Promised (9 page)

“I promise, I will.” I say, placing my hand along her jaw to tilt her eyes up to mine.

“Can I kiss you again?” She asks quietly.

Not even trying to hide my smile, I reply. “If you don’t do it soon, I’m going to flip you onto your back and kiss you myself.”

“Ok. Ok! No need to get violent. I’ll kiss you if I must.” She groans and rolls her eyes.

“Well, get to it, woman.” I urge on a chuckle as I place both my hands on her waist.

Grinning, she leans back into me and captures my lips with hers. And I know at that moment that having her lips on me is as close as I’ll ever get to heaven without actually dying.

Chapter 12 – Wyn

“Change Your Mind~

“Did you bring me a change of clothes?” I ask Dani
, slipping my heels off onto the passenger side floorboard.

“Duffle bags on the back seat and I made sure to include my make-up bag. You don’t want to go home with your lips looking freshly kissed.”

Climbing between the front seats, I plop myself in the back and grab the duffle bag off the floorboard. Linc and I were running behind to meet Dani this morning. So now I’m forced to change clothes while Dani drives us to my parent’s house, but I don’t regret it because it gave me extra time alone with Linc.

I pull out the outfit Dani has brought and sit stunned. Then looking in the rearview mirror, I catch her smiling eyes. “Really?”

“I couldn’t resist.” She says, trying to hold in her laugh.

I let out a groan, knowing there’s nothing I can do. I either have to wear the dress I have on, which will cause all kinds of questions about where I really was last night, or put on this get-up Dani’s come up with. Shaking my head, I unzip my dress I have on and peel it off my body.

“You know, it will probably raise more suspicions when I walk in wearing this thing than it would if I just wore my dress from last night.” I grumble, fumbling around trying to get the contraption Dani calls “pants and a top”, on.

I tie the last strap in place on the shirt and then take a look down at myself. I’m wearing a bubble gum pink spandex top that has cut outs at the sides. And instead of sleeves, it has strings that lace down my arms. The pants she brought to go with the horrendous top are black leather with their own cut outs at my hips and rhinestones down the sides. She finished the look off with a pair of five inch heeled, black boots, which are pretty awesome by themselves. But paired with my get-up, not so much.

“You do realize I look like a stripper’s closet threw up on me, right?” I ask, leaning back in the seat and pulling out the make-up bag to touch up my face.

“You look like a real gypsy girl now.” Dani beams from the driver’s seat.

“Where did you get these clothes, anyways?”

“My closet, pre-pregnancy of course.”

“When have you ever worn an outfit this absurd?”

“Halloween, a year ago. I went as a sexy cowgirl. Remember? There was a matching pink, furry hat.”

“And I went as Katniss from
Hunger Games
.” I say, remembering.

“And no one knew who you were. You spent the whole night explaining your costume.”

I look out the window to watch as we pull into my neighborhood. “It’s not my fault my family doesn’t appreciate the same books as me.”

She pulls the car into my driveway and puts it into park. Turning around in her seat to face me, she asks. “Are you ready for this?”

“Am I ready for everyone to see me in your old hooker clothes?” I ask, cocking one eye brow at her.

“Halloween. Not hooker. Get it straight. But that’s not what I meant anyways. You know this is the first family event since you and Shay became “officially” a couple. Everyone’s going to be watching you and asking questions about the wedding plans.” She explains with a look of sympathy in her eyes.

I hadn’t even thought about any of that. Though, if I hadn’t been so wrapped up in Linc, I would’ve realized I’d be facing the firing squad today. The only thing my family loves more than a party, is planning the party. And at the moment, I don’t know anything about mine. “I haven’t even started anything.” I sigh, tossing a tube of lip gloss back in the make-up bag and zipping it up.

“Nothing?”

“Haven’t even looked at dresses online.”

“Well, at least you have your ring to show off. That might be enough to settle the masses.” She glances down at my empty hand and her eyes grow in shock. “Wyn! Where’s your ring?”

Climbing back into the front passenger seat, I grab my purse from the floor board and pull out the ring, slipping it back on my finger. “Tada!”

“You have to be careful or your family is going to find out about the sneaking around. And that will cause all kinds of trouble for Linc, you, and me.” Dani warns as she unconsciously rubs her pregnant belly, worry etched on her face.

I reach out and touch her hand. “Dani, I won’t let you get tangled in my mess.”

“I know you won’t intend on it happening, but accidents happen.”

“I…”

“No, don’t make a statement you can’t follow through with. You’re not going to stop seeing Linc over me being a worry wart and I’m not going to ask you too.” She says, interrupting me.

“You’re the best of the best friends.” I say, pulling her across the center divider and into a hug.

“I do believe I’ve heard that somewhere before.” She laughs as she hugs me back.

“Well, I probably haven’t told you enough.”

“You can continue.”

“You’re the best of the best friends, the hottest red head, the skinniest pregnant girl, and the most loyal person.” I release her from the hug and ask. “Is that enough or should I add more?”

Grinning, she says. “That’ll do for now, but I’ll come find you later if I need a compliment refill.”

“Anytime.”

She turns to look out the window at the packed house and asks. “Ready?”

“Nope, but I don’t have a choice.” I grumble as I get out of the car.

She waits for me to reach her side so she can put her arm through mine and guide me into the house. Silently giving me the support she knows I need.

We don’t even make it two feet in the door before Shay pulls me aside.

“What do you want?” I demand, putting my hands on my hips.

“We need to get on the same page.” He tells me, rubbing his hand across his forehead in frustration.

“And what page would that be?”

