“You told me if things were d-d-different, your answer to that may be different.”
She blew out a tired breath. “But things aren’t different.”
He pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket. “What if they were?”
She eyed the envelope warily. “What’s that?”
“I’ve been working since freshman year—tutoring, cutting grass, whatever anyone would p-p-pay me for. I’ve saved every cent for when I go to college. I have over four-thousand dollars in a lockbox in my room, and I know my mom has saved up a little for me on the side that she hasn’t told my stepdad about. I’ve looked into living expenses. I can get an apartment near campus for a few hundred bucks a m-m-month. It’s not going to be fancy or anything, but I can get a two-bedroom. Plus, I’ll get a work-study position, so I’ll be bringing in more money after that. And there’s a community college nearby. These are all the printouts with the information about the school.” He handed her the envelope. “You’ll qualify for financial aid, and it’s not that expensive to take classes there. Especially when you w-w-won’t have to worry about rent and stuff. You can stay with me for free.”
She blinked, peeking down again at the envelope. “Kaden—”
“And I’m not saying you have to d-date me or whatever. I’m not doing this to make you do that. Though, if you want to, you know how I feel.”
She stared at him, shaking her head, her expression stunned. “Why are you doing this?”
He ran a hand over the back of his head, more nervous than he could ever remember being in his life. “
I l-l-love you, Tess.”
She closed her eyes like the words had caused physical pain. “Kaden.”
But he could see the tears welling when she lifted her eyes to him again, and he stepped forward into her space and kneeled down in the dirt in front of the swing. He folded the envelope and tucked it in the back pocket of her shorts. She didn’t back away or flinch when he moved his hands to her waist so he kept talking. “I don’t want you to be with Doug just because he can help you with money. He doesn’t deserve you. I can t-t-take care of you.”
She was shaking in his hold. “I can’t ask you to do that. It’s your money. Your life. You worked hard for all of it.”
“And none of it means shit without you, T-Tess. I can’t picture next year without you there. But if you can stand here and tell me that you don’t have f-f-feelings for me, too, I’ll leave you be. I will never try to touch you again. My offer for coming to Dallas and sharing my place stands either way.”
Her tears fell down her cheeks when she blinked this time, her green eyes big and sad in the moonlight. “I can’t just go with you.”
“You can, Tess. All you have to do is say y-yes. Come with me. I c-c-can’t buy you fancy shit like he can, but I can p-promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
He kneeled there, bracing for the gauntlet of no. But instead of finishing her no like he expected her to, she leaned forward and kissed him. The feel of her lips against his made his stomach turn over with relief and pure happiness. She wasn’t running. He’d changed things. Really changed them. It’d worked. He’d made things different.
He slid his hands into her hair and her lips parted, letting him deepen the kiss. God, she was so sweet and pliable in his hold, so goddamned perfect. She could be his. He’d gotten the girl of his dreams. Something would finally work out.
“What the fuck?”
The booming voice cutting through the silence of the night sent Kaden jumping back to his feet and Tessa hopping off the swing. They turned to find Doug standing at the edge of the park with a few of the people from the party.
“Oh, no,” Tessa said, her hand going over her mouth and fear filling her eyes. “Doug, it’s not—”
“What is he doing with his hands and mouth on you, Tessa?” Doug demanded, his eyes filling with fury.
She lifted her palms to him. “It was nothing, just a misunderstanding.”
“That didn’t look like a misunderstanding. That looked like he was trying to maul you.”
She shook her head.
“Did you tell him no?” he demanded.
Kaden looked to Tessa, his heart pounding hard in his ears. He had no shot in this fight if Doug started one. Kaden was way outnumbered, but he was willing to fight for Tessa if need be. He willed her to tell Doug to fuck off, that she was with Kaden now. But as he watched the panic envelop her like a fog, saw her gaze jump from one person to the next, the old Tessa he used to know took over.
“I didn’t have a chance. It was just a mistake,” she said softly. “It doesn’t have to be a big deal.”
“When a guy tries to put his fucking hands on you, it is a big deal,” he said, his voice rattling Kaden’s ears. He nailed Kaden with a glare. “I always knew you were a freak. Goddamned rapist in training.”
Kaden clenched his jaw, and Tessa didn’t say anything to defend him.