by Lexi Lawton
Much like Kylie, Trisha had come into his life unexpectedly, a whirlwind of a girl who had intrigued him from the moment he’d met her. He’d thought she was everything he’d wanted—until, like a fool, he’d rushed into things and then destroyed them just as fast. Granted, the destruction of their relationship was mostly because of Trisha’s actions. She’d never told him she was a virgin, and once she started to regret what they’d done, she lied about how things had happened between them, blaming him and trashing his reputation. He needed to take precautions now, before he ended up ruining Kylie’s life like Trisha claimed he’d ruined hers.
“Shit.” He dragged his hand through his hair. Then he remembered he had a date with Kylie tonight. His breakfast threatened to come back up at the thought of canceling on her. That was the very last thing he wanted to do, but he knew himself, he knew how he felt when he was around her, and he couldn’t be alone with her. He was the first one to admit he liked to mess around, have some fun, but never at the expense of anyone’s feelings—especially not Kylie’s.
He raced back downstairs. “Finn, I need a favor.”
“Sure, anything.”
“I need you and Celeste to double with me and Kylie tonight.”
“Really?”
Xander nodded. His plan was stupid, and he was pretty sure Kylie would be pissed at him, but a double date was better than canceling completely.
“Sorry, man. Can’t. I’ve got that future leaders meeting tonight, remember?”
“Shit. Yeah, okay.” Defeated, he pulled out his cell phone. “Can you give me Celeste’s number?” He dialed as Finn gave it to him, hoping Kylie still had the phone in her possession. While he waited for her to answer, he racked his brain for another option, something he could do with her that would involve a lot of people with no chance of alone time. He came up blank.
“Hello?”
He smiled at the sound of her voice. “Hey, Kylie. It’s Xander.” He gave Finn a dejected look and then headed up to his room.
“Calling. Definitely classier than a cock shot.”
He couldn’t stop the abrupt laughter that escaped. Only she could elicit that kind of reaction from him in the middle of his freak-out. He entered his room, closed the door, and flopped down on the bed. “You sound disappointed.”
“It’s hard to be disappointed when I haven’t even seen the goods yet. I have a very vivid imagination.”
“Is that so?” He tucked his hand behind his head and grinned.
“In fact, now that I think about it, I’m not sure I want to see the goods. Reality rarely lives up to my expectations.”
“Reality will shatter your expectations, sweetheart. Trust me.” His heart rate spiked, and his stomach fluttered. A wave of longing settled over him, wrapping him in the knowledge that this girl was exactly what he’d been looking for.
Her soft, teasing laughter tickled his senses. “So cocky.”
“Confident.”
“Right. Forgot. Sorry.”
His smile spread, and he was powerless to stop it. As he lay there listening to her breathe and speak, he realized he liked the way she made him feel. In the short time he’d known her, he’d grown to crave her company. He actually missed her when they weren’t together.
“Was there something you wanted?”
He barely stopped himself from saying “you” when he remembered why he’d called her in the first place. His smile faded, and he closed his eyes. “Yeah, I forgot I had a meeting thing with Finn tonight. Can we do dinner another time?”
“Oh yeah. Sure. Whatever.” The playfulness was gone from her voice, replaced with disappointment.
If he could kick his own ass, he would. What the fuck was wrong with him? He’d met his match with her. She kept him on his toes, made him laugh, and he was seconds away from ruining it. And for what? Because she was a virgin?
Yet, there he was.
Falling hard and fast for Kylie.
“We could get together after your thing if you want,” she said.
He draped his arm over his face and let out a frustrated breath. “I don’t know how long it’ll take. I’ll, um, call you tomorrow?”
“Sure.” Her tone was flat, almost lifeless.
“We’ll definitely reschedule. I promise.” And he meant it. “Maybe we can double with Finn and Celeste or something.”
