Under Pressure (Body Armor #1)(115)
Her jaw loosened. “The drive-in?”
“Yeah.” He nuzzled her throat, uncaring that Merrily watched with fascination. “Some youth-appropriate movies are playing. And maybe I’ll be able to sneak in a kiss or two.”
How could any man be so incredible? Her throat thickened and her heart swelled. “That would be pretty cool.”
“Yeah?” His smile went crooked. “The drive-in or the kissing?”
“Both.”
“Well then...” This time when he touched his mouth to hers, he lingered for a few heartbeats before releasing her to turn to Merrily.
Her friend quickly stopped fanning her face and gave Jesse an angelic look.
“Brick said you two would join us.”
“And here I was, getting all jealous.”
“Is that what you were doing?”
“Sure.” The teasing smile also added a twinkle to her eyes. “It’s been forever since I went to the drive-in.”
Curious, Tonya asked, “What did Kevin say about it?”
Jesse cupped her face, brushed his thumb over her cheek. “Haven’t told him yet. But I will now that you’ve agreed.” He kissed her one last time, more thoroughly, deeper, and ended with a soft growl. “I better get back to it before I forget myself.”
As he started out of the room, Merrily mouthed, Oh my God!
Nodding, hand to her heart, Tonya agreed. Wow, she felt singed. “He’s...”
“Potent?” Merrily dropped back in her seat. “Yes, he is.”
This time it was Brick who intruded. Black hair disheveled, brown eyes narrowed, he paused behind Merrily’s chair. “Talking about me again?”
Merrily bent her head back and looked at him upside down. “Of course.”
“Fibber.” Grinning, he leaned down for his own brand of kissing, and left Merrily breathless.
Tonya blushed while watching. Blushed, and smiled. She was so happy for both of them.
To break up the blatant PDA, Tonya cleared her throat. “I thought the drive-in had shut down.”
“It closed for a while during renovations, but it’s been back open all summer.” Brushing Merrily’s long brown hair aside, Brick caressed her shoulders in a pretend-massage. “Jesse is talking about it with Kevin right now.”
More like Jesse was working at convincing Kevin, and Kevin was quietly listening. It was rare for him to really engage in a conversation.
Sad, Tonya thought, how they all braced for a variety of reactions beyond the expected happiness. Sometimes Kevin just took it in stride. But other times he got defensive, as if he thought he shouldn’t be happy.
As if he thought no one really wanted him.
In the blink of an eye he would withdraw, become distant and uncertain all over again.
It divided her so badly—the love and, yes, the hate she felt for her deceased sister. Sometimes it knotted her stomach up so badly she didn’t know how she could bear it. Cissy had been older by eight years, but for as long as Tonya could remember, she’d been the more mature one, the one with a plan, the one who accepted responsibility.
No matter how she’d tried to help her sister, it had never been enough. And because of that, because she’d failed, Kevin had been cheated.
Driven by self-loathing, she pushed back her chair and strode toward the hall—but Jesse and Kevin cut her off as they left the bedroom.
“Ah, no you don’t.” Jesse had a very paternal hand on Kevin’s shoulder, and Kevin looked...pleased. “No peeking.”
Tension drained from her spine, and as she watched them approach, her smile came naturally. “Is the room done? I’m dying to see it.”
“Not yet,” Jesse told her. “Brick and Merrily are going to take Kevin to the store with them to pick out some hardware for the dresser and the desk drawer.”
That was news to her!
“Our treat,” Merrily said from behind her, apparently having just been clued in. “Sort of a housewarming gift for Kevin, neighbor to neighbor.”
The way Jesse watched her, Tonya knew he’d arranged it so that they’d have a little alone time, but for what? It wouldn’t take long to pick out knobs. Unless Jesse was a wham-bam kind of guy there wouldn’t be time enough for—
“Mind out of the gutter,” he whispered near her ear, making her flush with guilt.
Amused and not bothering to hide it, he caught her hand and took her along with them back to the kitchen.
For once, Kevin looked excited. “We’re going to the drive-in.”
“I heard.” Needing to touch him, she combed her fingers through his unruly hair. It was overlong, but a haircut was the least of her priorities right now. “I haven’t been there in forever, but it’s perfect weather for it.”
He chewed his bottom lip. “Jesse said we could take his truck and sit in the back.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Before he got fed up with her mothering, she dropped her hand.
Love walked in, twining around each and every leg before stopping by Kevin. The cat stared up at him with her different-colored eyes.
Always attentive to the cat, Kevin immediately knelt down and scratched her head. “Think she’ll be okay if we’re all gone?” He stroked along the length of her back. “She might have the babies soon.”