Page 138 of Girls Night
All I wanted her to do was cross what’s left of the line and just be done with it, for both our sake.
“I can’t believe I’ve really let you talk me into doing this,” she says as we slide into my car and throw on our seatbelts.
I know, I know.She’s only said so over a dozen times throughout the day.
“It’s gonna be fine, you’ll see,” I repeatfor the dozenth time, pulling down the sun visor to slide open the mirror. “When we’re sipping champagne with a bunch of other kids from school and it turns out to be one hell of Rush party, you’ll thank me for giving you the extra push.” And hopefully when that happens, I’ll get her unapologetically closer.
We spent so many years keeping each other at bay.
I’m done with that.
Kaia hums by way of agreement and fishes her phone out of her clutch. “We’ll see. At least I’ll have the most beautiful date there,andsince you won’t let me drive, I get to play DJ. That’s two wins for the night already. Hopefully we don’t die.”
I’m laughing at that last bit, but on the inside I’m mildly swooning over theat least I’ll have the most beautiful date there.One last look in the mirror and I’m shutting the visor. “We’re not gonna die, but I came up with a safety measure just in case.”
Her brow perks at my admission, and she shifts in her seat enough to face me. “Do tell.”
“If we pull up to the house and don’t see any other cars, we’ll keep driving and come back home, okay?”
She doesn’t so much as mull it over, outstretching her hand to me. “I like that. Deal.”
I’m expecting to feel the sizzle of her touch, but she goes beyond that, yanking me toward her hard enough that her lips just barely graze mine. “I also meant what I said. Hottest date and all of that. You look gorgeous, Jules,” she murmurs.
“I gotta hold up next to you,” I shrug, “can’t have these people think a show stopper like you would bring a hag as your plus one.”
She really is in full, lethal glam too, and damn is it a beautifully rare sight.
Kaia smiles, stealing the breath right out of me as a hand gently and unexpectedly encompasses my throat. “Knocked it out of the park, baby girl. Red is your color.”
I think I die a little right there at the term of endearment, melting into a puddle. Another shaky breath leaves me, eyes falling shut as my heart slams against my chest in anticipation. Here’s another one of those moments I was talking about... “Kiss me, Kai,” I whisper.
I can literally feel her smile. “Ask and you shall receive.”
Is that really all I had to—
My entire body sings the second her mouth seals over mine, dissolving whatever thoughts were floating at the forefront. This just feels so...right.If my eyes were open, they’d probably roll to the back of my head—that’s how right it feels. I don’t want it to end, almost whimpering when she eases back.
“C’mon, we’re gonna be late. There’s plenty more of those to come when you least expect them. Just gotta make sure we don’t die,” she winks.
“We’re not gonna die,” I laugh, “Although I may die if you keep kissing me like that.”
“You told me to try you, remember?” she counters, opening Spotify on her phone. “I’ll be trying you all night,if we don’t die,so brace yourself.”
“Oh my God, we’re not gonna die, okay?” I laugh again. “So bring it, don’t hold back.”
My reply?Pitbull’s“Time of Our Lives” fading in through the speakers as she leans forward and turns up the volume.
A fitting choice in retrospect.
Not that we knew it then, of course.
Chapter Nine
Kaia
There’s cars.
There’s actual fucking cars, at least twenty or so when we pull up to the old Plantation house just before nine. It may be old, but clearly, it’s been well-kept over the years, and it’s absolutely beautiful. Bright, white paint, cozy furniture on the illuminated porch. What I notice almost immediately is that none of it gives me that ominous vibe the invitation did, and as Jules shuts off her car, I actually breathe an audible sigh of relief.
