“No worries, cousin. I won’t tell a soul.” He promises, walking backwards toward his class. He throws up deuces and then spins around and disappears into his class.
“Are you waiting on me?” She asks from behind me.
I spin around to face her and I’m rewarded with her shinning smile. “If I say I am, do I get a kiss?”
She leans into me, placing her hand on my chest and presses her lips to mine. Pulling back, she says. “You got the kiss, either way.”
“I was waiting on you.”
“I figured.” She grins.
I look her up and down, taking in the brown riding boots, dark denim skinny jeans that cling to her perfect legs, long white button down shirt rolled up at the sleeves, her curly hair falling loose across her shoulders and of course, her clover necklace at her throat. Taking her hand I begin. “You look so…”
I stop when I feel something hard and cold on her finger. Turning it over, I sigh. “So it did happen.”
Pulling her hand back and looking down at the ring instead of me, she says. “Yeah.”
“When?” I demand, rubbing my hands over my buzzed head.
“My eighteenth birthday. The same day as graduation.” She whispers.
I turn to my locker and pound it with my fists, over and over. “Fuck!”
“Linc.” She whimpers, which causes me to pause my assault on the metal.
I pull her to my chest where her head fits perfectly into the crook of my neck. One of my hands grips her shirt at the small of her back and the other has hold of her neck. I growl. “You’re mine, Wyn. They aren’t fucking taking you away from me.”
“I don’t want to, but…” She cries against me.
“Just let me pretend.” I whisper as the tears start to fall from my own eyes.
She nods her okay against my chest and continues to cry.
“Skip school with me, please.” I beg, lifting my hand to run it over her hair.
“I’ve never done that before.” She pulls back to wipe her eyes with the tips of her fingers.
“Neither have I, but I want to be alone with you today. Will you?”
She looks at me closely for several moments and then nods her head.
I grab her hand and pull her back out of the school before a teacher can catch us.
Once I have her in the car and we’re on the road, I ask. “What would you like to do?”
“Runaway.” She jokes, laying her head against the back of her seat.
“Don’t tempt me.”
“I don’t know. Let’s just drive around until we find something that catches our eyes.”
“You want to know what I just realized.”
“What?”
“You’re the first person who hasn’t asked to drive my car.”
Turning her head to look at me, she says. “Well, that’s because I don’t know how to drive.”
Shocked I ask. “Is this a gypsy thing?”
Giggling she says. “No. It’s a Wyn thing.”
“Explain.” I push as I grab her hand and lace our fingers together.
“Well, you’ve seen how my brothers pick me up from school. When it was time to get my license, I knew even if I did get it, I wouldn’t have the freedom to use it the way I wanted. I’d always have someone with me. My brothers would still be picking me up from school. Eventually, they’d force a husband on me and he’d drive me everywhere else. So, I decided not to waste my time getting it.” She explains, looking down at our joined hands.
“Do you regret it?”
“Sometimes.”
“That settles it.”
“Settles what?” She asks confused.
“What we’re doing today.” I say, taking the road that leads to the lake.
“Want to clue me in to what that is?” She laughs.
“I’m going to teach you how to drive.” I tell her with an excited grin on my face.
*************************************************
“I’m not sure about this.” Wyn groans from the driver’s seat. She’s nibbling on her lip and rubbing her hands together nervously.
“I believe you can, but I won’t push you.” I say reassuringly, rubbing her back.
She turns her bright green eyes on me and I watch as she pulls back the tears that are rimming them as she gathers the courage. I reward her strength with a smile. She faces the right way again and places her hands back on the wheel. “I can do this. What’s first?”
I pull my hand from her back and situate myself in the passenger seat, fastening my seat belt. “Starting the car would be the first step.”
“I guess I should have figured that out on my own.” She laughs at herself, reaching out and turning the key in the ignition.
“Now, put your right foot on the brake and push it down.” I watch her follow my directions and then she looks at me expectantly. “Good. Now, keeping your foot on the brake, take the shifter and move it to the drive position.”
“Is that right?” She asks, putting her hands back on the steering wheel at the three and nine position.
“Perfect. Now slowly release the break and gently push down on the gas.” She attempts to follow my directions, but ends up pushing too hard on the gas, rocketing us forward. Frightened, she slams on the brake and jerks us to a halt. My chest slams against the seat belt and I reach my hand out to the dash to steady myself.
“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry, Linc.” She stammers as she puts the car back into park.
I release my grip on the dash and sit back against my seat. “It’s fine. Just take it a little slower this time and if you get scared, slowly push on the brake. Don’t get scared on me now.”
