I reached for his hand and stood on shaky legs, wordlessly following him across the room to my father’s office. I barely gave Nate a thought as Linc closed the door behind us and locked it, because I knew my brother wouldn’t be impressed with us playing the game at all, let alone that I was in here alone with Lincoln. Although I’d like to think he’d rather it be Linc with me than any of the other boys.
Still holding my hand, Linc walked over to my father’s desk and sat on the edge. I stopped in front of him, unsure of what to do next. Did I just wrap my arms around his neck and press my lips to his, or should I—?
His hands came to rest on my hips, and I nearly hyperventilated. My hands trembled, and my knees shook with anticipation. I was so nervous, and I didn’t know why. It wasn’t like we’d never been in a room alone together before or that he hadn’t touched me in some way. We’d grown up together. Played together. Ridden bikes together. Swam together. Everything. Even slept together—when we were kids, having campouts in the basement and watching scary movies all night long.
“So, eighteen?” He smiled at me, shaking a sun-bleached lock of hair out of his face. “How does it feel? You’re all grown up now.”
I shrugged. “Feels the same. I’ve been growing up for a long time, Linc.” I wanted to drive home the point that I wasn’t the kid he still thought I was.
He huffed out a breath, pulling me slightly closer. “I know.”
I lost my footing and stumbled on the rug. Reaching out to steady myself, I grasped his shoulders. We were face to face, even with him sitting on the desk and me still standing between his legs.
“I think I’m going to miss you when you leave,” he murmured, more to himself than me.
My heart stuttered in my chest. He was going to miss me. I wanted to do a little happy dance. “I’ll be back. For holidays and weekends,” I said reassuringly, trying to play it cool when I was anything but. Nothing would keep me from coming home to see him. Nothing.
“Good, because it won’t be the same without you here.” His mouth turned up in that half smile that made my knees give out. Did I even need to go to university? Couldn’t I just stay right here, in this moment? Who needed an education? I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay home and be closer to Linc. This moment would not be long enough. A thousand moments would not be long enough. Studying was overrated, anyway.
“You can’t get rid of me that easily.” I dropped my head forward until our foreheads touched. We were so close. Just a fraction more and our mouths would touch. My lips tingled with anticipation. It was really going to happen.
Linc’s hands circled around my back, gradually inching their way up, leaving goose bumps in their wake, until he was cupping my face. His voice was barely a whisper as his lips skimmed mine. “I don’t want to get rid of you, Indie.”
And then he kissed me. Lincoln Andrews kissed me. Stars clouded my vision, butterflies erupted in my stomach, and I gasped in surprise. This moment was better than I had ever imagined it could be. Our lips moved together perfectly, like they were made to be joined forever. He tilted my head, and his tongue slid between my parted lips and met mine, softly, slowly. I saw fireworks. My heart beat harder in my chest—so hard I was sure he could hear it.
I wanted to keep kissing him. I wanted to touch him, his face, his hair, his back, his—
A thump on the door interrupted us, and Linc pulled back quickly. I missed him already.
“Linc, man. You in there?” Nate called through the door, and Linc stood abruptly with wide eyes. We’d been busted.
Masking his features to one of indifference, he walked over to the door, unlocked it like nothing had happened, and left.
“What the hell, man?” I heard Nate ask. “Seven Minutes in Heaven with my little sister?”
I waited with bated breath, hoping Linc would say what I wanted him to say.
Instead, he laughed. “Nah, come on. As if. It’s Indie. We were just talking.”
My heart dropped to my stomach as I fought the tears that threatened to spill. Nothing. He lied. Completely. And he didn’t even glance back at me once. I didn’t know what I was expecting from him. A declaration of love? Shouting from the rooftops that he loved me as much as I loved him? Okay, maybe not. But something. Anything.
Did I mean that little to him?
Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough. I was getting the hell out of this awful town and moving halfway across the country to start university. But even that far wouldn’t be far enough away.
I was done with Lincoln Bloody Andrews.