The urge to say fuck it and kiss those tempting lips is enough to break me in two. I can’t deny how I feel about her. Can’t keep fighting this part of me that knows deep down Kimber is mine. I close her door and climb in the driver’s side. I know I should take her home, only I drive her to my place instead. We need to talk. I’m just not sure what I’m going to say.
We get to my apartment and Kimber sits next to me on the couch but keeps some distance between us. I don’t blame her. I also don’t like it.
“Should call your mom and tell her what happened.”
“I don’t want to face her right now. She’s going to be so mad and ground me for life.”
“Your mom may come off like a hard ass but it’s because she cares. Be glad she loves you that much.”
“I appreciate her. I do. But she also has to loosen the reins a little and now after this I’m afraid she’ll ground me for life.”
“You’re eighteen.”
“I live under her roof. I go by her rules. She barely let me get my driver’s license.”
“You don’t have to live there.”
“And where am I gonna live?”
“With me,” the words fly out of my mouth before my brain catches up with my tongue.
“Yeah, okay. Sure. Ha. Ha. Real funny, Nav.”
“I’m serious.”
“What about Bambi?”
“I want to be honest with you, but I need to know what we discuss doesn’t go any further. You can’t tell your mom. Your best friend. Your little sister. Not even your Uncle Link.”
“What are you caught up in?”
“Need to know that you can keep this quiet.”
She nods quickly. “Whatever it is. You can trust me. I swear, Nav. I might be hurt by how things went down between us, but I don’t hate you.”
“Thought you loved me, cupcake.” I take her hand in mine, massaging her knuckles before I bring them to my lips and kiss them. “I know I fucked up with you. Shoulda handled this different from the jump. I can’t go back. All I can do is be honest now. I was asked to do a job for the club, and to do that I needed Bambi to trust me. I had to get close to her. Had to use her. I’m not proud of that. It comes with the territory though, and I gotta do what I gotta do. I never meant to hurt you but at the same time I thought it’d be a hell of a lot easier to do what I needed to if you hated me and didn’t want a damn thing to do with me. I couldn’t worry about you getting caught up in this mess. You got hurt anyway. It’s taking everything in me not to leave you here and go back for that little bastard.”
“Brodix doesn’t matter. He’s nothing. All I care about is you. But this thing you had to do for the club…is it over?”
“Few more days. That’s what I’m asking. Can you give me that?”
“Just like that. I’m supposed to sit on the sidelines and pretend you didn’t humiliate me. That you didn’t make me feel like I wasn’t good enough for you. That everything we shared was nothing. I love you, Nav and part of me understands why you pushed me away. I want to understand the rest. I just—you fucked Bambi. I don’t know how many times. Seeing it with my own eyes the one time I know about destroyed me. My heart shattered into a gazillion pieces, and I tried so hard to pretend with Brodix. I did it from the start and he saw right through me. I went back to him because I thought at least he made an effort. You’ve given me nothing but empty words. Your actions though that’s showed me plenty. I’m grateful you came for me tonight. I am. But why? Why did you come there and play hero when you’re only going to push me away?”
“You’re right. I fucked up. I did you dirty. My intentions were good. Misguided even. None of that changes how I feel about you.”
“And how do you feel about me, Nav?”
“You’re mine, Kimber. You’ve been mine. You know that. I know that. Hell, everyone else does too.”
“You think it’s that simple. That I’m just going to hear your apology and forget.”
“I’m not asking you to forget. I’m asking you to give me a chance to get through this and have you waiting on the other side. To be my damn light at the end of a dark tunnel.”
“If Bambi wants you to fuck her again, are you? You gonna fuck for your club, Nav? Is that what you are their prostitute?”
“Jesus. You talk to your mother with that mouth, cupcake?”
“What?”
“C’mere.” I tug her toward me, and she puts up a small fight, jerking back.
“No.”
“You got five seconds before I make you.” I grin and she shakes her head. “One. Two.” I don’t get to three before she leans my way. I pull her closer. Her gorgeous green eyes met mine. Those flecks of gold swirling with so many emotions.
“Are you going to keep staring at me or kiss me,” she hits me with her line from the first night I brought her here.
“Think I’m gonna stare at you a little longer…then I’m gonna take you upstairs and I’m going to fuck you.”
Her lips curve upward into a sexy smirk. Hard to believe I’ve been missing out on this. Denying myself of the pleasure only Kimber can give me. Her lips meet mine and I taste nothing but her sweet cherry lip gloss.
My heart swells in my damn chest, beating like a damn drum. The tempo growing louder as the seconds tick by. Only she does this to me.
No one else.
There’s only her.