“I never said I was scared.” She scrunches up her face and gives me a stern look. “I’m Arwyn Elizabeth Scott. I don’t get scared.” She grumbles as she shifts the car back into gear and slowly moves us forward around the lake’s parking lot.
I should have known challenging her strength would’ve given her the push she needed. Seeing her focused and determined, I can’t help but chuckle. Her eyes flutter to me and then move back to the road. “What’s so funny?”
“You.” Her brow arches in question. “Well, you’re more adorable than funny, but still you.”
“So, you’re saying I’m so adorable I make you laugh?”
“Pretty much.”
“Here’s a little FYI for you. A girl wants to hear she’s beautiful, sexy, hot even. But adorable, no.”
“What’s wrong with adorable?”
“Adorable is what you call a two year old who carries around stuffed animals and wears frilly, little dresses.” She huffs.
“I think our definitions of adorable are completely different.”
“Oh, you think.” She shakes her head and rolls her eyes, causing me to chuckle again. “Maybe you should explain how you see adorable before I start looking for something to throw at you.”
“No need to start throwing things. I’ll tell you my definition.” I throw up my hands in mock surrender.
“Well, spit it out.” She demands when I take too long.
“Adorable is how your eyes lighted up at the sight of the cupcake I made you. It’s how when you’re determined, your nose and brow scrunch up. It’s how when you get nervous, you nibble on the corner of your bottom lip. And it’s how after I kiss you, your cheeks and lips turn this soft pink that makes me want to kiss you more.”
She stopped the car, putting it into park, before I made it half way through my description. And when I finish, she doesn’t say a word before she unfastens her seat belt and leans in, covering my mouth with hers.
She pulls back just enough that are noses are close to touching. Looking down at my lips with hooded eyes, she smiles. “You’re smooth, Lincoln Tatman.”
“I was only being honest.” I reach out with my left hand, wrapping it around her loose curls so she can’t move away.
She lifts her eyes to mine and whispers. “That’s what makes you so good at
it.”
We sit like that for several minutes, my hand still enjoying the softness of her hair and our eyes watching each other. Finally, I break through the moment. “Though if I’m being honest, I should tell you there’s nothing adorable about your legs.”
Shocked, her body tenses up and she tries to pull back, but my hand in her hair holds her in place. Leaning in to her neck, I take a whiff of her berry and vanilla perfume before continuing. “Those legs are beautiful. They’re what young boys’ dreams are made of, and grown men would kill to touch. Me included. But just so you don’t think I’m prejudice, I’ll tell you straight up. Every inch of you is beautiful, your silky curls, your mesmerizing green eyes, your tiny hands that fit perfectly in mine, the way you care about people you don’t know… The legs are just the icing on the perfect cake that is you. So to make it clear in Wyn terms, you’d be considered a sprinkle cupcake with extra sprinkles in the icing.”
The tension leaves her body so I pull back, releasing her hair to place my hand on her cheek. Her eyes meet mine again and she grins. “Forget what I said earlier. You’re not smooth; you’re charming.”
“As in your Prince…”
“Charming.” She finishes, blushing.
“I’ll take that title.” I whisper against her lips before closing the distance for another kiss.
Chapter 14 – Wyn
~Breaking the Rules~
I knew I was screwed before we even pulled into the school’s parking lot. I meant to be back here before the final bell of the day rung, but I got so caught up in driving and the deliciousness that is Lincoln Tatman, that I made us late. Now I have to face the consequences and they may entail me never leaving my family’s sight. Ever again.
“It’ll be ok. If they say anything, we’ll tell them that you realized you forgot something at the center and wanted a ride over there to get it.” Linc has the steering wheel in a death grip. He knows we messed up too.
“Won’t work.” I say, eyeing the parking lot as we pull in. To my surprise and dread, instead of the requisite black Navigator waiting, there’s a silver Dodge Ram. Shay. Totally screwed!
I know I have to move quickly, so I unfasten my belt before Linc even stops the car. I turn to Linc with determination in my eyes and demand. “Don’t get out. Don’t even wait on me to get in that truck. Take off as soon as I shut this door and don’t look back.”
“What’s going on?”
“Please, listen to me. I love you, but you have to leave and let me deal with this. And you have to leave before he sees you.”
“That’s him?”
“We don’t have time for this. I love you and I’ll text you as soon as I can.” I place a quick peck on his cheek, praying the tinted windows hide us as he shifts the car into park several spots down from Shay’s truck. Then, grabbing my bag, I rush out of the car and slam the door, hoping I did it fast enough that Shay won’t get a good look at the driver.
