Page 112 of Summer Ever After
“Areyou sure we have to go to dinner?” Walker leans over to my side of the golf cart, trailing his lips down my neck in a tranquilizing way.
This entire afternoon has my heart ramming into my rib cage. I’ve never been in this position before, where the physicality in my relationship matches the emotional bond. I’ve liked guys before, thought they were interesting and enjoyed their company, but my feelings went dormant from there.
The opposite is happening with Walker. He excites parts of me that I didn’t even know existed, pooling my stomach with heated attraction over and over again.
Despite the nibbles on my ear, I focus enough to answer him back. “It’s important to Capri that we’re at dinner. Tonight, she wants to tell you about her relationship with Tristan.”
“But I already know,” his lips mumble against my skin.
“Pretend you don’t.” I dip my head back, giving Walker room to work while also keeping one eye on the surrounding area so we don’t get caught kissing in a golf cart down the street from Tala’s house.
I’m a sixteen-year-old who’s out past curfew, and it’s kind of fun—if I don’t think about Capri.
“Fine, we’ll go inside to dinner, but first,one more kiss.” Walker cups my cheek, gently moving his mouth from my ear to my lips. Chills ripple over my skin as I relax against his fiery touch.
If he keeps this up, we might never make it inside.
The truth is, I don’t want to go to dinner either. I’d rather hang out with Walkeralone. I know we’ve been together all day on the golf course, but there were so many people around. I felt like they were watching us like spies Capri hired to catch me in my deception. But even with the guilt, the few stolen kisses I shared with Walker behind palm trees and down in bunkers weren’t nearly enough.
I’m like a forty-year-old woman with a bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs—never satisfied with just one delicious piece. Each time I pop one in my mouth, I tell myself it will be the last one, but then I just keep coming back for more until the entire bag is gone.
That’s how I feel with Walker.
One touch, one kiss, one moment is not enough to satisfy.
I briefly close my eyes, giving in to his tempting kiss, until a golf cart in the distance jerks me to action. I scoot away from him before anyone sees.
“Relax, Jane.” Walker laughs as the teens drive by. “What’s the worst thing that will happen if someone sees us?”
“Oh, I don’t know. They could tell Capri, and she’d feel bad that I kept this secret from her and that I went against her wishes to stay away from you.”
“If you’re that good of friends, she’ll forgive you for a little thing like us making out in a golf cart.”
That’s the problem. This isn’t alittle thingto me. Walker Collins kissing me and wanting me is the biggest thing that’s happened in my life. It even beats the time I had dinner inNashville with my parents and Taylor Swift. These are more than stolen kisses to me. They’re dreams coming true.
I know it sounds cheesy and pathetic, and I’ve consumed far too many happy-ending stories in my life, but I can’t help it.
The hardest part is casually playing off my feelings, because in one week, Walker leaves Sunset Harbor, and he isn’t coming back.
I’m the idiot over here using gasoline and matches, hoping I don’t get third-degree burns when the fire starts. Capri was right to tell me not to get involved. She’s trying to protect me from a broken heart, but it’s not like my heart was fine before I jumped all in with Walker.
I was miserable.
Every second I wasn’t with him, my heart ached.
I’d never felt lonelier in my life than I did this last month when I wanted Walker but couldn’t have him. And that’s saying something for an only child whose parents worked out of town a lot.
In nine days, that heartbreak will return with a vengeance, but I don’t care. I’ll deal with the aftermath of my choices when I get there. For now, I’m only thinking about how good it feels to be with him, enjoying the ride while it lasts.
But even in this twitterpated era, I have enough sense to keep Capri in the dark until this whole thing blows over, and I can show her I’m fine—or at least fake that I’m fine. I know she’ll forgive me. I’m just not looking forward to the disappointment in her eyes. I’ve always put our friendship first—until now.
“Well, I’m giving it a few days before I tell her about us.”
I don’t want to lose this dream state where falling in love is the only thing that matters.
“I’m not complaining.” A charming smile pulls across Walker’s mouth. “Sneaking around is kind of fun.”
“Don’t use the wordsneaking.” I grimace, feeling bad. “I’m a good, honest person.”
