Page 101 of The Sweetest Devotion

And then, because she was still a brat, she came close, lulling her head back to gape up at me with a corny smile. “Goodbye, Keith.”

Despite myself, I felt a corner of my mouth curl up. She thought she was slick. To get her back, quickly, I leaned down and caught her off guard as I gave her a fast peck on the lips. It hadn’t been a second, but it was enough to send a jolt of electricity through my veins.

Kennedy’s eyes widen. She’d felt it too.

“?’Bye, Kenny,” I said as I stepped back, needing her to leave first.

Her fingers brushed her lips. “?’Bye, Keith.”

She put her hat back on and went over to her Lexus. There was no missing the daze in her eyes as she got in behind the wheel. She shook it off, waving to me before she started up her car and backed out.

As her car disappeared down the street, I went over to my truck and got in. I could still feel her, smell her, and hear her as I drove for the garage. Images of her in my sheets, smiling over at me, reaching out for me, crossed my mind as I clocked in.

I had it bad and I already missed her.

19

Saturday came too quickly.All I wanted to do was stay in bed, cloaked under Keith’s hoodie, but deep down, I knew I couldn’t renege on my plans with Cain. He wanted a night in, and I knew he wasn’t about to let me go back on my word.

Just because I wasn’t putting up a fight, didn’t mean I was going all in. No, to squash any semblance of my being interested in Cain, I went into my walk-in closet and found a black velour tracksuit by Shallow. After my shower, I slipped into the tracksuit and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. I doused myself with a little perfume and avoided any makeup beyond gliding lip balm across my lips.

And then the jitters set in, an icky sensation I couldn’t shake. What if this was a trap? A lure to get me to his home where he wouldn’t let me go? I already knew I’d never step foot in Vegas with him, because I was sure I’d never leaveunmarried.

“You’re overthinking,” I told myself as I began to pace in front of my TV. No amount of coaching would stop my hands from shaking, however.

Ugh.

This man would send me into an anxiety-induced heart attack before we even saidI do.

Knocking at my door startled me. It was five thirty. I guessed it was time to go.

I swallowed slowly as I advanced toward my door, unable to calm down even the slightest as I wrapped my hand around the knob. I unlocked the door with the other and pulled it open, at once breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of Beans on the other side.

One look at the large man in the way too big suit made me frown in pity. Someone needed to help him on the fashion side of things. It was odd, seeing how well-dressed Cain kept himself.

I poked my head out of my suite, scoping the background for signs of the man and his other bodyguard, Vino. Neither seemed to be in the vicinity, so I came back to Beans.

“Something wrong?” I asked.

Beans shook his head, his bored eyes peering down into mine. “Dice—Cainis putting some finishing touches on a project. I’ll drive you to his spot.”

My lips trembled and settled into a scowl. He couldn’t even get me himself? Forhisdate? “No thanks, tell him I’m sick.”

Beans rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “You’re not sick, and I never lie to D.”

I folded my arms, attempting to take a stance. “Then what’s his address? I’ll drive myself.”

Beans wasn’t amused by this idea. “Iam to escort you to Cain. You’re not staying, and you’re not driving. Don’t make this any harder for yourself, Miss Nichols.”

Cain didn’t trust that I would bring myself to him? It was probably for good measure, because it was tempting to not go.

Curiosity got the better of me as I looked over at Beans. “You never lie, huh? What do you think of this arrangement?”

Beans shrugged indifferently. “He can do better.”

My shoulders dropped along with my mood. “Yeah, forget I asked.”

“He asked you out twice before and you shot him down,” Beans went on. “I don’t see the point in pushing the issue. Then again, Dice has a problem with rejection. He’s been rejected his whole life, and I guess this is his way of fighting back.”

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