“Hey, do you mind if we head back soon?” I ask when he slows to a stop at an intersection in some little town I’ve never heard of.
He guides his attention toward me, huffing. “Why? Is my brother expecting you to be home by a certain time?”
I’m not sure what kind of bad blood lies between these two, but I refuse to be placed in the middle of it. River’s done nothing but open his door to me and shower me with his own version of kindness these last several days. I refuse to believe he’s some kind of sordid monster in disguise.
I frown. “Your brother has nothing to do with this. It’s just getting late, and I have to get up early tomorrow.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m just messing with you.” Seth offers an easy, gentle smile as he pulls into an empty parking lot across the street. A second later, he turns around, pointing the car back to where we came, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
An hour later, we’re back in his garage, and he’s placing a canvas cover over his pride and joy.
“So, what’d you think?” he asks. “Is she amazing or what?”
“She’s amazing. But how do you know it’s a she?”
His hand drags along his smirking mouth. “Careful, Leighton. You make fun of my baby, I might have to punish that smart mouth.”
The flirting was fun at first, the attention new and exciting, but now I’m over it. And I just want to go home. I don’t feel the way I felt with him the first time. The magic and newness has worn off, the butterflies have long since fluttered away, an uncomfortable heaviness in their place.
I unzip my bag, fishing for my keys.
“You in a hurry?” he asks.
“Just tired. I should get going.”
“Do you have time for a drink?” he asks.
“I better not.”
“What’s with the cold shoulder all of a sudden?” Seth’s face is all white teeth and dimples, but his eyes are something else entirely. He steps closer, his fingertips tracing my skin and leaving a path of goose flesh. “C’mon, baby. A few days ago you were all about this.”
“All about what?”
“Me.” His head cocks and he pulls his shoulders back. “What, now I’m not good enough? Now you want my fucking loser brother?”
“He’s not a loser. And who says that about their own brother?” My nose wrinkles. “Who are you, Seth? I thought you were nice.”
“Woman, I am nice,” he says. “I’m the nicest motherfucker in this pathetic excuse for a town.”
“I don’t like this.” I point, my finger drawing the length of him. “I don’t like whatever it is you’re doing right now. You’re not the same guy I met last week.”
“Shit.” Seth groans. “Leighton, I’m sorry. It’s just … you’re a nice girl. And I really like you. And I don’t want you to get mixed up with River, that’s all. Forgive me for being protective of you.”
I want to believe he’s being sincere. I want to believe this isn’t all a ruse or attempt to get me to eventually sleep with him.
But I can’t.
My stomach twists. I have to get out of here.
“I’m going,” I turn to leave, but he hooks my arm and pulls me back.
“Don’t go. I’m sorry. Let me make it up to you.” His hands hook my hips, anchoring me in place. “I’m a good man, I swear. I just let myself get worked up over some shit that happened in the past that has nothing to do with you. I let it get the best of me, and I shouldn’t have. Please, let me prove I’m not that guy.”
I take him in, eyes scanning his for an ounce of something genuine, but I find nothing to quell the uneasiness residing in my core.
“Leighton, you have no idea what you do to me,” he says, pulling me in. His words are breathless whispers tinged in desperation. “It’s like you came into my life out of nowhere and completely changed what I thought I wanted for myself.”
I toss my head back, laughing at the insanity coming from his mouth right now. When I glance back at him, all I see are red flags.
Something’s not right. Something feels … off.
“We’ve hung out, what, three times? I mean, I was having fun with this, too, but I think things are moving way too fast now.”
He shakes his head. “I’m not saying I’m in love with you or anything crazy. I’m saying that until this last week, I thought I’d be happy living this perpetual bachelor kind of life, running my bar and coming home to an empty bed every night … but being around you made me realize how lonely I was. It made me realize I might like to have someone around, someone to be with and take care of.”
“All because we hung out a few times?”
“God damn it.” His head tilts back. “I know I sound crazy right now, but forgive me because I’m speaking from my heart, and my heart’s beating about ninety miles an hour right now.”
“Seth.”
“Leighton, please. Hear me out,” he says. “If you’re going to be around this summer, I’d really love to spend more time with you. I want to get to know you. I want you to get to know me.”
“I’m very flattered, but—”
“Just give me a chance,” he cuts me off, one hand reaching to cup my face. “I don’t want you to be the one that got away.”
“I’m sorry, I’m just not inter—”
Seth ignores my rebuttal, slamming his mouth onto mine and forcing his tongue inside. My palms splay against his chest, and I push with all my might, but he’s stronger than me, and no amount of force places an inch of space between us.
With my back against the entry door to the house, he keeps one hand steady on the side of my neck as his lips move from mine and travel down to my collarbone. I’m gasping for air, unable to breathe.
I’m pinned beneath his strength, and despite the fact that his garage door is wide open, there isn’t a single neighbor in sight to witness my struggle.
“I can make you feel so good, Leighton,” he whispers, his breath hot on my flesh as his hand slides down my side, moving lower and lower still.
My eyes squeeze when I remember I’m wearing a skirt today. Pressing my knees together as tight as I can, it’s no use. His fingers travel between my trembling thighs until they reach my lace panties, jerking them down.
“Seth, don’t do this,” I plead. “You don’t want to do this.”
“Baby, I’ve wanted to do this since the second I laid eyes on you.” His voice is raspy and low, his tongue dragging between my cleavage as his finger slips between my folds. “You shouldn’t have made me wait so long … it’s not good to make me wait, Leighton. I’m not used to having to work so fucking hard for a piece of ass.”
“I was never going to sleep with you.” My body is on fire, every nerve ending he touches on over drive. I feel it all, and I feel it all too much. With sweating palms and a ragged breath, I try to push him away again.