Page 797 of One More Kiss

For nearly the entire drive home, Jess’s car holds a tight distance to mine. I know she’s nervous and probably has no idea where she is until we hit the familiar road past Donovan’s. She passes me, and waves as she mouths a thank you. I could easily veer off at the next road and head home, but I can’t. Instead, I follow Jess forty-three minutes until she arrives safely in her driveway.

I’ve spent more nights on this stretch of the Adirondack’s than I can count. And despite what Jess usually says, I can count pretty high. With no city lights to outshine the stars, the sky twinkles bright, a sea of diamonds against a backdrop of rich blue night.

Jess parks, but I keep the engine on. This isn’t a date I remind myself. It’s just a best friend looking out for Brian’s baby sis. I roll down the window, and paint on a scowl. “Bartending on a trial basis. You’ll start next week.”

She barters. “How long of a trial?”

I huff, feigning irritation. “I don’t know. Do you think you can last more than a month without spilling chocolate milk all over the rug?”

Her smirk is adorable. “No promises.”

She leans down. We’re face to face. Eye to eye. Fuck, any closer and we’d be mouth to mouth. Thunder pounds my chest, and—what the hell—are my hands sweating?

I swallow hard. “Jess—”

“I need something from you, okay?”

My brow tightens. “Okay.”

“Look out for Brian. I can’t lose him, too.”

Her request hits me hard. I miss their parents, too. I steel my resolve. “I will. I swear. I—”

But before I can say another word, her lips press to mine. Kissing me. Choir Girl is kissing me and it is… everything. With each soft caress of her sweet mouth on mine, I die. And live. Any second now, my heart will pound clear out of my chest, and don’t even get me started on the throb in my pants.

I feel things for Jess that I don’t want to feel—I shouldn’t feel—but I can’t stop feeling. And when she pulls away, it rips the oxygen from my lungs, and takes every ounce of willpower and strength not to keep her. Lock her in my arms. Never let her go.

“It’s not a blood oath,” she jokingly says, “but a swear sealed with a kiss will have to do.”

No. I can’t leave it at that. I have to give her more. “Hold out your hand.” She does, her smile cautious as she watches with curious eyes. I reach into my shirt. “I’ve got one better,” I say before tearing the dog tags from my neck.

She tries pushing them back. “What are you doing?”

I place them in her hand, closing her fingers around them. “Giving you my word that I’ll watch after Brian. And every time you wonder, I want you to look at these, and know I’ve got his back.” I wipe a rogue tear from her cheek and steal one last, innocent kiss. “Goodnight, Choir Girl.”

“Goodnight, Sharpshooter,” she whispers. My nose rubs her as she murmurs, “Watch your six.”

I stare after her as she returns to the house, watching after her as my little archenemy strolls away with my heart. I don’t know where, or how, or when, but I know this…

This isn’t how it ends for us. This is how it begins.

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