Every Kiss (3 page)

“Thought you said that you were all that needed carrying
inside.”

“Well, me and my bag. Do you really think I’d be dressed
like this for a party?”

Shane’s eyes skim over Makenna’s tight fuchsia t-shirt and
yoga pants with one eyebrow raised. “Mmm, yeah, I see your point. You look like
shit.” He’s barely able to say the words before a smile breaks his stoic
expression. Makenna gasps and throws a dishtowel at him, which he catches
deftly. After stalking toward her, he settles between her legs hanging off the
tall stool and murmurs something into her ear. Before I even realize what’s
happening, he’s walking out of the room with Makenna’s legs wrapped around his
waist.

I’m happy for her. I really am. But it just makes me acutely
aware of how
unhappy
I am for me. “Don’t worry about unloading the
cars,” I call out to no one. “I’ll get it.”

After we finally get out to the guest house, it takes three
hours to get everything cooked and set up for the party, not including their
half hour interlude. That’s three long hours of cooking and setting up
decorations that I’ll never ever get back, but on the bright side, it has given
me an opportunity to hang out with Makenna. Ever since Shane has come into the
picture, we see less and less of each other.

I’m tying up the last of the balloons when Mak comes in to
survey my damage. “Not bad. I knew you were the right person to blow up all
these balloons since you’re so full of hot air.”

“Oh, you’re full of it, too, but your mouth has been busy
blowing more important things.”

“
Cute.
Are you jealous?” She winks, attempting to not
be phased by my comment. But the deep crimson blooming in her cheeks tells me
otherwise.

We both turn at the sound of a door opening upstairs, and we
watch Shane exit the bathroom, still wet from a shower and only wearing a loose
pair of mesh shorts. He walks along the loft railing toward one of the
bedrooms, rubbing his wild hair with a towel, and disappears.

My head whips back to Makenna. “Yes. Very.”

Following me into the kitchen, her face falls a little,
concern marring her usual brightness. “You still haven’t told me about what
happened with Tanner last night.”

“What’s to tell? I was honest with him and told him that I
didn’t trust him. Half the time when he said he was coming over, he never
showed up, and he wouldn’t ever call me back. I told him that rumors were
circulating that he’d been spotted with Maebree Fuller on more than one
occasion. He denied that, of course. So, to sum it up, I told him that we’d be
better off as friends, like we were before.”

And that’s the truth. Tanner and I have been friends for a
long time, but he became someone completely different when we started dating a
few months ago. Makenna had just started seeing Shane, so I was bored one night
and asked Tanner to come over and watch a movie with me, as we had done many
times before. That night was different, though. Before we made it halfway
through the movie, he was kissing me, and
well
. . . he was a damn good
kisser, so I let him. I kissed him back. I never saw the change coming, but boy
did it.

He was weird around me for nearly a week, but I finally made
him talk to me about it. He finally admitted that he’d been crushing on me for
a while but was afraid to change the dynamics of our friendship. Once we got
the awkwardness out of the way and he opened up to me, I actually believed that
we had a shot at something real. Especially when he told me that he didn’t mean
to kiss me that night. I was almost a little hurt by that until he pulled me
close and said, “But I definitely mean to kiss you right now.”

And he did.

Unfortunately, those three months of white hot attraction
were spent primarily in my bedroom or his, which should’ve been telling of
exactly what he saw in me. I pushed him a little to have a real
relationship—you know, like actual dates—and I started seeing less of him and
rumors started flying about him and another girl. The bastard definitely isn’t
boyfriend material. I’m not so sure he’s friend material anymore either, but it
made the break a little easier for me to carry out.

“Well, I’m proud of you, Cal. You deserve more than that.
You know, there’s going to be a bunch of single guys here tonight. Maybe even
someone worth your time.”

“No. Absolutely not. I don’t even want to think about it.
Have pity on the first guy that comes up to me because it’s going to take
everything I have to not stab him in the balls with one of these stupid little
kabob skewers, just for being male.”

She rests her hand over my forearm. “Well, in that case,
single girls will be here, too.”