“Wyn, if you openly show your dislike of our engagement, it’ll embarrass me…”

“I don’t give a poop whether you’re embarrassed or not.” I cut him off.

“It’ll embarrass your parents too. Do you really think your dad will let you finish school if you openly embarrass him in front of the whole community?” He looks so sincere in his worry, but even if he doesn’t mean them to, his words scare me. Finishing school has been my only real dream. Well, it was until Linc came in the picture, and I know that won’t come true. So I’d at least like to follow through on the first one.

“Fine!” I drop my hands from my hips in defeat and ask. “What do we have to do to convince them?”

He moves closer to me and takes one of my hands in his own. “Well, you could start by not pulling away from me every time I try to touch you.”

I glare at our joined hands, but I don’t pull away. “What else?”

“You need to let me take you on dates?”

“We’re not allowed to be alone.” I all too happily point out.

“We won’t. Adam and Dani have agreed to double date with us, but you’ll have to open up that busy schedule of yours to fit me in.” He grins and I hate it because it’s nothing like Linc’s grin that turns my knees to mush. Shay isn’t a bad guy. At one time, I would’ve considered him a friend, but I’ve never been drawn to him the way I am to Linc. I just wish he would change his mind and leave me be.

“Once a week.” I barter.

“Three.” He counters.

“Two.”

“Two days, but I get to pick you up at school every day and I get to have dinner with your family once a week. Separate from the date nights. And that is my final offer.”

“You’re not picking me up from school. Dani does it on the days I volunteer, and my brothers do it the other days.” I explain, silently sending up a prayer that satisfies him. The last thing I want to do is throw him in the face of Linc. And having him hanging around waiting on me will be just that, a big slap to Linc’s face.

“Dani can still pick you up on the days you volunteer, but Adam and I will be picking you up on the other days.” He states this so surely that I can tell he already made the arrangements.

“How did you know I’d agree to this?”

“I know how much school means to you.” He shrugs his shoulders as if it’s no big deal that he’s using my dream against me.

“I hate you.” I tell him honestly.

“I have all of our lives to change your mind.” He drops my hand so he can put his arm around my shoulders. “Now, we better join the party before they accuse us of doing something that’ll soil your reputation.”

Arrogant jerk!
As if I’d ever willingly let him soil anything on me.

Chapter 13 – Linc

~A Wyn Thing~

“Are you still hung up on Arwyn Scott?” Nate asks
, standing with his arm propped on the top of his locker door.

It’s the first day back to school since winter break and I’m around the hallway hoping to catch Wyn before she goes to her first class. It’s been a few days since our night at the cabin and we’ve kept in touch through text, but it’s not the same and I want to see her smiling face. To do that, I need to get rid of Nate because I know she won’t stop when him and his harem of cheerleaders are around.

“Get lost, Nate. I’ll talk to you later.” I’m too anxious to be subtle.

“I’ll take that as a big, fat yes.” He says, closing his locker and shouldering his book bag.

“Seriously, head out.”

“I’ll go, but you’re giving me the dirty details later. That girl is smokin’. ” He lets out a whistle as he starts to walk away.

I grab him by the collar of his shirt, shove him against the locker and growl. “You’ll show her respect or your face will get a close up of my fist.”

“Damn, you’ve got it bad.” He shrugs my hands off and says. “Let go. I won’t disrespect your girl.”

“Don’t be telling the whole school either. If it gets back to her family, there’ll be all kinds of trouble.”

“No worries, cousin. I won’t tell a soul.” He promises, walking backwards toward his class. He throws up deuces and then spins around and disappears into his class.

“Are you waiting on me?” She asks from behind me.

I spin around to face her and I’m rewarded with her shinning smile. “If I say I am, do I get a kiss?”

She leans into me, placing her hand on my chest and presses her lips to mine. Pulling back, she says. “You got the kiss, either way.”

“I was waiting on you.”

“I figured.” She grins.

I look her up and down, taking in the brown riding boots, dark denim skinny jeans that cling to her perfect legs, long white button down shirt rolled up at the sleeves, her curly hair falling loose across her shoulders and of course, her clover necklace at her throat. Taking her hand I begin. “You look so…”

I stop when I feel something hard and cold on her finger. Turning it over, I sigh. “So it did happen.”

Pulling her hand back and looking down at the ring instead of me, she says. “Yeah.”

“When?” I demand, rubbing my hands over my buzzed head.

“My eighteenth birthday. The same day as graduation.” She whispers.

I turn to my locker and pound it with my fists, over and over. “Fuck!”

“Linc.” She whimpers, which causes me to pause my assault on the metal.

I pull her to my chest where her head fits perfectly into the crook of my neck. One of my hands grips her shirt at the small of her back and the other has hold of her neck. I growl. “You’re mine, Wyn. They aren’t fucking taking you away from me.”

“I don’t want to, but…” She cries against me.

“Just let me pretend.” I whisper as the tears start to fall from my own eyes.

She nods her okay against my chest and continues to cry.

“Skip school with me, please.” I beg, lifting my hand to run it over her hair.

“I’ve never done that before.” She pulls back to wipe her eyes with the tips of her fingers.

“Neither have I, but I want to be alone with you today. Will you?”

She looks at me closely for several moments and then nods her head.

I grab her hand and pull her back out of the school before a teacher can catch us.

Once I have her in the car and we’re on the road, I ask. “What would you like to do?”

“Runaway.” She jokes, laying her head against the back of her seat.

“Don’t tempt me.”

“I don’t know. Let’s just drive around until we find something that catches our eyes.”

“You want to know what I just realized.”