"Good." He ran his other hand up her back and tangled it in the hair at the base of her neck. "I'm glad I met you. You're different."
"So are you."
"Hmm." He kissed her cheek, the line of her long neck, her collarbone. "Is that bad?"
"Let me repeat. Hell no." She put her hands under his jaw and tilted his head up to meet his eyes. "I'm glad I met you, too."
He shifted her closer and kissed her softly. She kissed him back with more force, and one of her hands drifted to the hem of his T-shirt. She didn't try to pull his shirt over his head, but instead skimmed her fingers along his stomach. He'd never really grasped the concept of feeling both hot and cold, but he did now, and his hands shook on her back.
She pulled away, giving him a slightly bemused look. "Are you ticklish?"
"Uh." Damn, his brain was in lockdown. "No?"
She shook her head, smiling. "That sounded unsure. Just to be safe, though … "
She pulled her hand out of his shirt, and he kind of hated himself for losing the thread. Faith didn't get up, though. All she did was slow it down, and he felt a swell of relief. Which was stupid. Here he was with a beautiful girl in his lap, and he was nervous.
Calm down, nerves. I want to enjoy this.
They clung together on the couch, kissing, cuddling, for about thirty minutes before Kyle caught a glint of light through the window. "I think someone's here?"
She popped off his lap like a shot. "Mom. Go outside and pretend to work." She grabbed her pointe shoes and shoved him toward the porch. "Go."
His brain was having a little trouble switching gears from girl-in-his-lap to manual-labor-outside, but he stumbled behind her. She was already in the chair, tying her shoes around her ankles. "Hurry!"
He pushed through the screen door as another door slammed inside the house. "Faith? Baby?"
Cutting it close. He jogged into the yard and knelt over some loose sod, tugging at it like he was putting it in place. A moment later he heard Mrs. Gladwell ask Faith how long she'd been practicing.
The porch door swung open. "Kyle, this looks amazing."
He smeared extra dirt on his hands to make it look good, then stood. "Thank you, ma'am. It's just about finished. I'll need to come by tomorrow and water it in, then reprogram your sprinkler system. Will it do for your party next week?"
"More than." Mrs. Gladwell nodded. "It's perfect."
He nodded, thankful his heart rate had slowed. "If it's all the same to you, I'm going to head out. I have baseball practice, and I promised to take Faith out for some ice cream afterward."
She beamed. "That's fine with me."
He caught Faith watching him over her mother's shoulder. She had one hand over her mouth, no doubt trying to hide a laugh. "I'll be back around six then."
Now that his initial flustering had passed, he couldn't wait to have Faith back in his arms-especially with Cameron to see it.
Tonight was going to be amazing. He could feel it.
"So, what's the story?" Tristan pointed his mitt at Kyle. "Word's out you aren't just seeing Cameron's ex, but exploring places no man's gone before. I need details."
"None of your business." Kyle brushed past him and jogged up the steps of the dugout.
"Aw, come on!" Tristan ran behind him on their way out to the outfield for fielding practice. "I live for your stories, man. You know it!"
Kyle focused on the grass under his feet. The field had been mowed while they took a break, and the air smelled like cut grass with a faint hit of fresh chalk from the new lines. He took a deep breath, trying to forget the way Faith's hair felt in his fingers. He'd miss every catch coming his way if he thought about her. And Tristan wasn't helping.
"You texted me, asking about her." Tristan ran up and bumped him. "Why won't you tell me what's going down, asshat?"
Kyle sighed. When it was just a game, running his mouth had been part of it. Now telling Tristan anything seemed cheap. "We're going to Dolly's later. You wanna know? Be there. I heard Cameron might be there, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to have some backup."
Tristan raised his eyebrows. "I will. See if the rumors are true." He laughed. "Sometimes I wonder if you're not just full of shit. I mean, the stories are great, but it'll be nice to get some proof, you know?"
Kyle forced a smile, even though his insides were freezing. "Guess you'll have to wait and see. Now shut up and get into position. Coach is giving us a death stare."
