Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Britt had been sitting on her couch for the last hour stressing about what had happened with Linc. You know, the part where she’d totally lost it and told him she’d signed the divorce papers.
She had printed them out. That much was true.
She’d done it a few days after they’d found out they were married.
Linc had said he’d look into what a divorce would entail, but she’d jumped on Google anyway.
She’d never been good with the unknown, and reading about the process had helped ground her even though they weren’t planning to file immediately.
So, yes. She’d printed them. She’d even filled them out, but she hadn’t signed them. Getting divorced was too scary and the entire situation had been too fresh, so she hadn’t been able to follow through. Instead, she’d stuffed the papers into a drawer and hadn’t looked at them since.
Then why did I tell him I’d signed?
Because her pride had been hurt, that’s why. She’d been shooting for playful when she’d called Linc her husband—for the first time ever, by the way—and he’d pulled back. Literally backed away from her.
But then he’d said he liked her calling him her husband and kissed her in the parking lot and…
She’d totally freaked out. Told him she was one hundred percent fine to drive, demanded her purse back, and drove herself home.
It was stupid, when she thought about it. Here she’d been panicking about calling him something he didn’t mind being called, and also about kissing him when they’d already slept together.
But I don’t remember that.
Maybe she didn’t remember absolutely everything that had happened on their wedding night, but enough had come back to make her blush when she thought about it. And what she couldn’t remember, her imagination had eagerly filled in the blanks.
Imagination? Hell, when it came to picturing having sex with Linc, she had an entire immersive IMAX theater in her head… complete with D-BOX and Dolby Surround Sound!
She didn’t have to imagine anything about tonight’s kiss, however, because it had been playing on repeat in her head in vibrant, full-color, high-definition ever since she’d fled the parking lot.
She’d had to get out of there to process her thoughts, but all she could think about now was the look on his face as she’d driven away. Confusion. Shock, maybe? Hurt?
She felt horrible fleeing the scene of the crime, as it were, leaving Linc behind with the chalk outline surrounding him. No way would she be able to sleep tonight without talking it out with someone.
It was just after midnight, so if she called Dex, she’d risk waking up her eight-year-old nephew, Sebastian. Plus, she still wasn’t comfortable talking to her brother about this mess.
Knowing Skye, she’d still be at the bar, and Britt didn’t want to have a conversation with her while she was there. Not like she’d be able to hear Skye anyway; the bar had gotten pretty rowdy after the auction.
The odds of Laurel already being home were probably her best bet. She wasn’t much of a bar person, but since Jake was most likely with her, texting rather than calling seemed like the smartest course of action. All Britt needed was Jake accidentally overhearing their conversation.
Or maybe she shouldn’t even text. After all, she hadn’t talked to her friends after she’d gotten married, so why did she feel the need for advice after a simple kiss?
As soon as the thought entered her head, she laughed.
It was more of a sad, defeated sound rather than anything resembling joy.
Simple was the last way she’d describe her first real kiss with Linc.
Hot. Mind-blowing. Where-the-hell-did-that-come-from and how-did-I-not-know-he-could-kiss-like-that were much more accurate.
And let’s not forget the-best-kiss-of-her-entire-freaking-life!
She was so confused.
Which is why she caved and hit send.
Britt
Mayday! Mayday!
It didn’t take her friend long to respond.
Laurel
What’s wrong? You okay?
Was she okay? Her best friend had shocked the hell out of her, kissed her into oblivion, and practically incinerated her panties on the spot. Not sure that qualified as okay.
Britt
I don’t know.
Linc
I need advice.
Jake
This better be good, Pierce. You just interrupted me and my girl.
Linc
Shit. Sorry. Never mind.
Jake
Relax. I’m fucking with you. Laurel’s messing with her phone. What do you need?
Laurel
What’s up?
Britt
Linc kissed me.
Laurel
Linc kissed you?!!!
Britt
Yes
Linc
I kissed Britt.
Jake
So?
Linc
So? I KISSED brITT!
Jake
What do you want, a medal?
Linc
She’s my best friend.
Jake
And?
Linc
What do I do?
Jake
If you need to ask, you’re beyond help.
Linc
Never mind.
LAUREL ADDED SKYE TO THE CHAT.
Laurel
How was it?
Britt
Laurel
Eeeee!! That’s amazing!
Skye
What’s amazing?
Laurel
Linc kissed Britt.
Jake
Hang on. What happened?
