Page 69 of Dove
Maybe she was giving me a taste of my own medicine.
Downing my beer, I made my excuses, Eddie’s face flickering briefly with disappointment before shifting back to the beautiful girl who'd approached him earlier.
He wouldn’t miss me. I’d make it up to him later.
Right now, I had a much bigger problem to solve.
18
DOVE
The hand in mine was too soft and clammy, but it wasn’t like I had a certain hand in mind to compare it to.
Liarcooed my traitorous inner voice.
I ignored it and tugged the guy behind me along.
Bringing Torrence home wasn’t the best idea, but he was cute and eager—exactly what I needed right now.
After weeks of living under the same roof as the man I was pining after, it was enough.
We’d left together at my insistence, Torrence more than willing to oblige.
Rain had begun falling steadily as we left the packed bar, but thankfully his truck was parked nearby, meaning he must have arrived early to get a good spot. When I hopped up into the cab, I ignored the squirm of nerves in my stomach as I asked him where he lived.
After everything we’d done together, I’d never gone to his house. I’d always invited him to mine, whenever the house was free. But I couldn’t exactly do that now, not when there was a chance Josh could show up. I had no idea what time he’d leave the bar.
Probably not anytime soon, I thought bitter. Not when Stella was draped all over him.
“Just over on Pine by the old mill,” he answered, starting his truck with a roar. “But I live with three other guys.” His face was half cast in shadow as he glanced over at me suggestively. “I could ask them to clear out…”
Ugh.I really didn’t want to risk putting on a show for a bunch of dude-bros.
So that was how we ended up here, with me leading him into the barn, which smelled musty with hay and sawdust, but was warm and kept us safe from the rain outside.
I considered sayingfuck itand taking Torrence up to my room, but then thought better of it.
I didn’t want to hear Josh coming up the stairs with that high-pitched, feminine giggle trailing behind him. Didn’t want to hear him shushing Stella, telling her to be quiet because I was asleep—if he even noticed I was home.
No, this was safer, and it was cozy enough.
I’d had my first kiss in here years ago with the youthful farmhand my stepfather hired as a favor to a friend. He’d helped out during the summer of my sophomore year.
Aiden had been tall, gangly, and shy whenever I was around. I’d had an innocent, teenage crush on him, knowing I would never have Josh, and it’d taken nearly the whole summer to get him to approach me.
It hadn’t taken much longer after that to find ourselves tucked away in the barn, hidden behind a large tractor, my back against the tough rubber of a giant front wheel. He’d seemed even taller than me then, hunched down so our lips could slot together clumsily.
I’d have gotten the hang of it eventually if I’d been given the chance.
But Josh had found us a minute later, and that was the last I saw of sweet Aiden.
I scowled and clutched at the hand in mine a little tighter.
This time Josh wasn’t going to find me, and even if he did, there was no one to go running back to tattle to. Both our parents were gone.
So that meant I was free to do as I pleased, just as he was.With Stella.
Twisting around, I tugged Torrence closer to me, jealousy igniting like a flare in my veins, bright and cautionary. I knew the heat simmering under my skin wasn’t for Torrence, but he washere. His focus was onme. Eyes the wrong shade roamed over me, and a second later hands followed their path.
