Page 49 of Faking Summer
"Think of it this way—you've got one more weapon. Me."
She didn't respond immediately, instead she drifted over to lean on the side of my truck, resting the back of one boot against my tire. It was a casual move, too casual, as if trying to shake off the intensity that had built up between us.
"I don’t need you for that. You use that power, wealth, and evenstrength of yours to get whatever you want, Reese," Caroline looked away. Her voice was softer now but still held an edge. "But don't use it for me, that’s the last thing I want."
I stayed silent just watching her, taking in the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the way the moonlight played on the strands of her hair, turning them silver. She knew who I was, what I could do, but she didn’t care. I could buy anything I wanted, command attention with a snap of my fingers, but here, with her, none of that mattered. Here, with her, I was just me—flawed, reckless, and inexplicably drawn to the fire that burned in her eyes.
I leaned closer, the metal of the truck cool against my palm as I rested it above her, caging her in. "You have no idea the things I'd do to give you whatever you want." My voice dropped to a husky whisper.
Her breathing hitched, almost imperceptible, but I caught it—an intimate tell that betrayed her composure.
"We both know you don't really care about what I want," she shot back. "You just care about you."
"Is that what you think?" I asked, but she said nothing, so I continued. "Tell me then, Caroline," I whispered, leaning in so that our breaths mingled, so that our bodies were almost touching. "What do you want?"
“A lot of things,” she breathed. The heat of her gaze flickered between my eyes and lips. “But nothing you can give me.”
I wasn’t entirely certain what she meant by that statement, but all I could hope was that I was somewhere on that list of hers and that she wanted me just as bad as I wanted her.
"You’d be surprised at the things I can make happen,” I said, my gaze dropping to the hem of her jean shorts as my fingers traced the edge, brushing lightly, just enough to tease out a shiver that raised goosebumps along her sun-kissed skin.
“Oh, I’ve noticed what you can make happen,” she forced the words out between quick shaky breaths.
"Well, I noticed you tonight," I confessed, my finger tracing a slow, invisible path lower—just short of danger. "In these shorts, in these boots… you had my full attention.”
She swallowed hard, but her voice stayed steady and defiant. "Maybe I’m not interested in having your attention."
A slow smirk tugged at my lips as I leaned in closer, my voice dark with desire. "Oh, you are. And you have it. Because all night, all I could think about was peeling this outfit off of you, leaving nothing on but those damn boots."
"Why do you have to say shit like that?" she whispered, like she was genuinely trying to understand.
My hand hovered, barely brushing the curve of her thigh. "Because it’s true." I pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, wanting her to feel every word. "You’re not just the kind of beautiful that turns heads. You’re the kind that lingers—the kind that gets under my skin, stays in my thoughts, and makes forgetting it impossible."
The breeze pushed a strand of hair across her face. Without thought, my fingers reached up, tucking it behind her ear, lingering against the warmth of her skin. I cradled her cheek tenderly, thumb brushing ever so softly. Her eyes fluttered as she began to close the space between us.
"Caroline, are you ready to go?" Sam's voice interrupted.
Painfully, I retracted, stepping back as Caroline shifted away, her body untangling from under me. "Um, no, I'm okay," she stammered, glancing at Sam before her eyes found mine again. "I’ll get a ride home."
Sam's scrutinizing gaze slid between us, searching Caroline's expression for any hint of doubt. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, all good," Caroline assured her, her voice finding its usual firmness.
"Okay," Sam relented with a nod, then added, "You killed it out there tonight." Her praise was genuine, but herattention flipped back to me, a pointed look sharpening her features. "And seriously, text me when you’re home safe."
“I will… promise,” Caroline tossed back with a smile.
Sam looked suspicious but she seemed to accept the claim, turning back to Caroline with an affectionate squeeze of her arm before disappearing around the corner.
twenty-one
Caroline
"No parties tonight?" I asked, leaning against Reese’s kitchen counter, arms crossed, as he walked around with his usual cocky swagger.
He flashed that roguish grin. "Girl, I am the party."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop a hint of a smile. "You're something, alright."
