This Regret
Page 44

He walks around so he’s standing in front of me and his eyes trail down my body, checking me out. When his eyes land back on my face, he snickers with amusement. “Ah, I see. Jen’s Jeep is right next to your car.” He points behind me, making me feel like a fool. “You must have missed it when you squeezed in between that and Saline’s BMW.” He gives me a suspicious look before placing his hand on my cheek and sucking in his bottom lip. “You look really f**king hot today, so I’ll let it slide . . . this time. You know I won’t be able to resist you in front of everyone, right?”
The look in his baby blues is almost enough to make me want to give into him. They are so full of want and passion for me, that I can feel my body just gravitating towards his, until finally, my body is completely pressed against his, the stiffness in his jeans pressing into my stomach. Why does he always have to have a boner? It makes him even harder to resist. “Um . . . we should probably get inside before others come out looking for us.” I smile innocently, but he must take this as an invitation. “I’m sure your mom is looking for you.”
He snorts and runs his hands under my shirt. “You smell so damn good. I don’t remember you wearing perfume. Is it new, because now I have to taste it.” He leans in, running his nose along my neck, before pressing his lips under my ear. “I wish I could taste you somewhere else.”
“Okay, that’s just gross,” Jen interrupts. I’ve been inside looking for you and y’all have been out here getting it on in the open. That’s so dirty. Y’all could at least wait until the guest leave.”
I place my hand against Kade’s chest and give him a little shove in an attempt to break free, but it doesn’t work. He just tightens his hold. “We weren’t getting it on, Jen.” I struggle before pulling away from Kade. He rakes his fingers through his curls before leaning against some random truck, crossing his arms over his chest. He's watching me as I walk over to Jen and grab her arm. He looks a bit disappointed, but is trying to hide it behind a smirk. “Let’s get this over with. See you inside,” I call back to Kade.
“Sure thing,” she mouths as we walk away, leaving Kade leaning against the truck, watching us.
“For your information, we were close to getting it on, Jen. You ruined it, so thanks,” he calls after us.
“My pleasure,” Jen yells back before laughing and gripping my arm with her mommy grip. “I’m on to you, missy.”
As we walk up the wooden steps of the porch, I get a bad feeling about what exactly she’s on to me about. Most of the party takes place out back, where the stage and band is set up as well as the food. The quickest way around is through the house. From what I remember, everyone dances and eats at the picnic tables set up, before the night show of fireworks. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She stands there watching me as I reach for the old brass knob. Just as I’m about to push in the lever, she stops me. “You need to be a little more careful. You’ve been acting strange lately and don’t think I don’t notice the fact that you’re pining over Kellan again. I can see that distant look in your eyes whenever I talk to you. It’s dangerous for you to fall for both brothers. Are you crazy?”
Is this girl freaking psychic, or what? We haven’t even spoken of Kellan since that day at the company picnic. I made it a point not to, because I wanted to avoid these kinds of situations and assumptions.
“I’m not. What the hell Jen.” I glance behind me, being sure Kade is out of earshot before speaking. “I’m not falling for the Haze brother’s, okay. I barely even speak to Kellan, and Kade and I are just having a little fun. I don’t have feelings for either, so drop it,” I warn.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” She waves a finger in my face and smiles as if she knows I’m lying. Of course she would. We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. “My best friend is trying to fool me, but I’m a little smarter than that. I mean, I can see why you would fall for Kade, because he’s always around, but Kellan has been gone for years and can disappear again in a moment’s notice. Just be careful.”
Sometimes, I wish this girl didn’t know me so well. She’s had me figured out since the second grade. “Yes, mother. I will try to be more careful, even though, there is nothing to be careful about. You happy?”
She shrugs her shoulders and pushes open the door. “For now. We’ll just see for how long.”
“You drive me nuts, woman,” I mutter. “That’s why it’s so much more peaceful at home, in my bed.” At least it used to be, before my mom and Zoe moved in. Looks like I need to find a new place to be alone at. “I almost stayed home today.”
Once we get inside, Jen starts tugging on the sleeve of her red shirt and I can’t help but to notice. “I would’ve picked your butt up if you even tried staying home,” she says, but I’m not listening. I’m too preoccupied.
I silently stare at her arm while she’s not looking, trying to figure out if my eyes are deceiving me. There appears to be finger shaped bruises on her arm and I have a feeling they are from Nate.
With ninja speed, I reach over and yank her shirt sleeve up, wanting to kick the shit out of Nate. Only a coward put's his hand on a woman. She doesn’t even have to tell me, I already know it has to be from him. “What the hell is this shit, Jen?” I pull her out of everyone’s view and into the hallway. “How did you get those bruises?”
Jen laughs nervously as she pulls her sleeve back down to cover the bruises on her bicep. “It’s nothing, okay. I almost fell down the stairs and Nate had to grab my arm to catch me.” She narrows her eyes and flares her nostrils at me. “You’re not suggesting my boyfriend abuses me, are you? That’s just crazy. I’m smart enough to leave an abusive relationship. He may be a liar and possibly a cheater, I don’t know, but he’s not abusive.”
“So let me get this straight. You fell more than once then? You know, because there is more than one bruise imprint. It looks as if he had to catch you multiple times.” I look her in the eye to let her know she can trust me. I would never do anything to hurt her. “You can tell me the truth. I am always here for you. Always.”
“Yeah, I know,” she whispers. “Just trust me. I’m not stupid.”