“Surprise!”

My heart beats like a drum in my chest as I walk into the backyard where all of my friends and family are gathered to celebrate my eighteenth birthday.

Mom holds the cake as I blow out the candles. “Happy birthday, sweetheart,” my father says, pulling me in for a hug.

“Thank you, Daddy. I can’t believe y’all did this.” I turn to my best friend, Jayla. “And kept it a secret.”

“Trust me, it wasn’t easy,” she says.

I scan the crowd as I hug each and every one of my family members and friends, thanking them for being a part of my special day. A day I never thought would come.

I’m an adult now.

A woman.

The heaviness in my body only worsens as I look around the crowded backyard, searching for the man I’ve been waiting to give myself to him for four long years.

I’ve been secretly in love with Colter Steele since I was fourteen. Sure he may be older than me. A lot older. But I don’t care how old he is.

I want him.

I want him to own me and possess me in every way a man can possess a woman.

Heart. Body. Soul.

He hasn’t missed a birthday since he moved in next door five years ago so I don’t know why he would start today. He’s been there for every major moment in my life. When I got my driver’s license. My first prom. When I graduated high school. He’s always been there with pride beaming from his handsome face.

But why isn’t he here now?

“You’re looking for him aren’t you?” Jayla leans over to whisper in my ear as the party kicks into high gear. My parents went all out. Catered barbecue, a DJ, and a cake that will be talked about around town for weeks to come.

“No, I’m not.”

“Kaylee Marie, I’m your best friend. Don’t you dare lie to me.”

I give her a pointed look. “He’s never missed a birthday.”

“And he’s probably not going to miss this one. He’s just running late. Will you relax and try to enjoy yourself? You only turn eighteen once you know. Besides, there are far cuter boys here than Colter Steele.”

None that I want.

Jayla knows all about my obsession with Colter and even though she thinks I’m crazy for wanting him, she’s always been supportive.

Probably because she thinks I’ll eventually grow out of it. There was a time I wished I could grow out of it but the man dominates every single one of my thoughts and late at night when I’m lying in my bed, my hand sneaking beneath my wet panties, it’s his hands I’m thinking about touching me.

His gorgeous face hovering above mine as he claims me once and for all.

As the night progresses and the hours wear on, hope deflates in my chest. It’s the first time I’ve blown out my birthday candles in five years without Colter looking on and it makes me wonder what could have kept him away. Just when I’m about to give up on seeing him all together, he emerges from the back patio door.

And he’s not alone.

Jealousy burns in my gut like hot acid as I take in the tall, slender brunette whose hand is firmly clasped in his. Colter greets everyone he passes as he makes his way over to where I’m standing. I paste on my best smile but there’s no hiding the irritation in my voice.

“About time you showed up,” I say as he releases her hand and embraces me in a hug.

God, I love his hugs. He’s about two feet taller than me so his large frame engulfs mine, making me feel small but so incredibly safe. I breathe him in, his familiar scent tickling my senses and bringing my body to life.

“Sorry I’m late, kiddo.”

Ugh.

I used to love it when he called me that. Now I loathe the word. I’m not a kid anymore and I wish like hell he could see that.

“We had car trouble,” the brunette says behind him, but the seductive way she says it tells me that it’s a lie.

Colter releases me and shifts to stand beside me, his hand moving to the small of my back. He stiffens when his fingers graze my bare skin. Clearing his throat, he quickly removes his hand, disappointment nipping at my belly.

“Kaylee, this is my friend, Stacy. Stacy, Kaylee.”

“I’ve heard so much about you,” she says, shaking my hand.

Stacy looks just like every other woman Colter has ever brought around. Tall, thin, with an airbrushed face and fake tits. And usually, they barely have half a brain. I don’t know what he sees in these women. None of them will ever be good enough for him.

Sex.

I remind myself. That’s all Colter ever wants from them. He’s never been in a relationship. Not that I know of anyway. I’ve always wondered how he’s stayed single for so long. Because anyone who knows him couldn’t help but fall in love with him. He’s the kindest, most generous, handsome man I’ve ever met.

“Happy birthday,” he says, his mouth stretching over a pair of straight white teeth.

Colter is ruggedly handsome with short dark brown hair and deep green eyes. His jaw is sharp and shaded with a day’s worth of growth that makes him look even sexier. His body is lean but well defined.

