Thin Love (Thin Love, #1)(99)
“Since when?” When her cousin didn’t join her in her laugh, Keira leaned against the wall, arms crossed as she waited for the lecture she knew was coming. “Say what you think.”
“I like Kona. He’s nice.” Leann grabbed Keira’s hand and she let her cousin rub her fingernail over the chipping paint on her thumb. “When he’s not acting like a jealous prick, he’s good for you and I’ve never seen you smile the way you have these past few months.”
“But?”
Leann glanced at Keira, then returned her attention back to Keira’s finger. “But, I think the two of you have some serious anger issues.” She took a breath, turning onto the bed to face Keira as though she was just working up enough courage to say what she was thinking, had likely been thinking for a while. “I think you’re both young. I think you’re both dealing with emotions that you’ve never had before. And when you have two people who are… um… prone to angry behavior, then those emotions are exacerbated.”
“Shit, Leann, have you been paying attention in your psych class or something? Exacerbated? Really?”
Her cousin sighed, pulling her knees to her chest. “I’m being totally serious. You both are dealing with shit you’ve never felt before and you know the tempers, the arguments the… everything else, it’s all exaggerated by what you’re feeling.”
“So, you think we’re bad for each other?”
Leann’s shoulders fell and Keira could tell by how often her eyes moved away from Keira’s face that her cousin was trying not to hurt her feelings.
“I think this relationship isn’t always healthy. That’s all I’m saying.” Leann seemed surprised by Keira’s laugh; she frowned at that high sound and pursed her lips when Keira’s laughter only got louder. “You’re such a bitch. I’m trying to be serious here.”
Keira waved her off, falling to the bed in a fit of giggles when Leann threw a rose at her. “I know you are. I’m… I’m sorry.” She sat up, trying to breathe again. “Oh, sweetie, you don’t think I know all of that? We are certifiable, completely and utterly bat shit crazy.”
“And that’s normal to you?”
“Oh God, no. Kona and I both know we’re totally not good for each other.”
“Then why…”
“Because I love him. Because he loves me. We’re stupid for each other. We push each other’s buttons, Leann and most days I can barely manage to keep from scratching his eyes out.” She sat up then, scooting to the edge of Leann’s bed. “But other times, we’re still and quiet, laying on each other, me scratching my fingers through his hair and him on top of me, arms around me, protecting me from the world. I couldn’t live without that, Leann. I couldn’t live without that and be really happy.”
Her cousin opened her mouth, waved her hand as though she wanted to make a point, but the loud bang on the door silenced her and then Keira forgot Leann’s worry as soon as she jumped off the bed and opened the door.
Kona took a step and then Keira was around him, legs on his waist and her mouth against his before the door closed. Behind them, Keira heard Leann moving around the room, kicking flowers out of her way as she grabbed her dance bag. Her cousin’s presence barely registered. Keira was too caught up in the feel of Kona’s hands on her back, how tightly he hugged her, his lips on her neck as he mumbled “sorry” and “always” over and over.
Keira caught Leann’s retreat before she slipped out of the room, Keira heard her mutter under her breath, “You two are crazy.”
“We should have waited until you were a hundred percent.” Keira hissed when Kona rubbed the lotion too deeply onto her back. “Shit. Sorry, Wildcat.”
He kissed her just above the freshly inked tattoo and Keira felt the soft bristle of his stubble against her skin. “It’s okay and I’m fine.” She looked over her shoulder and stole a quick kiss. “You worry too much.”
She tried to smooth away that wrinkle between his eyebrows, but it got deeper when Keira closed her eyes, gearing up for another bout of nausea. “See? That’s what I’m talking about,” Kona said. “You’re getting sick again.” He turned her shoulders and pulled her sweater up her back. “You need to rest.”
“I am not relapsing.” But even as she argued, Keira felt her stomach twist, felt the burn of upset rumble. “Ugh.”
“Uh huh.” Kona reached for the trash can and set it next to the bed. “Didn’t you say those girls on the second floor had to miss finals because of they got sick?”
Her boyfriend was insufferable sometimes and Keira could see the worry on his face, that quick lick of tension that told her no amount of lotion rubbing or stolen kisses would have him naked in front of her. Of course, they were at her mother’s lake house and though Christmas was over and her mother and stepdad were still screaming at each other, Kona wouldn’t buy Keira’s promise that they wouldn’t know Keira was naked with her boyfriend in her bedroom.
Still, she had to try. “Let me see how yours is healing.” Keira fought Kona’s hands, batting away her fingers and she smiled, victorious when she got his buttons open.
The tattoo was beautiful, simple and elegant, but still very beautiful. Large looping letters that connected and formed Ku`u Lei, my beloved, right over Kona’s heart. The skin was still flaking, still healing, but the black ink had stayed and Keira placed a small kiss over the word, smiling against Kona’s chest when she felt his fingers shifting through her hair.