“Yeah. Okay.” There was a rustling noise on her end, and then he swore he heard her sniffle. If she was crying… He squeezed his eyes shut, pushing away the knowledge that he was responsible for the pain in her voice.
“Look, I have to get to class.” She ended the call without so much as a good-bye.
He tossed his phone to the foot of his bed. Was he really that much of a dickhead? Kylie wasn’t stupid. She knew he was blowing her off. He could hear the understanding in her voice, feel it in her clipped response. And then she’d hung up on him. No matter how much he liked her, he absolutely refused to destroy her innocence. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t be her friend.
…
“Xander!” Finn banged on the door.
Startled, he jumped out of bed and yawned. He didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned again. “What?” He opened the door.
“Stop jerking it, and get your ass up. You’ve got class in ten minutes, and Brad will be back in five. Don’t let him catch you cat napping.”
What had started out as a pretty good day was quickly turning to shit. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” He rushed around his room and gathered the books he’d need for his next class. After everything else today, the last thing he needed was for Brad to show up and give him another ass chewing.
Finn stepped into the room and leaned against the wall. “Did you talk to Kylie?”
“Yeah.” He flung a notebook onto the floor, looking for his Business Ethics paper he’d written. The assignment was due today, and if he didn’t turn it in, he’d get a failing grade—which meant both his father and Brad would be on his case again.
“And?”
“I canceled our date for tonight.” He found his paper and shoved it inside his textbook. “Told her I had something to do with you.” He headed for the door, patted Finn’s shoulder, and grinned. “You don’t mind covering for me, right?”
Finn rolled his eyes. “Don’t be a coward. Face her. Give her a chance.”
“Thanks for the advice, Dr. Phil.” He shook his head and left his room. What the hell did Finn know about anything?
Xander raced across campus toward Milton Hall when he saw Kylie coming out of the English building. He stopped, knowing he really didn’t have the time, but he couldn’t help himself. “Hey! Kylie!” He waved.
She hesitated for a moment, then walked toward him. “Hey.” She averted her gaze as if she were suddenly shy and didn’t know how to act around him.
“I’m really sorry about tonight,” he blurted, desperate to make things right with her. “I have class now, but after we can go grab coffee if you want.”
“I don’t drink coffee.”
“Yes, you do. You drank coffee at the Dive.”
She gave him the faintest hint of a smile. “Yeah, well, that was then. I’ve decided to quit.”
“You’re quitting coffee?” He grinned.
She nodded. “It will stunt my growth.”
God, she was adorable in the sexiest way. He chuckled. “Okay, so I’ll get coffee, and you can get whatever you want. Tea. Water. Soda. Liquor.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, then mentally kicked himself.
“It’s a tempting offer, but I have a study group after my next class.”
“For Professor Jamison’s class?” He had forgotten about that study group, but considering this was his second time taking the class, he really should be in that group. And now that he knew she was going to be there, he had a hell of a lot more incentive to attend.
“Yeah, that’s the one.” She adjusted the strap of her backpack on her shoulder.
“Then I’ll see you there.”
“You will?”
He nodded. “Don’t look so shocked. I do study, you know.”
“Like, with actual books and stuff?”
“Ha ha. Funny.” He reached for her hand and was pleased when she didn’t pull away. He stroked her knuckles with his thumb, wishing he could pull her into his arms, show her how she made him feel. Simply touching her hand ignited his body with need.
His gaze fell to where their hands were interlocked. The image of their bodies tangling like their hands flashed through his mind, and he suppressed a shudder. He had to keep reminding himself that she was a virgin. But how pure was she? Oh God. That morning wasn’t her first real kiss, was it? His forehead broke out in a cold sweat, and he took a shaky breath.
She gave his hand a squeeze. “If you actually show up at the study group, I’ll have coffee waiting for you.” She pulled her hand from his, letting her fingers linger for a bit before dropping her arm to her side. She turned and headed in the opposite direction.
He tilted his head and appreciated the view of her walking away, the way her jeans hugged her ass with each step she took. He licked his lips.
