Page 64 of The Pinkie Pact

"Not at all," I answered, my heart starting to sink, wondering when I could see her next.

We were quiet as we walked the short distance to the street where I requested a ride on my phone, and I had no clue what she was thinking about. But I didn't really have time to ask because our driver was there in a flash, like the fastest Uber ever, maybe because we were near one of DC's busiest streets.

In the backseat, I put my arm around her, and she snuggled into my side, making me feel like all was right in my world. Again, we didn't say anything. I was glad, though, because I was having some kind of crazy emotional moment, and I wasn't even sure if Icouldspeak.

The reaction I was having to this girl after one date was unbelievable. But if I was being honest, it had started long before that... right when I began to realize Sky was an incredible influence on my sister.

But God, now, after kissing her, after feeling her body, I didn't think there was any going back. In only one night, Sky had already ruined me for any other girl.

Too soon, we arrived at her dorm, and we thanked the driver before exiting.

So now what? There was no way I was going up there to deal with Kara... if she was even home yet. With regret I felt deep down, I realized this was goodnight.

"Well," she said, turning to face me, "I had a really great time tonight, Kieran."

The way she said my name, all full of softness, did something to me, something I couldn't even name. "Me too."

In the glow from the streetlight, she looked even more stunning than usual, and I wondered how I had even ended up here. She glanced at me expectantly, and my stupid brain realized I should probably kiss her goodbye.

When she raised a brow, a little smile on her face, I laughed and said, "You don't have to tell me again, beautiful."

Loving the look of surprise in her eyes, I leaned down and rubbed my nose against hers before capturing her lips with mine as she gasped into my mouth. Even though we'd kissed for hours, I still couldn't get over howgoodshe felt, how sweet and soft and full her lips were.

Grabbing her face with my hands, I pulled back to kiss her cheeks, then her nose, and lastly her forehead, letting my lips linger there.

"When can I see you again?" I whispered against her skin, barely recognizing my breathless voice as I leaned my forehead against hers, closing my eyes at the emptiness I knew I'd feel soon.

"Sunday night? Reggae night?" she said quietly.

Pulling away to look into those blue eyes, I smiled. "It's a date."

She returned my smile, squeezing my hand. "I'll see you then."

With one last sweet, lingering kiss, she turned to go inside, waving once through the window before disappearing, taking a part of me with her.

Wow, I did not expect to feel this way right now. Something about Sky had completely uprooted my world, and I wasn't even sure how to deal.

Turning to go, I made the quick decision to leave my car at the restaurant overnight and just walk home. I needed the fresh air. I needed to burn off this restlessness inside me.

Heading down the dark streets, I passed groups of drunk, laughing kids, making me feel kind of old. Because all I wanted was this girl. I didn't care about partying or hanging out anymore. I wanted Sky. I wanted a new kind of life.

My mind wandered to the life I'd had with Christina and to our apartment. But instead of Christina, I pictured Sky there, pictured making dinner with her every night, settling in on the couch to read or watch a movie, going to bed with her every night, and waking up with her every morning.

With Christina, I had fought it. I had tried to escape as much as I could. I felt a wave of guilt about my attitude. She hadn't really deserved that. I knew that now. But at the time, I thought that was just how it was. I didn't know that I could feel this way, didn't know that pull to always want to be with someone, to always want to talk to them, to always want to touch them and have them touching you.

I hadn't known that. I had never seen that... certainly not with my parents. I supposed they were similar to the way Christina and I had been. I'd never seen them kiss, never seen them hug. Um, not that I wanted to see that exactly. Just some affection between them would have been nice to witness. They were my examples in life, actually my heroes in life.

And suddenly, this fascinating, bold girl had come along and, within a heartbeat, changed everything.

Part of me still couldn't believe I'd broken up with Christina. We'd been together since I was eighteen. Seven long years. My friends had been outright shocked when I'd told them. Everyone thought we were getting married soon. Even I had thought that.

That's just what I thought was next. I didn't even really question it because I hadn't known any differently.

The only person who had ever said anything negative about it all was Kara, but I had never paid attention to her and completely dismissed what she said. Looking back, she had been absolutely, one-hundred percent right.

Because now I knew.

Walking along the dark bridge into Georgetown, I thought about my dad and our weekly basketball game tomorrow. I hadn't yet told my parents about my breakup, and I should probably get that over with... if they didn't already know somehow.

---