Jeremy
The kid was awesome. We spent that entire Sunday afternoon at the beach building sandcastles and swimming. And Kenzie bailed on dinner at the Kellermans’ so we could spend a little more time together. I never knew spending the day at the beach could be so…fun.
Cole even taught me how to make sand angels—same as a snow angel but in the sand. Ryder showed up with lunch for everyone. And Linc came down with his surfboard and took Cole out for a surf.
The kid couldn’t surf, but he had a blast lying on the board and paddling through the waves. I couldn’t tear my eyes off his mother, though, and I was pretty sure everyone noticed. We’d raced home to get our swimsuits so we wouldn’t look out of place on the beach and so Kenzie could swim with Cole.
And holy shit.
Kenzie in a swimsuit.
Not an image I would get out of my head anytime soon. Pretty sure it was burned into my retinas. I’d see that fine ass and smooth stomach every time I closed my eyes. And that was perfectly okay with me. I just had to try to keep my hands off her tonight. Which was going to be near impossible. Not only did we spend the day at the beach on Sunday with Cole, we took him to play basketball on Tuesday, and to the park on Thursday, and each time, I’d catch Kenzie watching me play with her son with a smile on her face. And each time Cole wasn’t looking, I’d find a way to touch Kenzie, whether it was a brush of the hand or a kiss on the cheek—never more than that. I just had to touch her, feel her skin, her warmth. Hell, even smell her hair. There was no getting enough of this woman.
It was Indie’s birthday, and I’d been roped into going. Though, admittedly, Kenzie didn’t have to twist my arm too much to get me to agree. She only had to flash her green eyes at me and call me an antisocial bastard, and I conceded.
I slid my shoes on and pulled my shirt over my head before running my hands through my hair to smooth down the ends. It wasn’t like I was trying to make an impression or anything. I sprayed cologne. Not too much. Didn’t want to make her sneeze because, obviously, I was absolutely trying to make an impression on Kenzie. Then I left my apartment and knocked on Kenzie’s door.
Light footsteps approached, and the door handle twitched. “Who is it?” she called.
“Babe, open up.” I smiled, grateful she had the sense to check who was knocking on her door. Though I suspected she only did it because she knew it was me.
“I’m sorry, who is it?”
“Kenzie, quit playing around or I’m going to the only bar in town instead of your friend’s parents’ house.” The only reason I was even going to the party was because it meant I’d get to see Kenzie a bit more.
Still nothing. I rapped my knuckles on the door once. “Have a good night, then.” And I walked toward the stairs.
Three.
Two.
The door creaked open. “Jeremy Donovan, get that ass back here right now.” She peered into the hall.
I turned and challenged her with my gaze. “Make me.”
Her glossy, pink lips twisted up into a smirk, and she stepped into the hall. My mouth watered. If I thought she looked incredible in a swimsuit, it had nothing on this dress she was wearing. Black. Tight. Short. And killer heels. Hell, yeah. Lifting her hands and pulling her hair into a pile on top of her head, her dress crept higher up her strong, toned thighs.
Dangerously high.
My eyes travelled the length of her body, committing every curve to memory as she spun slowly on the spot and put her back to me.
Bare skin.
Exposed right down to the top of her ass. I could see a hint of her underwear peeking out where the zipper of her dress ended.
And, hell.
No bra.
Kenzie looked over her shoulder at me, still with the same sultry smirk. “Zip me up?” she asked and walked back into her apartment.
She didn’t have to ask me twice. I crossed the hall and followed her into the living room, closing the front door behind me. She stood in the center of the room, hands still in her hair, and waited.
Taking slow, deliberate steps so I could enjoy the view a little longer, I approached her. I placed my hands on her hips and stepped in close until my chest was touching her back.
“You don’t play fair,” I leaned in and whispered, letting my lips graze her ear. The hairs on the back of her neck raised, and a small shiver ran through her.
“Never said I did, Casanova.”
She smelled edible. I couldn’t resist; I needed to taste her skin. I pressed my lips to the base of her neck, right at the top of her spine, my tongue sliding over her skin as I pinched the zip between my fingers and dragged it up, letting my knuckles coast over her back until her dress fixed in place.
Kenzie leaned back into me, her breaths a little heavier, more pronounced. She sighed. I groaned and cleared my throat. Grasping her shoulders, I pushed her away slightly and turned her to face me. “We need to go now, before I lock us both in here for the entire weekend.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Interesting. And whatever would we do to keep busy?”
“Oh, I have plenty of ideas.” I picked up her bag from the coffee table and handed it to her. “But it’s your friend’s birthday, and we should go.”
Kenzie grabbed her leather jacket from behind the door and slipped it on over the dress.
How was it possible that adding more clothes made her look even sexier?
We walked to my truck, and I opened the door for her. “Such a gentleman,” she teased.
“For now,” I shot back.
We drove to Indie and Nate’s parents’ place, a sprawling mansion with manicured lawns and well-kept gardens. Well, mansion might have been an exaggeration, but the place was huge, nonetheless. And inside didn’t disappoint. Huge, white, open. So many rooms. Kenzie led me through the house and out onto the back patio where everyone was congregated.
The pool glimmered an almost purple colour, and the lights strung above cast a soft glow. It looked like something out of a fairy tale I used to read Harper when she was little.
