Page 72 of I Knew You Were Trouble

I swallow down my racing heart that seems to have jumped up to my throat. “Um… Pete?”

“Hmm?”

“Why…” I take a breath. “Why did you kiss me tonight?”

“It’s New Year’s,” he says almost as if he’s on auto-pilot. I let out a frustrated sigh.

“Pete… For real. Why?”

I need to know if it’s what I think and what—I realize—Ihope. I want him to tell me he likes me.Me, the real-life Candace. The girl who lectures him about the state of his work uniform and who isn’t afraid to blurt out the truth, no matter how embarrassing. I want him to like the girl who is scared to kill a spider, but she does it anyway. I want him to like the girl who overcame one of her violet fears by jumping on the back of a motorcycle. I want him to like the girl who laminates and color codes her lists, has a strict bedtime, who won’t have sex until she’s in love.

I want him to like that girl, and I hope that’s why he kissed that girl at midnight.

“You’re gonna make me conquer my fear, aren’t you?” he teases, and I reach over and try to tickle him like he did me, but my hand hits his nose. “Hey, watch it.”

“Sorry.” I feel around till I hit under his chin. He cuts my tickle fingers off, his scruff prickling my knuckles. “Tell me. Pa-weeze?”

Our combined laughter shakes the bed. He rolls to his back, my hand sliding to his shoulder. The outline of his arm reaches up, and he puts a hand over his face. “I don’t know, Candace. You… looked so pretty. And the dude was juststanding there.”

“And you thought you’d do it for him?” I can’t stop smiling. I’ve never heard Pete so tongue-tied, and it’s adorable.

“Yeah,” he says on a sigh. “You think I’m stupid, don’t you?”

“No.” My fingers curl against the fabric of the tight t-shirt I lent him, and I play with the edge of the sleeve. His skin puckers against my touch. “I liked it.”

I can’t see him, but I can feel the grin growing on his face. “I am pretty good at it.”

“Eh.” I shrug, the sheets rustling with the movement.

“Thought you didn’t argue when I was right.”

“I don’t.”

He shakes his head and blows out a breath. The air around us feels just like the kiss he delivered—electrified yet comfortable. I run my hand up and down his arm, tickled to the bone with every goosebump I leave in my wake.

“So… it was out of obligation?” I prod.Come on, Pete. Give me just a little more.

He stares at the ceiling for exactly seven seconds before answering. “Everyone needs a kiss on New Year’s.”

Disappointment floods through me, but it doesn’t squelch my hope entirely. Maybe what we’ve shared so far tonight is enough intimacy for him, and I’m not one to throw stones at someone’s fears.

Or maybe he’s letting me down easy. I already know I don’t have sex appeal.

Either way, I’m grateful for the small amount of happy I got tonight from him, and I didn’t have to pretend to be someone else to get it.

I scoot against the pillow wall, finding him pressed against the other side. My hand paints a path down his arm, resting against his palm. I intertwine my fingers with his and bend my elbow, bringing his knuckles to my lips.

“Thank you,” I say against his skin. I hope it’s enough to convey just how grateful I am to him, and not just tonight.

“Any time,” he croaks, trying for the joke, but his voice gives him away. I drop our hands, but he tightens his grasp, refusing to let me go. Our clasped hands sit atop our pillow wall, and I let my eyes grow heavy, despite the buzz running under my skin. His thumb rubbing comforting circles on the inside of my wrist lulls me to a deep sleep.

Pete

I slept more last night than I have all week, despite dozing off around four in the morning.

Luckily my shift didn’t start until five. Troublemakers didn’t open until then, so I’m more awake, but not as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as I should be.

Sleeping next to Candace felt much better than it should have. Holding her hand felt like a late Christmas gift, and I hate that I feel so empty without it. I can’t count how many times I wanted to roll over and plant another kiss to her lips. After she pressed a kiss to my hand, I was wide awake for another half an hour at least. My mouth was so damn jealous of my knuckles.

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