.
Don’t ask, he mouths at me. Turning back to the girls, he says, “Y’all wanna go down to the bar and I’ll get Buck to whip up something to eat?”
That nervous air wraps around Jett again as she hesitates in her task for a split second before continuing. She’s good at hiding it. I’ll give her that.
“What if we get him to just throw together some burgers and bring them back up here? I could definitely go for some of Buck’s grilling,” I suggest to the group without taking my eyes off the green-eyed beauty that wants nothing to do with me. Hell, she’s barely spoken a full sentence to me since she let me into her loft. But her eyes meet mine at my suggestion, and she nods and looks at Jace and Reece.
“Y’all good with picking it up and bringing it back here? I’m not exactly feeling the wholesocial with strangersthing tonight.”
The guys agree and slip out the door after a few words with the girls. Jace asks if I want to come, too, but I tell him I need to let Sadie back in from the backyard. Jett drops onto the couch and pulls a heavy looking blanket over herself while McKenna continues unpacking some of the smaller boxes the guys didn’t want to mess with, since we had no clue how to organize anything how Jett would want it.
I drift over to Jett, dropping into a squat so that I’m on the same level as her. “I need to let my dog back in. You good if I come back over to eat?”
She nods, like she’s in some sort of trance. I glance over at McKenna, but she isn’t paying us any attention.
I try again, “Jett.”
“Hmm,” she murmurs, her eyes finally shooting to mine. A faint blush coats her cheeks at being caught unaware. “Sorry. Can you repeat whatever you asked?”
“I asked if you were okay with me coming back over after I let my dog back inside. You nodded, but it didn’t seem like anyone was home.”
“Yeah, it’s fine.” Her eyes dart left, and she sucks that lip in again.
This time, I don’t stop my impulses. I reach forward and slide my thumb over her plump lower lip, gently separating it from the grip her teeth have on it before cupping her cheek.
“If you don’t want me to, just say so, sweet girl. If you’d rather I don’t come back over, I won’t.”
A silent sigh releases from her body, drawing some of the tension in her shoulders with it.
“Thank you,” she whispers. “For giving me an out. But if you want to come hang out with the guys, that’s fine. I probably won’t last much longer. Today’s worn me out. I have so much to still do—I know I do—but right now I just want to crash. And now I’m rambling on about things that don’t concern you.”
The utter look of shock and embarrassment that washes over her face is adorable. She covers her face with both sweatshirt-covered hands and peeks between them.
“I don’t mean it like that, I just meant—”
“I promise, I get it, Jett. I’ll be back soon, yeah?”
She nods, dropping her hands back to her lap, but the blush remains in her cheeks. I stand and slip out the door, ignoring the questioning look I can feel McKenna shooting at me.
11
Jett
It is close to ten when everyone finally leaves. Between swearing to Reece that I’m a fully functional and capable adult and convincing McKenna I don’t need her to stay the night—again, I’m a big kid now—I am pooped.
Sleep sounds amazing, yet my brain is currently bouncing around roughly eight different scenarios in my head. All of them include a ruggedly handsome mechanic that happens to live next door.
Noah left before everyone else, claiming he had to get up early in the morning. Who knows, maybe he does. All I know is I didn’t want him to leave, which is messed up, because I don’t even know the guy. Not past the few conversations we’ve had.
And I should be heartbroken. I think.
