Kissing the Shy Guy - Stephanie Street Page 0,41

motorcycle.

Melly. I needed to think about my sister. That should calm down my raging hormones. I’d never had this problem before. I knew from the beginning Adam was dangerous, but this was insane.

“If you count watching movies with my sister a hot date, then yes.” Quickly as I could manage, I grabbed my stuff and headed for the door.

Adam scrambled to follow, hurrying to put his guitar in its case. “Sister? I didn’t know you had a sister.”

Stopping in my tracks, I glared at the ceiling, waves of guilt washing over me. I always felt that way when someone didn’t know about Melly like I’d hidden her on purpose even though I knew I hadn’t.

“I do. Her name’s Melanie, but we call her Melly. She’s sixteen.” And she’s my favorite person on the planet, so be nice! Those were the same words I screamed in my head every time I told anyone about her.

Adam frowned, thinking. “Melly? The one that goes to school here? She’s your sister?”

I lifted my chin. “Yes.”

“That’s so cool. I had no idea.” Adam nudged my arm to get me walking again, locking the door behind us. “Melly gives the best hugs.”

“Oh, jeez.” I buried my face in my hand, but Adam just laughed.

“I’m serious. She ran into me one day at the beginning of the school year. We both dropped everything we were holding, and she started to cry. I gave her a hug and helped her pick up her stuff. She asked me my name, and now whenever she sees me, she gives me a hug and yells my name.”

I could picture the scene he described perfectly. Had witnessed just such incidents myself many times over the years. Not all of them ended in hugs. A lot of them ended in tears.

My throat clogged. Of course, Adam had been kind to her. If there was a mean bone in his body, I dared someone to find it.

“That sounds just like Melly.” We’d reached the double doors that led outside. Per usual, Adam opened one for me, waiting until I’d gone through before following me to my car. He’d done the same thing every day we stayed after school together. Could he really be so perfect?

“Did you ride your motorcycle today?” I asked. Under the circumstances, I doubted I’d ever get to ride with him again. I regretted that as much as anything else.

He nudged my arm with his elbow. “Liked that, huh?”

I lifted my chin, giving him a side-eye. “No. Not at all. I was just curious. Do you ride every day?”

He smirked. “Liar.”

My lips twitched, but that was all I’d give him.

“I ride most days,” he explained with a careless sigh. “We have a dumpy car those of us with a license have to share, but you have to deal with everyone else and their schedules if you drive it. Laura drove today.”

I tensed at the mention of his sister. Thank goodness it was almost time to graduate. I only had one choir class with her, and that was quite enough. She’d decided to run for president of the drama club. Her campaign highlighted all the ways she’d change it once I was gone.

I really did not like that girl.

But I liked her brother. I liked that he’d been the one to call a truce between us. I liked that he didn’t hold a grudge. And I hated that I couldn’t just tell him how I felt and ask him to kiss me again, but I couldn’t. No one was perfect, not even Adam. And as much as I did like him, I couldn’t risk another relationship gone wrong with my partner. If it killed me, I’d keep things friendly and professional between us. It was the only way.

“I should get going,” I said once we’d reached my car, not wasting time with more conversation. “Thanks for walking me out.”

Adam nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Not if I see you first,” I teased before I could stop myself. I said that to Melly all the time. She thought it was hilarious.

Adam grinned and watched as I drove away, just as he’d done every day for the last week.

I was in deep.

17

Jenna

“Mom, you already said I could go to the party.” I gritted my teeth and hoped they’d hold up under pressure. It had been two weeks since Adam and I began rehearsing together for the DIVA scholarship. I needed a break before I cracked under the tension wound tightly between my partner and me.

“And