More Than This (More Than, #1)(47)

“Yeah, I didn’t think about it until I was at the pharmacy with Julie, and then I wigged out and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t tell you because I wanted to be sure first. I didn’t know what I was going to do if… you know.”

“So you’re not. For sure? Like 100%?”

“Yeah, Jake.” I nod my head. “I’m sure.”

He breaths out a heavy sigh and we sit in silence for a long time.

“Can I stay with you tonight… please, Kayla?” It’s barely a whisper.

I scoot across the bed and lift the covers. He takes his shirt off and gets in. We face each other. Holding on, not wanting to let go, not even for a second.

We’re looking so intently into each others eyes, trying to see into each others souls.

Talking without speaking.

Feeling without touching.

“Jake?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s just you. It’s only ever been just you. It will always only ever be just you.”

And then he kisses me. A quick kiss on the lips. But it has the passion of a thousand kisses, and holds the power of a thousand promises.

“So much more than a lot,” he says, before we fall asleep, the best way we can, in each others arms.


  Chapter 27


Jake


After that night of the pregnancy scare, or whatever it was, Kayla and I have been a little off. We still talk, and we're still close, but it's like, I don't know, like our planets aren't aligned or something.

I was an * to her, and to Julie, and even to Logan. I apologized to him, and he gets it, but still, I feel like a dick. I should have been there for her, instead, I went all neanderthal on her and f*cked it up.


***


I've just finished at the gym with the guys, they're all meeting up at some club tonight. One of those ones where you can get in at 18, Dylan's cousin or something is the bouncer so we'll be able to get drinks, no problem.

Obviously, they asked Kayla to come with. I don't know if she'll want to, but I know I'm not going without her.


"It's open," she yells out after I knock.

I walk into her room, she's lying in bed with her e-reader.

"Hey,” I say shyly, not looking at her.

It's bad enough that things have been off between us but her lying in bed like this… I don't know that I can handle it.

"Whats up?" She hasn't taken her eyes of her book.

Fuck, her and Lucy are book best friends, whatever the hell that means.

I clear my throat, because truthfully, her in bed is making me nervous. "The guys are all going to this club tonight, they wanted to know if we'd come." It's said as a question.

"Jake, I don't really feel like it, you can totally go though.” She puts her book down and looks at me.

I'm still standing by the door. I haven't moved closer to her. It's too damn tempting.

"It's cool, honestly, I'd rather just stay with you.” I tell her, because it's the truth.

She smiles a small smile. "I have like, two  Chapters of this book left, and then can we go?"

I smile and nod.

Then we're just looking at each other.

No one saying anything.

And I realize I should probably be going and leaving her to read, but I don't want to leave, because I'm a f*cking creeper.

She must somehow know this because she rolls her eyes just slightly, and lifts the covers of the bed on one side.

It's an invitation.

And I'm sure as shit going to accept.

I know a huge grin is smeared on my face, but I don't care.

I walk over to the bed, but then I realize I'm still in my gym gear and I smell like sweat covered *.

"I think I should take a shower first,” I tell her.

"Okay,” she says, and continues to read her book.

I get in and out of the shower in 1.3 minutes flat. As I'm drying off I remember that I don't have any clothes.

Shit.

I can't get back in my sweat covered * clothes, so I put the towel around my waist and think.

If I leave this room, I can go down and outside, then through the house to my room, but if my parents and Ju-ju are home then I have to explain why I'm stepping in from outside in nothing but a towel.

Shit.

I could climb out the window, jump the roofs, and hope that my window is open. This sounds like a better plan unless my neighbors see and call the cops because a fricken creeper is on the roof of the house in nothing but a towel.

I go for option A, surely it makes more sense.

I step out of the bathroom, in nothing but a towel and she automatically looks up at the sound. She does a double take when she sees me.

Her eyes go wide and her mouth opens a little. Her breathing catches and she starts to blush. I stand here for a few seconds. Internally, I'm f*cking fist pumping the air celebrating.

Because I'm a douchebag.

When she finally looks away, we speak at the same time.

I say, "I don't have any-"

She says, "Top drawer of my dress-"

Then we laugh a small nervous laugh together.

I walk to her dresser and see my boxers and a plain white shirt. It's the one I gave her the first night she stayed with me.