Chapter 18 Kennedy #2
“Where’s my child?” Hayes suddenly asked as he shoved his hand into one of his jeans pockets and took a small twinkle star plush out of it.
I held back a laugh at his randomness. I didn’t know why it surprised me.
Wesley Hayes was the literal definition of a golden retriever.
Well, except for the trail of broken hearts he left behind in every city he traveled to.
Yeah, it was safe to say Hayes had a reputation.
You would never have guessed it based on his sunshine personality and innocent forest-green eyes, but I was almost certain the innocent look he carried was what attracted so many women in the first place.
Though there was no denying a man like him was certainly handsome, he didn’t hold a candle to Henry.
His beauty was raw and almost too overwhelming.
The type of beauty that dulled your senses and threw your logical way of thinking out the window, simply by orbiting around you.
The type of handsomeness that was impossible to ignore.
Believe me when I say this because I had been trying—and failing miserably.
“You mean my child?” Henry cocked one of his dark eyebrows. “He’s probably in the latest cat tower you bought him.”
“Say less,” Hayes said while striding into what we called Sush’s room. “Where are you, Sush? Uncle Wes missed you,” he shouted.
With a shake of my head and a laugh, I headed to the pantry in hopes of finding disposable cups and plates. I was sure we had to have some around.
“Need help with anything?” Henry’s voice boomed through the small room, causing goosebumps to spread across my body at his smooth tone.
I looked over my shoulder and found him leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. The simple pose made the muscles of his arms pull the fabric of his hoodie taut, and a throbbing sensation pounded between my legs at the sight alone.
I was losing my damn mind.
“I’m looking for some disposable cups and plates because there’s no way ours are going to make it if we use them. I’ve known you all long enough to know how rowdy you all get,” I said.
His deep laugh echoed as he strode closer and reached for something above me. His tall frame enveloped me, and my traitorous thighs clenched involuntarily.
Once he found the items, I expected him to pull away. But when I turned around, he was standing so close, I could visibly count every freckle that dusted across his chiseled face and crooked nose. My fingers itched to trace them, and I curled my hands into hard fists, fighting the ridiculous urge.
“Thank you for doing this,” he whispered.
“Like I said, I wanted to do something nice for you guys.” I smiled.
He hummed, leaning closer. “For everyone? Or just me?”
I huffed a nervous laugh, the pulse in my neck rising. “Someone sure thinks highly of himself.”
“It can be our little secret.”
I rolled my eyes, exasperated. “Think what you will.” The deflection slipped past my lips easily.
I wasn’t willing to accept that, yes, I had done it just for him. Because I, Kennedy Jones, was worried about him. I didn’t want to feel anything toward him. But oh, I did. I so did.
“You want to know what I think?” he asked. His eyes glinted with something dangerous, a silent challenge I was dying to face head-on. But I knew better than to walk into one of his traps.
“Nope,” I replied dryly.
“I’ll tell you anyway.”
The heat rolling off his body was almost tangible. The worst part? My body craved more of it. It burned me like a sin I wasn’t supposed to want. I told myself it didn’t affect me. Made myself believe it was my imagination. But the fire crackling beneath my skin told a different story.
The air frizzled with so much tension, I could practically taste it. And, God, was it delicious.
He positioned one of his hands on the built-in shelves behind me, successfully caging me in.
My eyes became interested in my surroundings as I tried my best not to gawk at him, though there wasn’t any point.
There was something about the way he wore the simple black hoodie and gray sweatpants that left nothing to the imagination.
But what tied it all up into a neat little package with a perfect red bow was the goddamn backward hat.
It didn’t matter how often he wore those types of outfits, he was still painfully handsome.
His backward hats were becoming my version of torture. All I wanted to do was knock it off his head, run my fingers through his hair, and kiss the hell out of him.
The look on his face was almost predatory and hungry. “I think you’re starting to like me, but it pains you to admit it.”
I fluttered my eyes closed, because his stare, accompanied by those words, was like a shot of aged whiskey. It burned my throat before dropping to the center of my stomach. Then, oh so slowly, it spread to the rest of me, making my body burn hot.
“Sorry to break it to you, pretty boy, but I still can’t stand you,” I replied weakly. My strength to keep lying was quickly crumbling.
What I couldn’t stand was the fact that I hadn’t forgotten about our kiss. The stupid kiss that felt anything but fake.
What I couldn’t stand was the fact that he wasn’t who I thought he was, and it was putting me in this weird, strange limbo.
What I couldn’t stand was the fact that I was starting to like being around him.
“God, Kenny...” He barked a soft laugh. “You are so stubborn sometimes. Did you know that?”
“I’ve been told that multiple times, actually,” I replied breezily, though the comment hit an old wound. I could practically hear all the comments I had been hearing throughout my life.
Can you, for once, do as you’re told? Why does everything have to be a fight with you? I could hear Joe’s words so vividly, as if he were standing right in front of me.
I was being consumed by my own nightmares, by the voices I pretended didn’t affect me.
I just hadn’t expected I would add Henry’s voice to that rotation.
He was right, that much I knew. I didn’t want to be like this.
But when you lived your life on edge, always expecting the worst from people, what else was there to do?
“That’s okay, though,” he replied with a low sigh. “I like you just like this. Stubborn and all.”
My eyes found him in silent shock. I didn’t know what to say. I was pretty sure I had forgotten how to breathe.
He smirked knowingly. “But can I ask you a question?”
I put myself together long enough to roll my eyes. “If you must.”
“When are you going to stop lying to yourself?” His voice dropped to a sensual gravel, and my clit throbbed painfully. “Wouldn’t it be more fun to give in?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, even though I knew. I so fucking knew what he was talking about. But denial…Well, you should know by now, denial was practically my best friend.
“You and I both know what I mean,” he replied with a smug smile as he took a step back, taking his overwhelming presence and warmth with him. My body shivered, already missing his heat.
He turned around and strode to the door, but before he left, he looked over his shoulder. “Oh, and Kenny?”
I was flustered and at a loss for words, so all I managed to do was look up and breathlessly say, “Yeah?”
“Just so we’re clear, that was me flirting.”
With that, he walked back out to the party like nothing had happened.