“Kaden?” she whispered, so many emotions crossing her face he couldn’t pick a dominant one.
And at that simple question, all the confidence he carried around with him day to day fell away. He felt awkward and tense and unsure. “Hey, Tess.”
1996
“Where the heck is this place? I seriously feel like we’re about to star in a teen slasher movie,” Tessa said as branches started to poke at her from the open window. She reached out to roll up the window.
Kaden grinned. “B-b-better hope you’re a v-v-virgin then. That’s the only ones who survive crazed killers in the woods.”
Her jaw fell open and she shoved him in the arm. She could already feel the blush heating her face. “Ohmigod, I cannot believe you just said that.”
He shrugged, but his grin remained in place leaving him looking as unapologetic as possible. “What? I didn’t ask y-y-you if you were a virgin. Just reciting the rules of h-h-horror.”
She harrumphed and crossed her arms over her chest, secretly enjoying that she and Kaden had developed some weird sort of bond over the last few weeks where they could talk about anything. Not being friends in “real life” seemed to open up the honesty gates. “You know, you haven’t stuttered all afternoon. And now you start talking about virginity and you’re all tongue-tied. You’re trying to tease me but making yourself nervous, so joke’s on you.”
He glanced her way as he cut the engine. “And you’re beet red.”
“So.” She pulled her compact out of her purse and hurriedly dusted her nose with powder, trying to cover up her flushed state.
“So, we’re even. And now I know I’ll be safe studying out here. Chainsaw guy will go after you first. You’re prime bait and m-m-much prettier.”
She straightened at that and snapped her compact shut. “You did not just call me the sacrificial slut.”
He laughed as he pushed open his door and climbed out. She scrambled to follow him. But by the time she got out of the car, he was already making his way to a little cabin that sat at the edge of a clearing of trees. She hitched her book bag over her shoulder and hurried to catch up.
“I’ll have you know, Mr. Jump to Conclusions, that I would be safe as a lamb in those movies. Just because you think you know—”
He turned abruptly, surprising her and causing her to stumble into him. He grabbed her arm, keeping her upright, and nailed her to the spot with his gaze. “Good.”
“What?”
“I’m glad you haven’t. That prick doesn’t deserve that from y-y-you. Wait for b-b-better.”
Her lips pressed together, and she shrugged her arm from his hold. “I hate when you do that. You don’t even know him. If you did, you’d know that it was his decision to wait because of his religion. He’s being a gentleman.”
Something hateful flashed through Kaden’s blue eyes, but instead of saying what he was thinking, he turned away to head toward the cabin again.
“Oh, no, don’t hold back now, Kaden.” She stalked after him. “Say what you were about to. I can take it.”
“No. It d-d-doesn’t matter.” He unlocked the big padlock that was securing the cabin and shoved the door open with a loud creak. The rickety wood banged against the wall.
She followed him in, dropping her bag by the door and then kicking it closed behind her. Dread was curling in her like smoke. She probably didn’t need to hear whatever it was that he had to say, but she couldn’t stop herself from demanding to know. “Tell me.”
He whirled around and tossed his school bag onto a worn
brown leather couch. “If you think Doug’s a gentleman, then he’s an even better liar than I thought.”
She crossed her arms, prepared to argue, but Kaden wasn’t finished.
“He’s feeding you a line of b-bullshit because it’s what you want to hear. You don’t see past the preppy, golden boy mask. None of you do. Oh, look he can throw a ball and drives a BMW and is soooo dreamy,” he said, using a mocking girly voice. “I’m in the locker room with these dudes. There’s nothing golden about any of them. You know what they talked about last week—including your gentlemanly boyfriend? How many b-b-blow jobs they scored at Tyler Brogan’s house party. Apparently, Delia Johnson from Harmoor High has the brightest and longest-lasting lipstick. Hard to wash off.”
Everything inside Tessa went cold. She’d missed that party because her foster parents gave her a ridiculous ten o’clock curfew. But Doug had said it had turned out to be lame anyway. “It’s just talk. Doug’s friends—”
Kaden scoffed. “Right. His friends. He’s the knight in shining armor amongst all the assholes he hangs around with. Sure. You g-g-go on believing that.”
“You don’t understand,” she said, hearing the feeble protest in her voice. “We haven’t slept together because Doug’s been the one to keep things that way. I’ve never told him no. If he wanted . . . any of that, he could’ve had it. From me.”
Kaden’s expression darkened, and he crossed the room. He stopped just short of her personal space, pushing his too long hair behind his ears and looking down at her with pleading eyes. “Don’t, Tess. There’s better out there. W-w-wait for that.”