Tristan saluted and jogged to center field, leaving Kyle to wonder if his house of cards would come crashing down, or if Faith would help keep his rep intact … without ever finding out.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Faith
As soon as her mom went to her room to change, Faith rushed upstairs and closed her bedroom door behind her. She slid down the door to sit on the floor, two fingers tracing her mouth. Her whole body tingled. Was this what it was like to fall for someone? The real thing? Her other three boyfriends-Cameron especially-hadn't made her feel so seen. So alive.
Kyle had told her she was lovely. How was it that a guy who supposedly ran through girls paid more attention than a guy who spent a year by her side? With Cameron, it was like he only wanted a girlfriend for the same reason guys wanted a hot car-to make himself look good. Kyle wasn't like that at all.
Tonight, everyone would know that she was over Cameron, and in the best way possible. She covered her face, hiding a grin. Not only was she getting Cam back for being a complete dick, her revenge was a crazy-wonderful guy. At some point she'd have to thank Cam for forcing her hand to break up with him.
Not yet, though. Oh, no, not yet.
She hopped up, twirled around her room to the closet and picked out her tightest T-shirt and skinny jeans. Hell hath no fury and all that. Oh, who was she kidding-the jeans were for Kyle, and his fascination with her legs.
She rushed through a shower and spent a long time straightening her hair. No buns, or braids, or ponytails tonight. Everything had to be perfect, and that meant the works, including makeup and something other than tennis shoes.
When the doorbell rang at six, she took one last look in the mirror, nodded, and bounded down the stairs. Kyle was standing next to her mom, but when he saw her, his eyes widened.
"What do you think?" she asked. "Good?"
He had to clear his throat before he answered. "Yeah. Perfect."
Mom turned her head so he wouldn't see the wry smile on her face, but Faith caught it. "You two be good. Don't stay out too late."
"We'll be back by nine," Kyle said, before Faith could answer.
"We'll be back before curfew." Faith raised her eyebrows at him. "But maybe by nine."
Mom coughed over a fit of laughter. Kyle's expression was that of a guy who'd been spun in a circle twenty times, then told to walk straight ahead.
"That's fine," Mom said. "Have fun."
Faith knew as soon as they left, Mom would laugh until she cried, so she might as well put her out of her misery. "We will. Bye."
She clasped Kyle's hand and dragged him outside. He didn't look like he could move on his own. "You okay?"
"Um, yeah. You look … different. Um … look, I'm sorry, but all I can come up with is damn."
She leaned against his side. "That'll do just fine."
"I was worried, you know, after the whole ‘lovely' discussion, that it wouldn't be."
He was giving her a teasing smile, and she squeezed his arm. "Honestly, it's nice to be appreciated."
"More reason for us to go to Dolly's and show that ex of yours how this works."
Once they were on the road, Vi texted: Cam's here with his bimbo. Time to shine, kids.
"Vi says he's there." Faith's knee bounced. She halfway wanted to jump out of the car and run home. There really wasn't any turning back now, not after Violet spread the word, but she still felt like she'd swallowed live grasshoppers.
Kyle rested his free hand on her knee, stilling it. The warmth of his hand flooded her brain and calmed her nerves. "It'll be fine," he said in that slow, sure voice of his.
"Right, okay." Faith's shoulders relaxed. She hadn't noticed how tight they'd been. "Seriously, if all we have to do is make out a little in front of a crowd, that's not so bad, right?"
His hand tightened briefly on her knee, then he released it, but now he looked nervous. "Right."
They turned into Dolly's. The drive-in had been in Suttonville long before Sonic thought about coming to town, and most of the locals would go to Dolly's before they'd go anywhere else. During school breaks and on weekends, though, it turned into the informal high school hangout. Everyone would park, order shakes, and go car to car to visit friends. Now, if someone dumped some rum into a coconut cream shake, that was his business.
When the Charger glided into an empty spot-one next to Violet's car, which Vi had been standing in with her arms crossed, waving off anyone who wanted this prime real estate-every head turned.
Including Cam's.
Violet came to Faith's window. "Full audience. Curtain up."
Faith wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans. Kyle nodded. "You want some ice cream?"