Powerful.

That’s the best word to describe it. His presence always offers me a sense of safety I’ve never known with anyone else, except my own father.

“Thanks,” I reply.

“Stacy, would you mind giving us a moment alone please?” Colter asks.

“Sure,” she replies. Judging by the crease in her brow, she doesn’t like the idea one bit but she gives Colter a kiss on his cheek anyway. “I’ll go grab us drinks.”

Once she disappears into the crowd, I return my narrowed gaze to his. “Did you really have to bring your flavor of the month to my birthday party?” I ask, folding my arms across my chest, making my breasts push together.

Colter’s blazing green eyes flit down for the briefest moment before he quickly returns them to mine, but it’s not desire I see there, it’s anger.

“Did your dad really let you out of the house in this dress?”

I scoff. “What’s wrong with what I have on?”

“It hardly covers anything.”

I shrug. “I’m eighteen now. I can wear whatever I want.”

He grunts. “I don’t give a shit how old you are, if you were my daughter you sure as hell wouldn’t be wearing that.”

Perching my hands on my hips, I tilt my head. “Good thing I’m not your daughter then.”

Of course my father nearly had a heart attack when he saw this dress. It’s a little more revealing than what I would normally wear but the silver, sparkly two-piece number makes me feel sexy and grown up and my mother helped me pick it out so there wasn’t a whole lot more my dad could say about it once she put her two cents in.

I thought for sure this dress would garner Colter’s attention but it’s painfully obvious he still thinks of me as Tim’s daughter.

A little girl.

“Here, this is for you,” Colter says, pulling a small square box from the back pocket of his jeans.

The SpongeBob wrapping paper makes me frown. “I’m not a kid anymore you know.”

“You’ll always be sweet little Kaylee to me.” He smiles and I want to slap his stupid face, because while his words piss me off, that smile melts my insides. And he probably wrapped it himself and that just makes me love him even more. “Stop complaining and open the damn thing,” he urges.

I rip the paper from the box and lift the lid, gasping at what I find inside. “Colter, it’s beautiful.”

It’s an Alex and Ani bangle with the letter K and my birthstone. He knows how much I love to stack my bangles. I’m not wearing them tonight, they really don’t go with this dress, but I slide the bangle onto my wrist anyway because this is one I will never take off.

Circling my arms around his neck, he leans down to hug me. “Thank you. I love it.”

“Happy birthday, Kaylee,” he whispers, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. Goose bumps pebble across my skin and my nipples harden.

His arms tighten before he releases me, as if he doesn’t want to let go. When his eyes lock back on mine, a moment passes between us, charged with what can only be described as electric considering every nerve ending in my body is firing with need.

“It’s time to roll, bitch,” Jayla says as she approaches, interrupting our moment. “Hey, Mr. Steele.”

“Hello, Jayla,” Colter greets. “Staying out of trouble?”

“Trying to.” She nudges my arm with her elbow. “You know what a bad influence Kaylee can be sometimes.”

Colter grins. “Not my sweet Kaylee.”

My sweet Kaylee.

If he only knew just how bad I would be for him.

“Where are you girls going tonight?” he asks.

“A new club downtown called the Tunnel,” Jayla replies. “Have you heard of it?”

Colter’s jaw clenches as his eyes return to mine. “Yeah, I’ve heard of it. Don’t you have to be twenty-one to get in there?”

“Nope,” Jayla replies. “Eighteen. They put a big ugly X on top of your hand to make sure you don’t drink.” She tugs my arm. “Come on, the Uber is already here.”

“Thank you again for the gift, Colter.”

I move to walk away but he grabs my upper arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You call me if you need me for anything, understand? I don’t care what time it is.”

I swallow thickly at the intensity in his eyes. “Okay.”

Finally, he releases me and I set off to join Jayla, my heart pumping wildly in my chest.

“Jesus Christ, that man wants you so bad he can hardly see straight.

I nearly had an orgasm just by the way he was looking at you.” She hooks her arm through mine. “Come on, let’s go see if we can find a nice young boy to deflower my virgin friend.”

I laugh, following her out to the waiting Uber, but there’s no way I’ll ever give myself to anyone else but him.