“Oh there you are,” Sara says, glancing between us. “What are you guys doing in the cooler? Are you crazy? It’s cold in here.”

As if she were trying to make a point, she shivers. “Ethan, grab a case of Bud bottles while you in here,” she adds quickly before exiting. Kelsey follows right behind her.

With a grin, I grab the brown box. Sara just caught two people in the freezer and acted like it was no big deal we were hanging out in here. Either they all sneak off for drinks a lot or she is a total space case.

Warm air hits me and Sara is waiting for me on the other side, leaning with her back against the bar and her arms crossed.

“Week one, Ethan,” she says, shaking her head. “Seven days and you’re already sneaking into the cooler to do what? Play kiss face with my best friend. This is a real business, Ethan. I would think that after attending those business courses and getting a degree you would have figured that out by now. Behavior like that doesn’t work for me.”

“Hey, I didn’t plan for that to happen. She was already in there. I had no idea.”

“And what? You thought you two would just warm each other up?”

“Sara, it wasn’t like that,” I say with a defensive tone.

She releases a long sigh before hanging her head in front of her.

“Look, I kind of had a feeling things with you and Kelsey would, well…I don’t know. I just had a feeling and it turns out I was right.” She looks down and fidgets with her hands. “Kelsey is my best friend and you’re my cousin. Promise me you will get to know Kelsey better before you jump into anything. I don’t want either of you getting hurt.”

Get to know Kelsey better. I will do everything I could to make this happen. And I am not going to waste any time doing it. I want her. I want every part of her.

There’s just one problem. I still haven’t figured out how am I going to make a relationship with her and get my father off my back?

“Absolutely,” I say when she gives me hug. Sara heads in Logan’s direction, passing Kelsey as she does so. My view lingers a bit as I watch her rinse some glasses in the sink.

If I do what my father wants and Kelsey finds out, I’ll never stand a chance with her. If I continue this with Kelsey, I’ll never get the kind of relationship with my father that I want. One has to mean more to me than the other, and it scares me that losing an opportunity with Kelsey weighs on me just as much as strengthening what I have with my father.

Chapter Twelve

Ethan

Come on, come on. Stop talking already.

I watch in complete creeper fashion until the moment Mrs. Mulligan closes her front door. Then, I quickly head for Kelsey’s. If mornings together are all we have right now, then I am going to make damn sure I am at her house to make breakfast for her every day. I laid awake thinking about my situation a lot last night and I came to a conclusion. I won’t let anything happen to Sara’s bar, and my father isn’t going to hear a word of it because I’m not going to let him find out. I’m going to lie to him. Sara will keep the bar, I’ll end up with Kelsey, and my father will be off my back. It’s the perfect plan.

Kelsey spots me from the doorstep. That’s one smile I could get used to seeing every day. I take the porch steps two at a time.

“Hey you.”

“Hey yourself.” She quickly looks away as redness fills her cheeks. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and then gestures for me to come inside. Damn, she’s beautiful.

“I was thinking, if you have time today, I could cash in that rain check and we could hang out.”

Hang out, really? Was that my best line?

“Look Ethan, last night in the cooler was…well, I don’t know exactly. But you didn’t even try to talk to me the rest of the night—I actually think you were avoiding me, and I’m not the kind of girl who likes to play games. Either you like someone or you don’t. If you like them, you act like a normal human being around them. If you don’t like them, don’t lead them on.”

She crosses her arms, which pushes up her chest. The other day she had a wicked cute “I just woke up” look. Today, she’s completely ready in a pair of blue jean shorts, a pink tank top, and a plaid shirt. Her hair is curled and pulled to side and her soft brown eyes are the best part about her. When I look into them, that’s when I realize I’ve been caught staring. I do nothing to hide my pleased reaction.

Her hip pops to the side and she rests her hand on it.

“Really, Ethan? I just gave you the ‘no games’ speech and you chose that moment to check me out.” Kelsey rolls her eyes and starts to open the door. I grab her wrist and turn her to face me.

“No games. Not this time. I’m sorry. Give me one more chance and I won’t screw it up. Not this time. I promise.”

Taking in a deep breath, Kelsey’s gaze roams down and then back up my body. I’d be lying if I said those eyes didn’t make every inch of me crave her. When she pulls her bottom lip into her mouth and bites on it, it takes every ounce of self-control not to kiss her.

“We’ll take it slow.” She nods.

An ear-to-ear grin takes over my mouth, and I spin for the kitchen. My cooking always wins everyone over.

“But I have class today, in twenty minutes, so breakfast will have to wait for another day.”

I stop dead in my tracks and pull myself together before I turn around to let her see the disappointment on my face. Who takes classes at eight in the morning?

“Can I drive you?”

“I can drive myself, but thank you for offering.” She heads for the stairs.

I can’t let her get away this easily. There has to be something I can do to spend more time with her. Today. Not later. I don’t want to wait. If I’m actually going against all the rules my father set, either I’m all in, or I need to back out now.

“I think…I’ll drive you.”

Kelsey pauses and looks over her shoulder.

“And then I’ll pick you up for lunch. Maybe even give you a ride to work. We can tell everyone we decided to carpool.”

Her lips twitch as she holds back a smile. Finally, she hangs her head in defeat.

“Give me five minutes.”

* * *

I get out of my truck for the third time. This girl has me so worked up I can’t even make the simple decision to sit or stand while I wait for her to get out of class.

The doors to the Littman Building open and students begin to pile out. I spot Logan first; his six-foot build towers over most everyone. When the crowd clears, my eyes fall on Kelsey. She’s so incredibly petite next to Logan. She’s got her arms crossed over the books in front of her while her hair blows in the wind. Logan nudges her with his shoulder, and she tosses her head back as she laughs. I straighten my stance as jealousy floods me. I want to be the guy who makes her respond that way. Kelsey bumps his shoulder back, and I force myself not to look away. Jealousy is new for me and I don’t like it.

“Kelsey, Logan, hey,” I say when they are close enough. Her eyes are focused on me now. Yep, I’m here, Logan.

“Ethan, we were just talking about you,” Logan says and nudges Kelsey again.

“We were not.” She widens her eyes at Logan and mouths something to him, but I can’t see what.

Great, they even have inside jokes.

“Nothing bad anyway.” Kelsey looks back to me and blushes. She does it every time our eyes meet, and every time it makes me want her more.

“I’m going to head out, but I’ll catch you both tonight at work, right?” Logan gives me a fist bump and then quickly gives Kelsey a side hug before heading in the opposite direction. I know he lives close to campus and walks to class every day, but I still feel a tad bit like a dick for not offering him a ride. Kelsey clears her throat and then those brown eyes meet mine once more.

Like I say – I only feel a tad bit bad.