Steeling myself, I make myself walk to the truck without looking back. Thankfully, Linc listens, which I can tell by the gravel being kicked up behind me as he spins out of the lot. I stop a few feet from Shay who’s leaning against the driver’s door with his arms crossed over his chest. He’s wearing his brown work boots, faded blue jeans that cling low on his hips, a white thermal shirt and his favorite brown leather jacket. A tempting package to some, but to me, not so much.
His pale blue eyes meet mine and I have to stop myself from visibly shaking. My ability to fool him is what can save Linc and myself. “Who was that?”
“A girl from school.” I throw a little sass in my voice. If I seem weak, he’ll know something’s up.
“What were you doing with a Gorger?” He straightens himself and stalks closer to me.
“I lost my school ID and thought I might have left it at the center. She offered to take me over to look. What are you doing here, anyways?” I’m hoping to flip the switch and make this about him being here for me, and not about me showing up late with an unknown Gorger.
“Your brothers got tied up working and I offered to pick you up, seeing as I’m having dinner at your house tonight.” Fudge, I forgot about that arrangement.
“We aren’t supposed to be alone.” I remind him.
“Afraid to be alone with me?” He asks, arching one eyebrow.
“You know the rules as well as I do, Shay Dawson.” I try to walk around him and head to the passenger side of the truck. He catches my arm and cages me in with his arms against the door he’d been leaning against.
“I know the rules, but I think your father is going to let me break them a little, seeing as I’ve already slipped the ring on your finger.” He’s so close; I can smell the minty flavor from the gum he’s chewing.
“And what rules do you think you’ll be breaking with me?” This time, I’m not able to keep the tremble out of my voice. I may see myself as strong, but I’m not a fool. And I know Shay can overpower me in this abandoned parking lot and there’d be no one to stop him. So I bide my time and try not to poke the testosterone driven teen boy who has me trapped.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll be saving that for the wedding night, but I’ve convinced him that we don’t need your brothers as our chaperones. He trusts me enough to know I don’t want to soil my bride before our big day.” He lifts one hand off the truck and strokes his fingers down the side of my neck.
Pushing his hand away, I grumble. “Fine. No chaperones, but we need to get going. You know my mom and she’ll be ticked at both of us if we’re late for her dinner.”
He presses his body closer to mine and whispers against my lips. “We’ll go, but first a little reminder.” He takes my lips in a rough kiss that steals my breath and not in a good way. I push at his chest and he finally gives in and steps away from me.
“That wasn’t a girl in the car. Don’t ever lie to me again. And stay the fuck away from him or I’ll show him what happens when you fuck with what’s mine.” I stare at him dumbstruck. I messed us up so bad and now Linc is going to pay for it.
“Shay.” I begin, trying to find a way to fix this.
“Get in the truck, now. Like you said, we don’t want to piss your mom off.”
Without another word, I scramble around the front of the truck and climb into the passenger seat. On the short drive to my parent’s house, I have to fight the urge to pull out my cell phone and warn Linc that we’ve been caught. But Shay isn’t stupid and he would know what I was doing, so I resist.
As soon as the truck comes to a stop in the driveway, I hop out in a hurry to put some space between Shay and myself. He has other things in mind and anticipates my move because he’s out of the truck and catching me before I make it five feet towards the house.
He turns me so I’m facing him, his arms looped around the small of my back. We’re so close that I’m forced to place my hands on his chest to steady myself. To an outside observer, it would look like two lovers embracing. But in reality, it’s my cage.
“From here on out, you will be completely invested in our relationship. No more running away from me. You’ll throw yourself into the wedding plans with your mom. You’ll prepare yourself to be my perfect, little wife. Because in a little over four months, that’s exactly what you’ll be. My wife! Not the girlfriend to some Gorger. If I find out you’ve been around him again, I’ll make it so you don’t finish school like you want. And I’ll make it so he never walks again. Do you get me?”
I can feel the anger radiating from his body, so I nod my head.
His body relaxes a little against mine and he kisses the top of my head. “Good, now let’s go have dinner.”
************************************
“I’m so happy you joined us for dinner, Shay.” Mom has been giddy ever since I walked in the house with Shay, holding hands (another new stipulation). I half expected her to start jumping up and down like one of the cheerleaders when a touchdown is made, but she at least reined that in, though not much. She fawned over him all t
hrough dinner. Forcing seconds down his throat and making him his favorite dessert. I wanted to scream, but instead, I plastered my fake smile on my face and nodded my head in all the right spots, praying that dinner would go quick. It didn’t.
“It was my pleasure, Mrs. Scott.”
“Please call me, Mom. You’re going to be family.” Mom’s face is on the verge of exploding from happiness. If she grips her after dinner coffee mug any tighter, it is going to shatter. This is ridiculous and I’m on the verge of shouting just that when Shay speaks again, stopping the verbal meltdown by shock alone.
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