“Please. You know you’re the only one for me.” I raise my
eyebrows up and down at her suggestively, making her giggle.

“Oh, but she’s already taken.” Shane appears out of nowhere,
startling us both. “Ready to go, baby girl?”

“Go? Where?” I ask Makenna as I head to the sink to wash my
hands after wrapping the last platter of veggie kabobs with plastic.

“We have to go pick up the cake. You wanna come?”

“Actually, no. I think I’ll go ahead and get dressed and do
my makeup while you’re gone. I have to be prepared. Never know who I’ll meet
tonight.”

Makenna smirks. “Thought you were stabbing guys in the balls
with skewers.”

Shane involuntarily cringes. “Whoa . . . what’s with all the
violence?”

“Most men are douchebags. But you don’t fall into that
category just yet. Your ‘boys’ are safe. For now.”

Makenna looks over her shoulder at him. “I’ll explain
later.”

Shane points upstairs. “Second room on the left is all yours
for the night. I already put your bag in there and your clothes are in the
closet. There’s a bathroom that adjoins the first room, but I don’t think
anyone will be staying in there tonight.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Makenna pecks me on the cheek. “Your cookie dough is in the
fridge. We’ll be back soon.” I hear as the door thuds shut.

It takes me only seconds to have the little bowl pulled out
of the fridge and the plastic wrap peeled back, digging in with the first spoon
I can find. A large wooden one. For the first time since we came in, I walk
around to inspect the house. That’s right, I said house. Not guest house. I was
expecting a smallish guest cottage when he first told me about it, but come to
find out, this used to be their original house. When Shane was about thirteen,
his mom and dad built the new house, saving their old one for frequent guests.

It’s not small by any means, probably about the size of my
parents’ house. Downstairs, the open floor plan consists of the modest,
newly-renovated kitchen and living room. The cathedral ceilings are covered in
a honey colored wood, and the railings from the loft overlooking the room match
the ceiling. Simple and understated, yet rich and inviting. It feels very
homey.

I also expected the loft area to only house a couple of
bedrooms, but I was wrong there, too. There are three. And an office. The
bathroom that Shane came out of apparently adjoins the master bedroom. Seeing
Makenna’s bag on the sofa by the window, I think it’s safe to assume she’s
staying in here with Shane tonight. I walk back out to the main hallway and
follow the corridor to the room Shane put my stuff in. It’s a simple space with
nothing out of the ordinary, but I’m glad he picked it for me. A gorgeous
picture window takes up almost half of the back wall, and a door to the side of
it leads to a semi-private balcony, only shared with the empty room next door.

I know where I’m drinking my coffee in the morning. That is,
if
I’m not hugging a toilet. I’m such a lightweight.

Walking through the bathroom, I peek into the other bedroom,
and I can smell cologne. It’s a guy’s room, for sure. Dark wood furniture, dark
linens. This must be where Shane stays when he comes home; although, you’d
think he’d want to stay in the main house with his family. But I guess that’s
another story for another day.

It only takes me half an hour to get ready, but after I step
back and admire my handiwork, I realize I do clean up pretty good, if I say so
myself. I managed to work my stick-straight hair into flowing waves, and my new
slim jeans and do-me red heels make me appear just a little taller, if that’s
even possible. My see-through black blouse has a red cami peeking out
underneath, which shows just enough cleavage, thanks to my favorite push up
bra. Yeah, I wouldn’t mind so much if a guy hit on me a little tonight. I would
hate for my good hair day to go completely to waste.

“Nice shoes.” A strangely familiar deep voice echoes from
the living area the moment I take the last step off the staircase.

I jump and turn around, ready to scold Shane for scaring the
shit out of me, and I meet the unyielding gaze of a familiar face. “Uh, excuse
me? How did you get in here?”

The stranger—a damn
fine
one, at that—seems pissed as
he stands to dig in his pocket, holding out a set of keys on his index finger.
“I have a key. And you’re definitely Lucy. No question about it.”

I raise my eyebrows at him. “And you must be . . .”

