I stick my bottom lip out in a mock pout. “Oh, I'm shaking.”
He steps back and looks me up and down. “You think I didn't notice the way you look at her? She's drop-dead gorgeous, and she’s mine. I won't let you take this from me, too.”
“If I wanted her, there wouldn't be a damn thing you could do about it.”
Walking over toward the stairs, he glares at me with a cocky grin. “Try it. See how that goes for you.”
7
LENNON
I'm scrolling through my phone when Kellan comes in after what felt like forever. I don't know what he wanted to talk to Cade about. I had no idea they even knew each other, but it's clear there’s some kind of history between them that I'm dying to figure out.
Kellan smiles at me and leaves the door open like my dad requires, even though I'm eighteen. Don't even get me started on that nonsense. Like, hello—if I wanted to have sex, I wouldn't do it with him home. Duh.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
He seems unsure as he sits beside me. “I need you to stay away from him, Len.”
Uh, okay. “And how exactly do you expect me to do that? He lives in my house.”
“I know, but at least as much as you can. He's not a good guy.”
It's a broad statement, and one I'm not exactly disagreeing with—especially not after how he's been since I met him. There hasn't been one nice thing that's come out of his mouth. I swear, the only thing he has going for him is his looks.
I sigh. “Okay, I get it, and I'll do my best, but you're going to have to give me more than that. How do you know him?”
He runs his hand over his face and falls back. “We were best friends when we were younger. Our parents were close, so we hung out a lot. We actually learned how to surf together.”
Now that surprises me. “I didn't know you surf.”
“Because I don't. Not anymore at least.” He pauses to take a breath. “Cade and I spent every waking moment out there. There were four of us, actually. Cade, Bryce, Jayden, and me. I think I spent more time around them than I did my own family.”
“So, how did you go from that to how you are now?”
He shrugs. “Because Cade didn't like that someone was actual competition for him. Bryce and Jayden were good, but they didn't stand a chance against Cade and me. We absolutely destroyed all the competitions. Sometimes he would take the gold, and sometimes I would.”
I wrap my arms around my stomach, feeling sorry for Kellan that he lost someone he was obviously very close to. “He hated you because he was jealous?”
“Pretty much. I guess he got tired of coming in second sometimes because one day he wouldn't answer my calls. He managed to turn Bryce and Jayden against me and the three of them cut me out of their lives.”
I frown. “That's horrible, Kel. I'm so sorry.”
He turns to face me, looking every ounce of the heartthrob I know him to be. The boy I started crushing on at sixteen years old. His expression changes to a pleading one.
“He clearly hasn't gotten over whatever it is he's holding against me, and I'd hate to see him try to get to me through you. So, just promise me you won't let him.”
Bending down, I press a lingering kiss to his lips. “You have nothing to worry about. I promise.”
Kellan sighs in relief and pulls me close, maneuvering me so I'm lying down with my head on his chest. His hand brushes against my back, and the two of us cuddle in silence, just enjoying each other's company.
TEN O’CLOCK COMES FASTER than expected, and like clockwork, my dad calls to let me know that it's time for Kellan to leave. I roll my eyes as I yes him to death and hang up. Kellan is already getting his shoes on before I even relay the message.
The two of us walk downstairs and to the front door. I can feel another pair of eyes on me without having to see them. Well, if Cade wants to spy, I might as well give him a show.
I wrap my arms around Kellan's neck and pull him into me. Our mouths collide in a bruising kiss. He grips my waist and moans softly into my mouth. I can feel him harden in his jeans, and if I wasn't so scared, and it wasn't past my ridiculous curfew, I might have even done something about it.
Listening to Kellan open up about his past with Cade felt like a good step for us. He's normally a very secretive person. He doesn't share too much about his personal life, and I'm the kind who yearns for information. Something that can make me feel connected to him. Something that makes me feel like he's more than just the hot guy that managed to catch my eye. His vulnerability tonight helped with that.
We finally break apart, and he winks at me before walking out the door. I stand there for a second and bask in the butterflies. When I turn around to head back upstairs, I stop.
Cade is standing at the top of the steps, watching me with an angry scowl on his face. I take a deep breath and accept the fact that I have no choice but to walk by him. Sure, I could take the elevator, but it's on the opposite side of the house, and he'd probably just meet me over there. With him living here, if there's something he wants to say, I have no choice but to listen.
“I can't believe you're dating him.” he sneers. “I thought you had more class than that.”
I scoff. “Like you'd know anything about having class.”
“I know Kellan Spencer doesn't have an ounce of it.”
Trying to ignore him, I walk away and toward my room, but he's hot on my heels. Clearly, he isn't finished. I turn the corner and head up the second set of steps—the ones that go straight up into my bedroom. I can hear him behind me, but he isn't saying anything for once.
I'm about to slam my door shut in his face, but he stops it with his foot. I take a second to breathe and then turn around. He's looking around my room, as if he's taking it all in. His gaze rakes over my bed, my dresser, the wall of dance trophies, and then lands on me.
“Your room is the tower,” he says, like it’s new information.
“And your point?”
He shakes his head. “I don't have one. I just assumed that was the master bedroom.”
“It is,” I confess. “But I was six when my dad had this house built, and I had an unhealthy obsession with castles, so he gave me this room.”
“Why doesn't that surprise me?”
Fed up with his shit, I cross my arms over my chest. “Is there something you wanted, or can you fuck off now?”
He chuckles, and I hate how I like the sound of it. “I just wanted to say thank you, for the surfboard. You didn't have to do that.”
Shit, I forgot about that. To be honest, I felt guilty about breaking his board, and it didn't look like he had another. So, today on my lunch break, I went to the surf shop. I asked the guy behind the counter which one he recommended most, and bought it. It was more than I thought it would be, but not enough to cause any kind of dent in my bank account. Not with the obnoxious allowance my dad gives me every month.
I shrug. “It's no big deal. Your old one broke because of me, so I kinda did.”
His eyes meet mine, and there is something brewing behind them. Something I can't decipher. It's alluring, and dangerous. Kellan's words play through my mind and pull me from my stupor.