“Go ahead,” he crooned. “Ask.”
“Wow.” I smiled.
Kane jerked to a stop, and I jerked with him. My eyes flew around us, to the ground. “What is it?” I asked. “A snake? I don’t like snakes.”
“It’s rare that I see you genuinely smile.” His knuckles found my cheek, and brushed across my skin. “It’s stunning.”
I didn’t know what to say. Heat crawled up my neck and onto my cheeks, and I was glad for the nighttime concealer. I wasn’t used to compliments. Not from guys. Not real ones, anyway.
Kane’s compliments were real. Weren’t they? I felt they were, but…still. “Is that the kiss talking?” I couldn’t help but ask. Why it suddenly mattered surprised me, too. Almost as much as my reaction to his kiss. My first kiss.
“I can’t say for sure,” Kane confessed. His voice had a lilt to it, though, and when I looked at him, I could see his eyes shimmering with laughter. “Might have to experiment more. You know. Kiss. Smile. Repeat.”
A shiver raced through me at the thought of that.
Fear replaced the shiver, though. “Kane?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” I started. “I suppose by now you’ve guessed that the whole she never dates lowly college guys is really she’s never dated anyone.” I ducked under the crossgate, and he followed, and at his truck we stopped. He was quiet as he waited for me to continue. “I have my reasons for keeping up the persona I portray at Winston, and I’d like to keep it that way. You asked if I trusted you?”
His brown eyes seemed like two dark caves against his pale skin. “I did.”
I lifted my chin. “Then I trust you to trust me,” I continued. “I don’t want people knowing about us.”
He nodded, but his eyes said something else I wasn’t able to pinpoint. “President of a sorority definitely doesn’t need to be seen kissing a known criminal.”
“Yes,” I admitted. “That’s right. Not to mention I don’t want it creating other suspicions. More questions I’m not willing to answer. For anyone.” I searched his eyes. “Do you understand?” I said this gently. I wasn’t trying to hurt his feelings. It was nothing more than simple matter-of-fact with me. It had to be. If Corinne Belle found out…
He was quiet for a moment as he tried to see behind my eyes; to see what other secrets I might be keeping locked away. No matter how hard he searched, he’d only see what I wanted him to. His hand lifted then, traced my jaw, slipped over my braid and pulled it over my shoulder. “Can I see you again? Away from campus?”
I had to wonder what this was—this thing between Kane and I. A fling? He certainly didn’t live here, so…what next? In a very short period of time, I’d allowed him to get closer to the real me as I’d ever let anyone. In my life. Yet he was as unstable as any I could imagine. I looked at him. “How long do you plan on being here? At Winston, I mean. With your brother?”
“I guess that all depends,” he stated. “On a lot of things.”
I nodded. “Yes. You can see me again. Away from campus.” I eyed him. “Unless it’s a campus charity event.” Then I offered him another smile.
His lips pulled. “You’re on.” We climbed inside the truck, he started the engine. “Do you have a cell? I never see you with one.”
I nodded. “I do. It’s just not glued to my hands like most people.”
“Another like in your favor.” He reached into the ashtray, retrieved his cell phone, and handed it to me. “How about putting your number in there for me?”
And that brought another uninvited smile to my face.
The ride back to Winston, on the darkened, single-lane highway wasn’t nearly as unsettling as the ride earlier. We didn’t say much; didn’t have to. Kane held my hand, and I was acutely aware that he was acutely aware of the attraction that lay between us. Had I struck a match, the inside of Kane’s truck would have burst into flames, I believed. I liked the roughened skin of his knuckles, his fingers against mine. The warmth the two created together. I wondered, briefly, if this was how Brax and Olivia had started out? Was this how normal couples reacted to each other? This attraction? Corinne Belle had called it pure sin. Was it? I thought about the feelings Kane stirred inside of me. So new. So untested. How could something that felt so good be sinful?
I wondered just how much trust I would bestow upon Kane McCarthy.
The moment we pulled down the lane leading to Delta House, I saw a figure in the parking lot, close to my car.
“Oh, hell,” Kane muttered.
It was Brax, straddling his motorcycle. I tensed; I knew the encounter wouldn’t be pleasant.
“Hey,” Kane said softly. He glanced at me. “Don’t worry, Harper. Nothing will happen here, okay? I promise. Just go inside, and I’ll text you later.”
I met his gaze. “Thank you,” I said quietly. “For tonight.” I set the flashlight on the seat beside me. “For this.”
Kane’s eyes softened. “My pleasure. ‘Night, Harper Belle.”
I studied him, smiled. “Goodnight, Kane McCarthy.”
He walked me to the porch, gave me an assuring smile, and then turned and headed to his brother. At the door, I paused, and looked over my shoulder. Brax was off the bike, his hands on his hips. Even from across the yard I could feel his anger. Hear his harsh words. His scarred face made him look even fiercer.