“Thirsty.” He saunters into the kitchen and pulls a bottle
of dark amber liquid and a lowball glass from the cabinet. He fills it
three-quarters full with practiced accuracy and tosses in two ice cubes and the
tiniest splash of cola. After swirling it around a little, he throws it back
easily, as if it’s only water, until there’s only ice left clinking in the
glass. He’s quite different than he was before. Earlier, he was a little
flirty, but now something seems off. He’s intimidating to the point that I’m
uneasy, and that’s hard to do. There’s this dark feeling floating around him
like a thick fog, spreading and infecting him and the air we breathe like a
noxious poison.

Once he starts refilling the glass again in the same manner,
I can’t help but making a comment. “I see that. But don’t you think it’s rude
to start the party before everyone else gets here?”

“It’s not rude if you’re the guest of honor.”

“Oh.” I can feel myself blushing. What the hell? I never
blush. “
You’re
the brother?”

“So it seems.” Tall, Dark, and Moody finishes filling his
glass and walks to the end of the island, extending his hand and none too
pleased about it. “Wes.”

I slip my hand into his. “Callie, and also embarrassed.”

He shrugs, still holding my hand. “Don’t be. Where did Shane
and Makenna go?”

“Picking up a few last minute things. They shouldn’t be much
longer.” I realize we’re still holding hands, and I pull mine away. “Maybe I
should call them and let them know you’re here.”

“No need. Shane was the one who told me to be here at this
time. He even texted me to see if I was here yet, right when I was pulling in
the driveway.”

“Well, that must mean they’re on their way, then.” God, I
hope so. This guy is intense. Although I’m glad I was wrong about his
appearance, I expected Shane’s brother to act more like him. Always smiling,
fun, playful. His brother, on the other hand, is broody and dark. The fact that
he’s also powerfully mysterious and sinfully sexy is beside the point.

Jeez, Cal.

“So, uh . . . I think I’ll go upstairs and touch up my
makeup.”

“You don’t have to run away on my account. You stay. I’ll
go.” He doesn’t allow me to respond. He just bounds up the stairs and into the
room adjoining mine. I guess it’s not Shane’s room next to mine after all. It’s
his. Luckily, Shane mentioned that no one would be staying there, so I guess
he’s not planning on being here all night. I don’t know how I’d ever sleep,
knowing he’s just on the other side of the wall.

I grab my cell phone from the counter and send Makenna a
text. She needs to hurry up and get her ass back here.

Me:
‘Just met Wes. NOTHING at all like Shane. Get
back here and save me from Mr. Moody.’

And within seconds, she replies.

Mak:
‘Moody? Wes? He’s a man of few words, but
he’s always sweet.’

Before I can start my reply, he appears again, grabbing his
forgotten glass from the counter and snagging the bottle from the cabinet. With
a terse nod in my direction, he goes back upstairs.

Me:
‘Man of few words. Totally. Sweet? You’ve got
to be kidding me.’

Mak:
‘Not at all.’

Me:
‘In less than 10 mins, downed a glass of
whiskey, working on a second, and took the bottle with him. Pretty sure he
hates me. I’m telling you…moody.’

Mak:
‘Shane says something must be wrong. Be there
in five.’

True to her word, Makenna walks through the door with Shane
only minutes later with a huge cake box.

“Anything left in the car that I need to get?”

Shane drops the bags on the counter. “Just the ice left, but
the cooler is too heavy. I’ll get it in a minute. Where is he?”

I point upstairs.

His sigh is almost a groan. “Damn it.” He begins to ascend
the stairs and waves his hand at everything left out on the counter. “Hey, Mak,
don’t worry about all that stuff. I’ll take care of it in a bit. You can go
ahead and get ready.”

“Okay.”

“What’s that all about?” It seems like there’s a big piece
of the puzzle that I’m missing here.

“I’m not entirely sure. But I have a feeling it has
something to do with his mom.”

“What would their mom do to piss him off like that?”

She shakes her head. “Not
their
mom. Just his. Shane
and Wes have the same dad, but Mrs. Baxter isn’t his real mom.”

“Okay, so what would
his
mom do to make him so upset?
Not come to see him on his birthday?”