The doorbell buzzes before I can reply, she shoos me away. When I pull it open, I’m met with the handsome racer who’s stolen my heart. He’s wearing a gray hoodie, which covers his brown, spikey hair, and a pair of jeans I’m almost sure were made specifically for him. They fit perfectly, a little too perfectly, because I can’t tear my gaze away.
“Having fun gawking?” Kayden teases as he pulls me into his arms and presses his full lips to my forehead.
“Don’t be an asshole,” I whisper, praying my mother isn’t standing right behind me. When Kayden releases me and steps inside, I’m thankful I got away with that. “Mom, we’re leaving,” I call to her from the foyer, but Kayden makes a beeline for the kitchen to greet her. He’s being the gentleman, which I’m grateful for, but I’m ready to leave in case she decides to give him the sex talk as well. That would be more than awkward.
They return to where I’m standing at the door, and my mother gives me a hug before Kayden and I leave. When I take in the car he’s come to pick me up in, it has my breath catching.
“This is yours?” The sleek, black Corvette looks like something out of a magazine. Stepping close to it, I reach out to tentatively touch the shiny paint, and I can’t help my heart from pitter-pattering in my chest.
“She’s the last thing my father gave me,” Kayden tells me, a slight inflection in his voice, which causes me to look up and find him smiling down at the vehicle.
It’s gorgeous. He opens the door for me and waits until I’m in the passenger seat before he shuts me in and rounds the front. From the outside, Kayden looks too tall to be in this tiny car, but when he settles into the driver’s seat, I notice how perfect he looks behind the steering wheel. The moment the engine starts, the dash lights up with a gentle purple glow.
“Holy shit,” I gasp. Excitement tickles its way through me when I take in the illumination. “This is epic.” I realize I’m squealing with excitement, but I can’t help it. When I would dream of a car, one that’s purely out of reach, this would be it. Everything about it is perfection.
“I take it you like?” The happiness on Kayden’s face makes me feel things. Emotions I didn’t think I would ever feel spring up from nowhere, and even though they’re good, there’s still a hint of fear.
“I love it. This is …” I allow my words to disappear into the silence because I have nothing I can say. Explaining that this was always my dream to have purple dash illumination will make me seem strange. Like I’m trying to make him feel good by loving it so much, but he has to know he impresses me each day we’re together.
“Then I’m happy,” he tells me before sliding the car into drive and pulling out onto the road. His free hand finds my thigh, and as we make our way to his apartment, I feel like this is real. It finally feels like I’m in a relationship, and I’m not just a notch on his bedpost. I can’t explain why. It’s silly to be so confident about it, but there’s an awareness that’s settled in my chest, knowing I’m going to be with him, beside him, through the season, but more so because he’s mine.
I cast a quick glance at him, taking in his profile, noticing the stubble growing out, and I want nothing more than to feel it. To run my hands along his angular jaw and pull him to me.
“You know, they say staring is rude,” he speaks, but he doesn’t look at me. He must feel my eyes on him, and I can’t help giggling.
“Oh, please.” Rolling my eyes, I add, “Don’t tell me you’re not used to women staring at you.” Even though I know he’s not some innocent boy, the thought of him with anyone else makes the green-eyed monster rear its ugly head inside me.
“They can look,” Kayden says, his eyes never leaving the road, and I want them on me. The selfish part of me doesn’t want to share him. Not with anyone else. “But they can’t touch, speedy.”
“Oh?” I challenge him. “And why is that?”
“Because I’m yours.” He doesn’t sound as if he’s joking. The way he says it is nonchalant. As if I should know this, but I don’t. At least, I haven’t admitted it to myself yet. Perhaps I should. But I don’t want to assume anything.
“But that doesn’t mean there won’t be temptation. If I’m not around at a race or something like that,” I admit. The fear of him finding someone more interesting, someone more beautiful, it’s there, eating away at me.