She turns her head towards the window before she explains. “No. It’s been a battle to finish high school, so I know they won’t agree to college. By then I won’t be their problem anyways…” She trails off and I get the feeling once again she’s keeping something from me.
“Have they made it official?”
She faces me and I can see the turmoil in her eyes. “I don’t want to ruin tonight.”
Damn!
They’ve set a date.
How much time have they given us? A couple months? A couple weeks? A day? Could this be the last time I see Wyn? Was tonight her telling me goodbye? She wouldn’t leave me that way; she’d at least tell me. She said she’ll tell me in a few days and I’m going to choose to believe that and not push it now.
I swallow down my fear and force myself to say. “Okay.”
“Have you applied to any schools yet?” She asks, changing the subject.
“Truth?” I ask, clearing my throat.
She looks at me questioningly and says. “Truth.”
“I’m not applying to any colleges. I plan on enlisting after the summer is over.”
“But the counselor…”
“I was going to tell her, but then she brought you in and all I could think about was that I’d get a chance to spend time with you.” I confess, scrubbing my face with my hands to hide my embarrassment.
She pulls my hands from my face and keeps them in hers. “Don’t be embarrassed. I’ve never had anyone do something like that to be near me. It’s sweet. You’re sweet.”
I use her holding my hands to my advantage and I pull her to my side of the couch, positioning her with her back to my chest, my arms wrapped around her waist and my face in her neck. “You make me sweet.” I mumble against her neck, causing her to softly moan.
“Tell me about your parents.”
“Well, you know Dad’s in the army. He’s been in since I was little. I think he’s like you in the sense that he likes to help people. Mom helps at Aunt Kelly’s bakery. That’s my cousin Nate’s mom and she’s Mom’s sister.”
“Nate’s the one who rear ended the police car, right?”
“I guess everyone heard about that, huh?” I chuckle.
“I think he told everyone about it himself.” She giggles. I should’ve known Nate spread the story around himself. He loves being the center of attention; good or bad, it doesn’t matter to him.
“How does your mom handle your dad being gone so much?” She asks, snuggling closer to my chest and resting her head against my shoulder.
“I won’t lie to you. It’s hard on her. I’ve asked her the same question before because I’ve watched her cry every time he leaves. But she told me she understands that he’s doing what he thinks is right and she supports that because she loves him.”
“She sounds like a strong lady.”
“She is and she’d like to meet you.” Wyn tenses in my arms and I give her a gentle squeeze to relax her. “Don’t worry. She’ll love you.”
“I-I-I…” She stammers.
“Calm down. I’ve told her all about you and she really wants to meet you. Just consider, please.”
“I’ll meet her.” She agrees softly.
“Thank you. So tell me about Dani. You two are close and I don’t know anything about her.”
“Dani’s been my partner in crime since we were little. She married my youngest brother, Adam, last year and they’re having a baby girl this spring. They’re naming her after me.” She turns her head and smiles up at me.
“Really?”
“Ok, it’s only the middle name. But I’m still going to call her Lil’ Wyn.” I enjoy watching her face light up at the talk of her unborn niece, but it’s bitter sweet because I know this little girl is another reason why she won’t be able to leave her gypsy life behind for me.
I press a kiss right below her ear and tell her. “This world could use a few more Wyn’s.”
She turns around and straddles my lap. “One of me is enough. I don’t need the competition.”
“Competition?” I ask, arching one eye brow.
“Well, any version of me is going to want you, so I’m glad there’s only one of me. That way, I won’t have to kick my own butt to keep you.” She explains, causing me to laugh.
I tickle her side as I tease. “You’re such a dork.”
“Then you must be one too, because you love me. And dork attracts dork.” She giggles, tickling me back.
“If loving you makes me a dork, then I’ll gladly take that title.” I say, grabbing her hands to stop the tickling.
Leaning in, she sucks my bottom lip in between hers and nibbles on it, the same way I’ve watched her do with her own lip when she’s nervous. I release her hands so I can hold the back of her head, deepening the kiss. Her hands fall to the buttons of my shirt and she slowly unhooks them. Then, pulling my t-shirt free of my pants, she slips her hand up my abs. Her fingers trail along each sculpted ridge of my abdomen and I hear myself take a sharp breath. She’s trying to torture me.
Grabbing her wrists, I grumble. “I’m not sure I can handle this.”
“I only wanted to see what you felt like under that shirt.” She pouts.
“Oh, I’m enjoying it, but I know you don’t want to do more. And if you keep touching me like that, I’m going to want to touch you like that. And that’s going to make me want to do more.” I explain, releasing her wrists.
“Oh.” she exclaims as her face lightens up with innocence.
