Page 100 of Kentrell

Didn’t feel good lying to her.

Didn’t feel good knowing how close I was, all while she had no clue who I really was or why I’d been pushed into her orbit to begin with.

“You ready?” I asked, wiping my hands and standing, needing to pull myself out of my own head.

“Yup!” Zoe hopped up from her stool, pushing the plate to the side.

I reached for her hand, lacing my fingers with hers as we walked down the hall. She stopped to grab her coat and scarf from the hall closet, then followed me out the front door.

“My car?” she asked, looking at the curb.

“Nah.”

I led her tomytruck, parked a few houses down. Opened the passenger door for her and helped her inside, letting my hand slide low to cup her ass as she climbed in.

She giggled and smacked my hand away playfully. “Stop it!”

I smirked and closed the door, walking around to my side, slipping behind the wheel.

Yeah, I knew her well.

Too well.

And that was the problem.

We pulled off smooth, JS Love Angel playing in the background, Zoe curled up in my passenger seat, legs crossed, her scarf draped across her lap as the morning sun warmed up the windshield.

I kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting on my thigh, sneaking glances at her every few lights.

“You always this quiet in the morning?” she asked, sipping from her water bottle.

“Nah,” I replied, eyes still on the road. “Just thinkin’.”

She didn’t press.

She never did.

Starbucks was only a few minutes out the way. I pulled into the drive-thru without saying a word, and she smiled like I’d just remembered her birthday.

“Grande iced caramel macchiato with almond milk, extra drizzle,” I said before she could open her mouth.

She turned her head slow. “See… that’s kinda scary.”

I smirked. “Why?”

“Because that’s exactly what I was about to say.”

I didn’t answer.

Just let the weight of her words sit in the air while we inched up the line.

When we got to the window, she reached for her purse.

“I got it,” I said quickly, handing over my card.

She didn’t fight it. Just sat back, smiling again.

And I hated how good that made me feel.

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