Linc
I kissed her.
Jake
You said that. Did she kiss you back?
Linc
…
Jake
Pierce?
Skye
About time.
Britt
What do you mean, about time?
Skye
He’s been hot for you since he met you.
Laurel
100%
Britt
He has not.
Skye
Delusional much? The guy’s into you.
That was the second time Skye had mentioned Linc being interested in her.
Jake
Feel free to answer any year now.
Linc
Asshole.
Jake
Flattery gets you everywhere. Did she kiss you back?
Linc
Yes.
Jake
So what’s the problem?
Laurel
Skye’s right. He looks at you all soft.
Britt
Soft? WTH does that mean?
Skye
The opposite of hard.
Britt
I so hate you right now.
Skye
God, woman, could you use more emojis?
Laurel
You do use a lot.
Seriously?
brITT HAS LEFT THE CHAT.
Linc
She seemed into it, then freaked out and bolted.
Jake
She ran away?
SKYE ADDED brITT TO THE CHAT.
Skye
Nice try. No leaving until you tell us what happened after he kissed you.
Britt
I panicked and drove home.
Skye
Four emojis? Now you’re just being a pain.
Linc
Not literally. She left in her car.
Jake
Did you follow her?
Linc
Of course not.
Jake
Call?
Linc
No.
Laurel
Wait. You just drove off and left him there?
Britt
I know!
Laurel
What are you going to do now?
Britt
I don’t know! That’s why I’m asking you guys!
Skye
Jump his bones!
I’m pretty sure I already did.
Skye
Skye
Laurel
Eww!
Why had Britt thought reaching out to her friends would be a good idea again? She was more confused now than she’d been before.
He’s been hot for you since he met you.
Was that true?
The only thing I never wanted to do when it comes to you, Zan, was to not do this.
Linc’s been wanting to kiss me?
Well, he did kiss her, but how long had he been wanting to?
There’d always been some underlying chemistry between them. She’d just assumed it was heavier on her side than his. After all, if he was into her, wouldn’t he have tried something before now? Maybe asked her out?
Like how you’re into him and asked him out?
She hadn’t because she was a coward. Linc was… the best kept secret on the planet! If she’d known what a good kisser he was, she actually might have made a move.
Yeah, right.
That Southern upbringing of hers had been ingrained deep. As archaic as it was, men were the ones to ask for a date where she was from. Always. And even though she had no problem with a woman asking out a man, she’d never done it herself.
Wow. That’s… pathetic.
Still, Linc was a chivalrous guy. She’d assumed he’d make the first move in a relationship, and maybe he did. So, if he’d truly been wanting to kiss her, maybe he’d been waiting for her to give him the green light all along.
Her heart skipped a couple of beats as a flash mob of butterflies took flight in her stomach and started performing an Irish step dance.
Was that it? Had he just been waiting for a signal?
Now she didn’t know what to think.
Lord, she needed to relax—preferably before the butterflies went on tour—and there was no way she’d be able to do that if she kept texting Laurel and Skye.
Britt
I can’t think about this anymore tonight or my head will explode.
Laurel
Take a bubble bath and have a glass of wine.
Skye
Also known to some as a bottle.
A bubble bath did sound good. Wine sounded better. She was going to take her friends’ advice, sit in the tub, and drink. She was absolutely not going to wonder how long Linc may or may not have been wanting to kiss her.
And the fact she was getting hot and bothered from repeatedly replaying their kiss in her mind? Nope. She wasn’t going to think about that either.
Jake
Did you send her a text?
Linc
No.
Jake
Dude, you know women. You’ve gotta talk to her before she starts overthinking and freaking herself out. At least send her a text tonight.
Jake
No!
Linc
No what?
Jake
Don’t text. Wait until tomorrow.
Linc
You just said not to wait.
Jake
Sorry. Laurel grabbed my phone. Maybe she’s right.
Linc
Shit! You told Laurel?
Jake
No, Britt did. Guess they’ve been texting.
Linc
Fuck.
Britt
Thanks, y’all. TTYL
Laurel
Anytime!
Skye
Britt put her phone down and flopped back onto the couch. Avoidance was her new plan for the evening. All she had to do was not think about kissing Linc.
Not five seconds later, the kiss she was definitely not supposed to think about strong-armed its way into her mind and evicted everything else. She buried her face in her hands and whimpered.
Well, it was official.
Her plan sucked.