Running my hand over her hair to soothe her, I explain. “I’ll never push you. But you need to know there’s only so much I’ll be able to handle before we’ll have to pull back, so I can calm down.”
“And you’ll let me know when you need to do that?” She asks from behind her lowered lashes.
“I promise, I will.” I say, placing my hand along her jaw to tilt her eyes up to mine.
“Can I kiss you again?” She asks quietly.
Not even trying to hide my smile, I reply. “If you don’t do it soon, I’m going to flip you onto your back and kiss you myself.”
“Ok. Ok! No need to get violent. I’ll kiss you if I must.” She groans and rolls her eyes.
“Well, get to it, woman.” I urge on a chuckle as I place both my hands on her waist.
Grinning, she leans back into me and captures my lips with hers. And I know at that moment that having her lips on me is as close as I’ll ever get to heaven without actually dying.
Chapter 12 – Wyn
“Change Your Mind~
“Did you bring me a change of clothes?” I ask Dani, slipping my heels off onto the passenger side floorboard.
“Duffle bags on the back seat and I made sure to include my make-up bag. You don’t want to go home with your lips looking freshly kissed.”
Climbing between the front seats, I plop myself in the back and grab the duffle bag off the floorboard. Linc and I were running behind to meet Dani this morning. So now I’m forced to change clothes while Dani drives us to my parent’s house, but I don’t regret it because it gave me extra time alone with Linc.
I pull out the outfit Dani has brought and sit stunned. Then looking in the rearview mirror, I catch her smiling eyes. “Really?”
“I couldn’t resist.” She says, trying to hold in her laugh.
I let out a groan, knowing there’s nothing I can do. I either have to wear the dress I have on, which will cause all kinds of questions about where I really was last night, or put on this get-up Dani’s come up with. Shaking my head, I unzip my dress I have on and peel it off my body.
“You know, it will probably raise more suspicions when I walk in wearing this thing than it would if I just wore my dress from last night.” I grumble, fumbling around trying to get the contraption Dani calls “pants and a top”, on.
I tie the last strap in place on the shirt and then take a look down at myself. I’m wearing a bubble gum pink spandex top that has cut outs at the sides. And instead of slee
ves, it has strings that lace down my arms. The pants she brought to go with the horrendous top are black leather with their own cut outs at my hips and rhinestones down the sides. She finished the look off with a pair of five inch heeled, black boots, which are pretty awesome by themselves. But paired with my get-up, not so much.
“You do realize I look like a stripper’s closet threw up on me, right?” I ask, leaning back in the seat and pulling out the make-up bag to touch up my face.
“You look like a real gypsy girl now.” Dani beams from the driver’s seat.
“Where did you get these clothes, anyways?”
“My closet, pre-pregnancy of course.”
“When have you ever worn an outfit this absurd?”
“Halloween, a year ago. I went as a sexy cowgirl. Remember? There was a matching pink, furry hat.”
“And I went as Katniss from Hunger Games.” I say, remembering.
“And no one knew who you were. You spent the whole night explaining your costume.”
I look out the window to watch as we pull into my neighborhood. “It’s not my fault my family doesn’t appreciate the same books as me.”
She pulls the car into my driveway and puts it into park. Turning around in her seat to face me, she asks. “Are you ready for this?”
“Am I ready for everyone to see me in your old hooker clothes?” I ask, cocking one eye brow at her.
“Halloween. Not hooker. Get it straight. But that’s not what I meant anyways. You know this is the first family event since you and Shay became “officially” a couple. Everyone’s going to be watching you and asking questions about the wedding plans.” She explains with a look of sympathy in her eyes.
I hadn’t even thought about any of that. Though, if I hadn’t been so wrapped up in Linc, I would’ve realized I’d be facing the firing squad today. The only thing my family loves more than a party, is planning the party. And at the moment, I don’t know anything about mine. “I haven’t even started anything.” I sigh, tossing a tube of lip gloss back in the make-up bag and zipping it up.
“Nothing?”
“Haven’t even looked at dresses online.”
“Well, at least you have your ring to show off. That might be enough to settle the masses.” She glances down at my empty hand and her eyes grow in shock. “Wyn! Where’s your ring?”
Climbing back into the front passenger seat, I grab my purse from the floor board and pull out the ring, slipping it back on my finger. “Tada!”
“You have to be careful or your family is going to find out about the sneaking around. And that will cause all kinds of trouble for Linc, you, and me.” Dani warns as she unconsciously rubs her pregnant belly, worry etched on her face.
I reach out and touch her hand. “Dani, I won’t let you get tangled in my mess.”
