her hair.
Chapter Twenty-One
Kennedy
“Hmm, Conner, what is this place?” I stare over at the restaurant with its pristine windows and gold and black awning. There’s a handful of wrought iron tables out front, gold cushions on the chairs, and candles flickering in the dark.
“It’s a restaurant.” He frowns at me before climbing out of the car.
I meet him at the hood. “I can see that, but why are we here?”
“It’s supposed to have the best pizza in town.”
My eyes slide to the restaurant again. It fits right in, nestled amongst the row of expensive boutiques and stores. My stomach sinks as I glance down at myself and back up.
“You don’t like it?” Conner’s expression falls, and I feel like a total bitch.
“It looks expensive.”
“Money isn’t an issue.”
“I’m not sure I’ll—”
“Don’t say it.” He crowds me against the hood of his car. “You look beautiful, K. It’s just a restaurant. I wanted to bring you somewhere nice before we go to the movies.”
“The movies?” My face lights up. That sounds more like my thing. “What are we seeing?”
Conner leans in, lowering his head to mine. “I know what I’ll be watching. You.”
“You did not just say that.” Laughter bubbles in my chest as I slide my hands over his shoulders.
“It’s the truth. I’ve waited a long fucking time for this, babe.” The way he says babe makes my insides flutter.
I ghost my fingers over his jaw. His cuts and bruises have mostly healed now. James insisted Conner stay at home for the week. I know the two of them had a big chat about things, but he hasn’t been very forthcoming about the details.
I know he probably doesn’t want to make me feel any guiltier than I already do.
“I would have been happy with burgers from Surfs.” It’s about the only place I really feel comfortable at in the Bay. Even if it’s usually full of stuck-up bitches like Lylah and Marissa.
“Let me have this, babe. Our first proper date.” He captures my lips in a bruising kiss that steals my breath and makes my blood run hot. I’ve been worrying all week that Conner won’t want me after I confessed everything to him. But this kiss, every slide of his tongue and press of his lips, is full of promises and things to come.
A shiver runs through me as Conner nibbles on my bottom lip. “I love you, K.”
My breath catches and he chuckles, touching his brow to mine. “I don’t need you to say it back yet, but I need you to know that there has never been another girl for me.”
His admission slays me.
We’ve wasted so much time, been through so much to get here, but when Conner looks at me like this, it’s like time hasn’t really moved forward and we’re just two friends—two best friends—falling into something more.
Yet, I can’t say the words. They’re there, teetering on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t say them.
“It’s okay,” he breathes before pulling away. “Come on, I’m starving.” Conner snags my hand and leads me toward the restaurant. I try to push down the little voice in my head whispering that this is nothing more than a fairytale.
And everyone knows fairytales don’t come true.
“You want popcorn?” Conner asks.
“Popcorn? I couldn’t even manage dessert.” Delucca’s pizza was, in fact, the best pizza I’d ever tasted. At first, I’d been uptight, sitting there among Sterling Bay’s finest, but Conner made everything so easy. He didn’t care that people watched us out the corner of their eyes, judging my tattoos and piercings. He only had eyes for me.
After his confession, it had been a little intense.
So I was looking forward to the movie. A chance to be with him without any pressure.
“You are not going to eat all that,” I say, eyeing his gigantic tub of popcorn.
“Sure am.”
“It doesn’t make any sense… you eat and eat and eat and still look like... that.”
“Like what you see?” His brow quirks up.
“Careful, or your head might not fit through the door.”
“Can I ask you something?”
My body tenses.
He’d kept the conversation over pizza safe. We talked about school and our favorite childhood memories. We didn’t talk about Warren or anything like that. But I knew he had questions.
How could he not?
“That depends... I don’t want to ruin what’s been a great night so far.”
Conner’s expression slips, but he masks it with a warm smile. “You’re a lot thinner than you used to be. Is that because—“
“You just watched me devour an entire pizza.”
“I know.