I felt out of place, like I didn’t belong, and that was probably because I didn’t. Aside from Kenzie, and Harper and Nate, I rarely interacted with the rest of them, so I was a little uncomfortable but refused to show it.
Harper inserted herself between me and Kenzie with a blank expression on her face before pulling Kenzie away. Nate came over and handed me a beer. I just about groaned in appreciation. I could already tell it was going to be a long night.
“Have you spoken to Johnny about the diner yet?” he asked.
“Nah, been a little…preoccupied.” I took a mouthful of my beer and watched as Kenzie and Harper fell into the pool chairs with Indie and the young girl who lived here. The one the Kellermans were fostering. Dressed head to toe in black, with a hood pulled down over her face, she was trying to hide, but it only made her stand out more. Kenzie pulled a small package from her bag, wrapped in black paper and tied with a silver ribbon, and handed it to Indie.
“I can see that.” Nate chuckled.
“It’s not like that.” I tore my gaze away and focused on the deck below my feet.
“It’s exactly like that.” Nate shrugged. “Go for it. Kenzie could use some good in her life.”
“Not sure I can be classed as good.” I looked at him.
He pressed his lips together and shook his head once. “Gotta give yourself more credit than that, man. You’re probably the best out of all of us. You just got dealt a shitty hand.”
I thought about his words. Maybe he was right. Maybe he was wrong. I wasn’t a bad guy. Did I deserve to go to prison? Yes and no. I killed someone, plain and simple. But it wasn’t as black and white as that. I chuckled to myself. Wasn’t that what everyone claimed? It’s not that simple. I’m innocent. It was an accident. Only, in my case, that was true. I never intended to hurt anyone. To take away a kid’s life. All I ever wanted to do was protect my sister. Actions had consequences, and that one ill-fated night my actions had the worst consequences. I wasn’t bad. I was a kid, and I made a bad decision, one that changed my life completely.
The back doors opened again, and Cole came bounding out. He ran straight at me and wrapped his arms around my legs. “Jeremy! Look what I got,” he said excitedly, pulling a car out of his pocket. “It’s new. Uncle Ryder brought it for me because I ate all my peas.” He screwed his face up in disgust.
“Peas are gross, aren’t they?” I ruffled his hair. “But they’re good for you, so you have to eat them.”
“Do you get rewards for eating your peas? ’Cause Aunty Bailey promised Uncle Ryder he’d get a reward too, but she hasn’t given him anything yet. I think she just said that so he would eat them too.”
I watched the kid with amusement as he prattled on about rewards and peas, until Ryder put a hand over his mouth to shut him up and told him, “Go and see your Mumma.”
“And what sort of rewards do you get for eating all your vegetables?” Nate sniggered beside me and wiggled his eyebrows.
“That’s for me to know.” Ryder punched him in the arm and walked over to the cooler to grab a beer.
Glancing at Kenzie, I watched her listening to Cole, her eyes alight and a huge smile on her face as she expressed interest in everything he said. She appeared to be asking him questions all about his new car and…
“Quit looking at my sister, man. It’s creepy.”
“I’m not.” I turned to the side in an attempt to avert my gaze, but my eyes were automatically drawn back to Kenzie, regardless of where either of us was standing.
“You’re not? Then you’re either staring at Indie, which is bound to get you tied to a tree upside down by Linc—”
“What?” I frowned in confusion and looked at Ryder.
“Long story. Or you’re staring at your sister, which is creepier than staring at mine.”
Nate laughed and clapped me on the back. “I said go for it, but I didn’t say it would be easy,” he said then walked off, leaving me to face Ryder alone.
“Look…” I said, but Ryder cut me off.
“No, you look. She’s my sister, and I want her to be happy. She and Cole need that, but they’re my biggest concern. If you like her and can see things going somewhere with her, fine, but if there’s a chance you’re not ready for a relationship or a kid—because don’t forget, Cole and Kenzie are a package deal—then walk away now. I can already see how much Cole likes you after this week. So, you need to remember it’s not just Kenzie’s heart you’re working your way into, it’s that little boy’s as well.”
The doors opened behind me, and Ryder looked over my shoulder with a smile. “It’s about time. She’s been busting my balls wanting to know where you disappeared to,” he said.
I turned to see who he was talking to and noticed Linc standing in the door and a figure hovering behind him. “Don’t make me regret this,” Linc said over his shoulder to the guy, who was bouncing on the balls of his feet.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” the guy mocked.
Linc set his jaw and clenched his fists. Ryder chuckled. And I had no idea what was going on.
“Deep breath, man, and remember who you’re talking to.” Ryder turned and began walking over to his girlfriend.
The guy behind Linc called, “I’ve missed that ass, handsome.”
Ryder raised his hand over his shoulder and flipped the guy off, causing him to cackle with glee. He sounded like a child.
“Why did I pick you up, again?” Linc squeezed his eyes shut and ran a hand over his face.
“Because you want your fiancée to have the best birthday ever. Now, move. Let me at my woman.” The guy shoved Linc to the side and walked out onto the deck.
He stood on the edge of the deck, feet shoulder width apart, and hands on hips, like a freaking superhero or something, and waited.