The Enemy - Kelsey Clayton Page 0,2
to see that unless I want to be hit and quit, staying far away from his bed is in my best interest.
“Easy, babe,” I tell my boyfriend, fisting my hands in his shirt. “We’re just friends, remember?”
He growls deep in his chest, but the second I kiss the bottom of his jaw, he softens. And yeah, I may just love that I have that effect on him.
THE DAY PASSES BY with me receiving more balloons than I can count, since Tessa is such a fucking comedian and had them delivered throughout the day. Enough people wish me happy birthday to last a lifetime. By the time school lets out, I look like the house from Up. Tessa chuckles at me, making a comment about me flying away, and I lightly elbow her in the stomach.
I walk out the door with Kellan on one side and Tessa on the other. The second I see the familiar car and the wide shoulders leaning against it, I can’t help but smile. Kellan grumbles something under his breath, but I don’t pay much attention to it.
Handing Tessa the balloons, I run down the stairs and jump into Colby’s arms. He catches me with ease and chuckles. He’s been away for training the last couple weeks, and I didn’t think he would be back yet, let alone show up at my school.
“What are you doing here?”
He squeezes me tightly and places me firmly back onto the ground. “You didn’t honestly think I’d miss your birthday, did you?”
I run my fingers through my platinum blonde hair and stare down at the ground. “I mean...”
He snickers and pulls me in for another hug. “Not a chance, little one.”
The sound of Kellan clearing his throat makes me let Colby go and step away. Tessa laughs as she embraces Colby. Kellan wraps an arm around my waist, as if he’s reminding everyone who I’m with, and it makes me giggle.
“What’s with the balloons?” Colby asks. “Are you trying to fly?”
Tess snorts and I turn to glare at her. “This bitch thought it would be funny to make me carry damn near fifty balloons through the hall all day. More got delivered in each class, and by last period, I could barely see the ceiling.”
Colby grins and high-fives Tessa. I pretend to pout and cross my arms over my chest.
“Oh, come on,” he argues. “You have to admit that’s gold, and it made you feel loved.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
He puts his hand out. “Give me the balloons, Len.”
I pass them to him, and he looks up before letting go, watching as they soar into the sky. Tessa stands there, gaping, and my grin widens.
“There,” Colby shrugs. “Problem solved.”
“Dick.” Tess punches him in the arm. “Do you know how much money I spent on those?”
He side-eyes her playfully. “Oh, please enlighten me, Miss Trust Fund.”
Her face scrunches up as she tries not to laugh, but it’s no use. “I hate you.”
“You can’t,” he tells her, and focuses his attention on Kellan for the first time since he got here. “Mind if I borrow her for a couple hours?”
Kellan’s hand tightens on my waist. “Do I have a choice?”
“No,” I answer for Colby and turn to give Kellan a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll call you when I get home. I promise.”
He makes a show out of grabbing my face and pulling me in for a heated kiss. It’s more PDA than usual, and I have no doubt this is totally for Colby’s benefit. I let him dip me back until Tessa speaks up.
“Dear God, Kellan. Let her breathe.”
Breaking away, a light pink coats my cheeks, and I smile down at the ground. With one more possessive kiss to the top of my head and a warning glare at Colby, Kellan walks away with Tess and leaves the two of us alone. Colby opens the passenger door and helps me into the car.
“So, where are we going exactly?” I ask once he’s seated in the driver’s seat.
He smiles, with those dangerous dimples appearing. “I figured I’d take you to dinner for your birthday. That okay?”
“That depends. Is it hibachi?”
Humor graces his expression. “Whatever the princess wants.”
After a little bit of convincing, he brings me home to change out of my uniform before we go to dinner. The whole ride there, Colby fills me in on everything that happened at training and how excited he is to have a month off. I don’t blame him. Playing professional football has to be anything but easy.