Page 9 of Trust Again

I groaned. Not that again.

“I don’t want Spencer. And I’m not so desperate that I’d jump the first guy to come my way.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.” Allie’s smile was mysterious.

I picked up one of the chocolates and threw it at her. “Just because you and Kaden have… so much fun together doesn’t mean that you have to feel sorry for me.”

“But I don’t feel sorry for you!” She leaned down to grab the candy from the floor and popped it into her mouth. “I just want the best for you.”

“And that would be?”

Her gray-green eyes sparkled. “Dawn, you are amazing. You should feel great about yourself. Forget that asshole and look ahead. You want my advice? You should go get laid, and preferably with our friend Spencer Cosgrove. But you are welcome to pick another member of the male species.”

I stuffed a handful of those God-awful chips in my mouth just so I wouldn’t have to say anything else.

Chapter 4

I’ve never been a coward.

Once, when someone stole my towel at the gym, I didn’t cower in shame, but instead walked calmly, dripping wet and naked as a jaybird, from the shower all the way to the locker room.

Another time, when I accidentally scratched a mean old neighbor’s car with my bike, I pulled together all my strength and rang his doorbell to confess.

Nope, not a coward.

Repeating these words in my head, I stood in front of Allie’s apartment building.

Usually I face unpleasant situations head on, instead of running from them. Which is why I was now going to talk to Kaden—I just hoped he would be wearing something this time. I was in no mood for a penis sequel.

I pushed open the door to her building with my shoulder and bounded up the stairs to her place. Allie was already waiting at the apartment door. After hugging her, I peeled off my jacket and made a beeline for the living room.

Kaden was sitting on the couch, game controller in his hand, his eyes fixed on the TV screen. Noticing me, he hit the pause button. Lines crinkled around his eyes as the corners of his mouth tipped up in an amused smile.

“Hello, Dawn.”

“What are you grinning about?” I blurted out and felt my cheeks burning. “Yeah, I saw you naked. It’s not the first penis I’ve ever seen. And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop looking at me with that dopey grin. Got it?”

His smirk widened and he leaned back, not a care in the world, as if I hadn’t just mentioned his genitals. “To be honest, I was a kind of scared that you were going to take a bite out of me: your eyes were popping out of your head!”

“Kaden.” Allie interrupted with a gentle warning, but I could also hear her amusement.

“Honestly, Bubbles. If you hadn’t been here, Dawn probably would have eaten me alive.”

“Your body isn’t that great, Mr. White,” I rolled my eyes.

Kaden raised his tattooed arms over his head and stretched with a satisfied look.

“Quit teasing Dawn,” Allie called from the kitchen.

“Dawn’s here?” a voice called out.

Oh, shit.

The bedroom door swung open to reveal Spencer sitting on the floor. He was holding a plastic stick with a ragged, stuffed mouse dangling from a rubber band at the end.

When he saw me, a smile spread across his face. “Hey.”

My eyes were drawn to his hands. In the left one he held the plastic stick and with the other he was stroking Spidey. I’d never noticed how big his hands were. With long fingers and wide wrists—perfect for holding someone tight. His hand traveled slowly across Spidey’s silky fur, then his fingers curled under to scratch the cat under his chin. My gaze wandered along his arm, over the casually rolled-up plaid shirt, his shoulders, which today seemed a bit wider than I remembered, until I finally met his blue eyes again. Something stirred in me that had lain dormant for months.

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