“Oh”—she stopped and glanced back at him—“and I’ll be there waiting for you, too.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and continued walking.
He exhaled loudly. Well, so much for taking things slow.
Chapter Fifteen
Study group started and ended with no sight of Xander. The coffee Kylie bought for him had gone cold. As she tucked her books into her backpack, she wondered what had happened. Did he forget? Had something come up that prevented him from showing up? Or was he trying to avoid her?
They’d had a lot of fun together last night and again this morning. Then, suddenly, he’s canceling their date, blowing her off, and acting weird. Had she done or said something wrong? He couldn’t still be mad about the picture Finn sent. It’s not like she’d asked for it or anything. And as soon as she realized what it was, she closed out of the message and didn’t look at it again. Hell, they’d even joked about it.
Then another thought struck her—his attitude had changed after their kiss. After she’d stupidly blurted out that she was a virgin. He’d congratulated her and stumbled over his words as if he couldn’t decide exactly what he’d wanted to say. Queasiness bombarded her, and she took several deep breaths, waiting for it to pass. He hadn’t liked kissing her. That had to be it. Or he was turned off by her admission. Her face heated with shame. God, she never should have told him. At least, not yet. But if that kiss was any indication about where things were headed, he needed to know the truth. She wanted him to know.
Tears pricking her eyes, she flung her bag over her shoulder, snatched the coffee cup, and left the library. On her way out, she threw the cup in the trash, not caring that the liquid splashed onto her hand. Now that she didn’t have any plans for the night, maybe she and Celeste could hang out. Check out a party or two. And if Kylie was lucky, she might be able to get her mind off Xander. Because whatever relationship they’d been building, however brief, was over.
She walked across campus, her mind reeling with questions. If she only knew what happened, what caused his abrupt change in attitude, she might be able to deal with it and move on. But not knowing was torture. She could ask him, but what were the chances he’d answer her honestly? As she approached her residence hall, Celeste was coming out the front door.
“Kylie!” She waved her hands frantically. “I’ve been trying to call you on my phone. Why haven’t you answered?”
“I had it on silent because I was in the library for a study group.” She pulled the phone out and checked it. Sure enough, there were several missed calls. “Sorry.”
“Sheriff McIntire called the front desk looking for you.”
Kylie’s stomach dropped, and her mood took an even bigger nosedive. “What did he want?”
“Your father went to the nursing home, demanding Nammy Joyce give him money for legal fees and the key to the house. I guess he caused a pretty big scene and upset some of the other residents. He was arrested again.”
Well, that explained why the home hadn’t called yet. She took several deep breaths, forcing the rage growing inside her to settle. “Of course he did.” Her voice was tight, and she curled her free hand into a fist. When would her father ever learn? “What the hell does the sheriff expect me to do about it?”
Celeste shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I suppose I should call him back.” Kylie handed the phone to Celeste. “I’ll see if I can call from the RA’s room. You have class now, right?”
“Yeah.” Celeste frowned. “But I can skip if you want. Y’know, for moral support.”
“Thanks, but you don’t have to do that.”
“You sure?”
She nodded. “But you can hang out with me tonight. Xander canceled our date.”
“He did?” Celeste’s eyes widened, and shock colored her expression. “Why?”
“Said he had some sort of meeting thing to do with Finn.” She opened the door and stepped into the lobby. Celeste followed. “I don’t know, but I think he’s giving me the brush-off.”
“I’m sure that’s not what’s happening.” She placed her hand on Kylie’s shoulder and smiled sympathetically. “Did he reschedule?”
“Nope.” Kylie shook her head and shoved her key into the door of their room. “And he blew me off for our study group, too.” She opened the door and tossed her bag on the floor. “He’s obviously not interested.”
“Ky.” Celeste sighed heavily. “Just because he has something to do tonight doesn’t mean he’s not interested. Relax, okay? Let things happen however they’re going to happen.”