“I know you won’t intend on it happening, but accidents happen.”
“I…”
“No, don’t make a statement you can’t follow through with. You’re not going to stop seeing Linc over me being a worry wart and I’m not going to ask you too.” She says, interrupting me.
“You’re the best of the best friends.” I say, pulling her across the center divider and into a hug.
“I do believe I’ve heard that somewhere before.” She laughs as she hugs me back.
“Well, I probably haven’t told you enough.”
“You can continue.”
“You’re the best of the best friends, the hottest red head, the skinniest pregnant girl, and the most loyal person.” I release her from the hug and ask. “Is that enough or should I add more?”
Grinning, she says. “That’ll do for now, but I’ll come find you later if I need a compliment refill.”
“Anytime.”
She turns to look out the window at the packed house and asks. “Ready?”
“Nope, but I don’t have a choice.” I grumble as I get out of the car.
She waits for me to reach her side so she can put her arm through mine and guide me into the house. Silently giving me the support she knows I need.
We don’t even make it two feet in the door before Shay pulls me aside.
“What do you want?” I demand, putting my hands on my hips.
“We need to get on the same page.” He tells me, rubbing his hand across his forehead in frustration.
“And what page would that be?”
“Wyn, if you openly show your dislike of our engagement, it’ll embarrass me…”
“I don’t give a poop whether you’re embarrassed or not.” I cut him off.
“It’ll embarrass your parents too. Do you really think your dad will let you finish school if you openly embarrass him in front of the whole community?” He looks so sincere in his worry, but even if he doesn’t mean them to, his words scare me. Finishing school has been my only real dream. Well, it was until Linc came in the picture, and I know that won’t come true. So I’d at least like to follow through on the first one.
“Fine!” I drop my hands from my hips in defeat and ask. “What do we have to do to convince them?”
He moves closer to me and takes one of my hands in his own. “Well, you could start by not pulling away from me every time I try to touch you.”
I glare at our joined hands, but I don’t pull away. “What else?”
“You need to let me take you on dates?”
“We’re not allowed to be alone.” I all too happily point out.
“We won’t. Adam and Dani have agreed to double date with us, but you’ll have to open up that busy schedule of yours to fit me in.” He grins and I hate it because it’s nothing like Linc’s grin that turns my knees to mush. Shay isn’t a bad guy. At one time, I would’ve considered him a friend, but I’ve never been drawn to him the way I am to Linc. I just wish he would change his mind and leave me be.
“Once a week.” I barter.
“Three.” He counters.
“Two.”
“Two days, but I get to pick you up at school every day and I get to have dinner with your family once a week. Separate from the date nights. And that is my final offer.”
“You’re not picking me up from school. Dani does it on the days I volunteer, and my brothers do it the other days.” I explain, silently sending up a prayer that satisfies him. The last thing I want to do is throw him in the face of Linc. And having him hanging around waiting on me will be just that, a big slap to Linc’s face.
“Dani can still pick you up on the days you volunteer, but Adam and I will be picking you up on the other days.” He states this so surely that I can tell he already made the arrangements.
“How did you know I’d agree to this?”
“I know how much school means to you.” He shrugs his shoulders as if it’s no big deal that he’s using my dream against me.
“I hate you.” I tell him honestly.
“I have all of our lives to change your mind.” He drops my hand so he can put his arm around my shoulders. “Now, we better join the party before they accuse us of doing something that’ll soil your reputation.”
Arrogant jerk! As if I’d ever willingly let him soil anything on me.
Chapter 13 – Linc
~A Wyn Thing~
“Are you still hung up on Arwyn Scott?” Nate asks, standing with his arm propped on the top of his locker door.
It’s the first day back to school since winter break and I’m around the hallway hoping to catch Wyn before she goes to her first class. It’s been a few days since our night at the cabin and we’ve kept in touch through text, but it’s not the same and I want to see her smiling face. To do that, I need to get rid of Nate because I know she won’t stop when him and his harem of cheerleaders are around.
“Get lost, Nate. I’ll talk to you later.” I’m too anxious to be subtle.
“I’ll take that as a big, fat yes.” He says, closing his locker and shouldering his book bag.
“Seriously, head out.”
“I’ll go, but you’re givin
g me the dirty details later. That girl is smokin’. ” He lets out a whistle as he starts to walk away.
I grab him by the collar of his shirt, shove him against the locker and growl. “You’ll show her respect or your face will get a close up of my fist.”
“Damn, you’ve got it bad.” He shrugs my hands off and says. “Let go. I won’t disrespect your girl.”
“Don’t be telling the whole school either. If it gets back to her family, there’ll be all kinds of trouble.”
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