Her teeth sink into her lip. Her attention goes back to the paper. Her voice gets stronger as she reads. "He's thinking about me too. He wants me too. I don't know what to do. I can't act on it. He and Emma are the two most important people in my life. I can't risk that. And it's not like we have the potential for a future. If he knew the truth... He doesn't want to be with someone like me. He doesn't want to be with someone complicated."
"Kay—"
Her stare cuts me off.
She knows what I'm asking.
What the hell does she mean I don't want to be with someone like her?
She's sweet. Smart. Te
nacious. Funny. Beautiful.
A little uptight, yeah, but that only makes me want to undo her.
"I want to tell you. I do." She plays with the wrapper of her chocolate bar. "But I'm afraid you'll leave."
"I won't."
"I know this ends in something complicated. With Em finding out. Or you realizing you'd rather be with someone your own age." She traces the edge of her square until her finger is streaked with melting chocolate.
I want to tell her it doesn't, but I can't promise that. I can't promise anything. I want Kay. Forever. But she's got a big, bright future ahead of her. And I'm not letting anything hold her back. Even me.
Especially me.
"I'd rather have a taste than nothing." She offers me half the square.
I take it.
She places the chocolate on her tongue. Chews. Swallows. "Serva me, servabo te. It means save me and I'll save you."
Fuck, that is a romantic notion.
But what the hell does Kaylee need saving from?
Chapter Thirty-One
Kaylee
The words are clawing at my throat.
At my fingers.
I pace around my room. It's been hours since we got back from the beach. And he hasn't said another word about the journal entry I read him.
We went right back to teasing about music.
To talking about the concert.
About how desperate he's going to make me.
But this has been on the tip of my tongue all night.
I finish my last bit of Latin homework and put my textbook away. There. The night is mine.
Officially.
And he's... he's somewhere. With Dean, I think. One of the guys. Or several of them.