She flopped down on her bed. “You’re probably right.”
“Of course I am. Now, call the sheriff, take a nap, do whatever. But be ready to go out tonight.”
“Sounds fun.” She smiled.
Celeste gathered her stuff and left for class. Kylie blew out a heavy breath and looked around the room. Even though she was thrilled to finally be on her own in college, this room wasn’t home. She missed Nammy Joyce and all her wisdom. And she really missed the home-cooked meals. Her stomach grumbled loudly. She’d only eaten a couple of granola bars between classes, and she was starving.
Reluctantly, she trudged down the hall to the RA’s room and knocked on the door.
Hannah answered with a smile. “Hey.” She squinted and tapped her finger to her lips as if she were trying to work out some complicated problem. “Hmm…Kylie, right?”
“Yeah.” She shoved her hands into her pockets and shifted on her feet. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could use your phone. Mine’s temporarily out of commission.”
“Of course.” Hannah stepped aside and ushered her in. “It’s right over there.” She pointed toward a cordless phone sitting on the end of a desk. During freshman orientation, they were informed that all RA’s had landline phones in their rooms—for emergencies only. She assumed calling to check in on her jailbird father could be construed as an emergency.
Kylie grabbed the phone and dialed Sheriff Rick’s number. He answered on the first ring. “Hi, Rick. It’s Kylie Quinn. I understand my father’s staying with you again.” She kept her back to Hannah, hoping she wouldn’t eavesdrop.
Rick sighed and rustled some papers. “Sadly, yes. He caused quite the scene at the nursing home.”
“Was he drunk again?” She didn’t know why she bothered to ask when she knew the answer. Her father only had two conditions: drunk or passed out.
“Surprisingly, no, he wasn’t. But he was highly agitated, and we have reason to suspect he might have taken something.”
She rolled her eyes. Wonderful. Now her father wasn’t just an alcoholic; he was a druggie, too. “What happened? Why was he at the home?”
“He was demanding money for his legal fees, and he wanted access to the house. Unfortunately, your gra
ndmother didn’t recognize him, and he thought she was faking it. She became extremely upset. The nurse had to give her something to calm her.”
Kylie never should’ve left home. She closed her eyes and bit down on her lip, praying she could keep the tears away long enough to get through this phone call and out of Hannah’s room.
“We arrested him, again, and the judge set bail. Again.” His voice was full of aggravation. “His girlfriend posted it for him about thirty minutes ago. I’ve sent a uniformed officer back to the home to keep an eye on your grandmother.”
“Thank you.” She didn’t know her father had a girlfriend, but that explained how he was able to get out of jail so quickly. Last Kylie knew, her father was broke and sleeping on friends’ couches.
“The DA and Judge Romero are getting real tired of seeing your father. If he doesn’t straighten up, they’re going to come down real hard on him.”
“Good. He deserves it.” Her strained relationship with her father was no secret. Neither was the fact that his own mother had disowned him.
“I wanted you to know what was going on,” Sheriff Rick said.
“I appreciate you keeping me informed, Rick, but really, it’s not necessary. My father hasn’t cared about me or my well-being for years. I’m simply trying to return the favor.”
There was a long pause, and then Rick said, “So what you’re saying is you’d like me to stop calling you.”
“Yes. If he gets locked up for life or winds up dead, then call me.”
“Okay.” There was another pause. “You’re a good girl, Kylie. I’m sorry you’ve got an asshole for a father.”
She looked up at the ceiling, losing the fight against the tears pooling in her eyes. “Thanks.”
“If you need anything, call me, all right?”
“Yes.” She said a quick good-bye and hung up. Rick was a good man, a pillar in her hometown. He was a shining example of the type of father she’d always wanted, and he tried more than once to convince her to reunite with her dad. She wasn’t the problem, though. Her father was. He couldn’t stay sober long enough to even have a serious conversation, let alone a “normal” relationship.
