Unraveling (Second Chances) - By Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,77

I asked, hoping I hadn’t done something wrong.

“Your cast,” he pointed to it. “You’re going to have to get a new one.”

I looked at the soaking wet cast; amazed I hadn’t knocked Jared out cold when I wrapped my arms around his neck.

With a laugh, I looked back up at Jared. “It was so worth it.”

He chuckled a smile breaking out across his face. “It definitely was.” He looked up at the sky, the sun starting to peek through. A rainbow appeared in the distance. “Now, when it rains, I’ll always think of that kiss.”

I grinned. I definitely would too and I hoped we made a lot more memories just like this one.

26

WE GOT IN THE CAR, BOTH SHIVERING, BUT I WAS STILL GRINNING LIKE A FOOL. I noticed Jared was too.

We were both soaking wet and the fabric seats of his car quickly grew damp.

“I think I have a couple of shirts in here somewhere,” Jared said, leaning into the back seat and rummaging around. “Aha!” he exclaimed, pulling a black duffel bag out and resting it on the middle console. He unzipped it and pulled out two shirts. “Change into this,” he tossed one at me.

I grabbed up the huge green shirt with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on it and laughed.

“Don’t mock the shirt,” Jared said, pulling his tee over his head, giving me a glimpse of his model worthy body and replacing it with a red one.

I went to slip the shirt on and Jared scolded me. “Nuh-huh. Katy, it defeats the purpose of a dry shirt if you don’t take off the wet one.”

I blanched.

He wanted me to take my shirt off, in front of him? In his car where anybody walking by could see?

I glanced out the window and decided it was raining so hard that nobody would be able to see in, but that didn’t solve the problem of Jared.

“Close your eyes,” I pointed at him. “I mean it, no peaking.”

Jared closed his eyes and then covered them with his hands, “Happy?”

I didn’t answer him. I was already busy changing.

His shirt came to my knees because I was so short and I decided to risk removing my jeans. My legs already felt like popsicles.

“Katy, it doesn’t take that long to change a shirt… Oh God! Where are your pants?”

I blushed. “They were wet and your shirt is plenty long.”

He stared at my legs for a long moment and I heated under his gaze. Finally, after an eternity, his eyes flickered up to mine and he swallowed hard.

“Kitten, how do you expect me to drive with your sexy as hell legs bare to me?” His eyes flickered with a fire I rarely saw.

I choked. Jared had never been so… forward with me before. It was a bit shocking.

“I’m sorry,” Jared said, straightening and gripping the steering wheel, tightly in his hands. “I shouldn’t have said that. Ignore me,” he shook his head and I swear he was blushing.

“It’s okay,” I whispered as he put the car in drive and pulled away from the small town.

“No, it’s not, Katy. I was out of line,” he ran his elegant, long, fingers through his hair, making the wet strands stick straight up. With a frustrated groan, he reached over and turned the heat up.

“Jared, it’s fine,” I reassured him. “I’m not going to go running. I’m here to stay,” I took a deep breath.

He glanced over at me quickly and then his eyes darted back to the road. “Are you sure? I don’t want to push you away, just because I can’t keep my mouth closed. But damn-” he looked back over at my legs. Chuckling and shaking his head, he said, “You are really trying to kill me.”

I laughed. “I never realized my legs were so distracting.”

He grinned. “Kittycat, they’re the sexiest legs I’ve ever seen and to think, just five minutes ago, I had those beauties wrapped around my waist and your mouth on mine.” He squirmed in the seat and muttered something under his breath.

“Really? They’re so short. I always thought guys liked girls with long legs,” I stretched one out on the dashboard to inspect it.

I was not at all expecting Jared’s reaction to my innocent inquiry.

The car swerved off the road. “Fuck!” Jared exclaimed, but he managed to right the vehicle. “I swear to God, you must be trying to get us killed. Put your leg down before I do something I really regret and pull this vehicle over to check them