I set everything back in the pantry haphazardly and shut the door before stepping right up to her and backing her into the refrigerator. “Why can’t you just admit you’re attracted to me, Rachel?” I asked into her ear as I pressed my body against hers.

She swallowed audibly and shook her head as if to clear her mind before speaking. “Because I’m not? I’m not attracted to guys who look like they’re Photoshopped and who have bigger chests than most girls I know.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed loudly and had to pull back slightly when the movement and being pressed up against her made my jeans shrink a size. “Liar.” Even if her voice hadn’t gone all breathy, I still hadn’t forgotten her blush.

“And I really hate your tattoos.”

“No you don’t.”

“And your lip ring and your eyes. And your hair, it drives me nuts. You really need to cut it. Or better yet, one morning you’ll wake up and I will have shaved it off while you slept.”

I smiled and let my nose run along her jaw, loving the quick breath she took and how her eyes fluttered shut when I did. “Good to know your favorite things about me, Sour Patch. And if you’re wondering . . . everything about you is my favorite.”

“They’re not. And I wasn’t.”

“Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night. But do you think we could wrap up this meeting about how much you want me? I really need to go buy about a dozen pints of ice cream so I can work at not looking Photoshopped anymore.”

Her eyes snapped open and darkened as she narrowed them at me. “God, you’re annoying.”

“And you’re keeping me from eating.”

“I’m not the one who isn’t dressed.”

Touché. “I think I should go like this. Maybe there will be a woman there who appreciates the way I look.” I grinned when her blue eyes narrowed and started singing “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” by Kenny Chesney as I backed out of the kitchen.

I needed her to stay away from me, but damn if I wasn’t grinning like an idiot knowing that Rachel was falling for me just as hard as I was falling for her.

6

Rachel

STUPID TEXAS AND stupid allergies.

I’d never had allergies until I moved to Texas. And although I still had yet to determine what exactly it was I was allergic to, whenever it hit, it hit with a vengeance. I couldn’t breathe through my nose, I sounded like a man, my face felt like it was going to break from being so congested, and my eyes were watering so bad it looked like I was constantly crying.

It was sexy.

I threw away the last empty box of Kleenex and went into the bathroom to grab a roll of toilet paper to take back to the couch with me. The front door opened as I was headed out of my bedroom and I saw Kash closing the door behind him. I would’ve sworn I’d locked that when Candice left for camp that morning.

Kash looked up when I entered the living room, and his eyes went wide. “You okay, Rach?”

“Ugh.”

“I’ll take that as a no,” he murmured, and bit back a smile when he saw the roll of toilet paper I was carrying with me. “Do you have the flu?”

I shook my head and flopped down on the couch dramatically. “Whachoo want?”

Walking quickly over to me, he knelt down and put the back of his hand to my forehead. I swatted at it but he held down my hands and tried to decide if I had a fever. “You just have a cold then?”

“Allergies. Stupid mold or cedar or . . . air.”

“Have you taken anything?”

“Nope. Juss woke up. Cantchoo tell?” I waved a hand over my pajama-covered body and wiped my tears away.

He smiled softly and stood up. “You still look beautiful. Let me find you something to take.”

I wanted to have an aww moment, but just then I started in on a string of sneezes.

“Only six sneezes?” Kash called from the kitchen. “Come on, Rach. You’re slacking. Next time go for eight at least.”

I flipped him off and then there was a knock at the door. “Ugh.” That was quickly becoming my favorite word. Rolling to the side, I tried to get my legs on the ground to get off the couch, but I rolled too far and my feet didn’t move fast enough and I landed with a thud on the floor. “Fuck my life.”

Kash barked out a laugh as I sluggishly got to my feet. “Get back on the couch, I’ll get it.”

“No, no. My door. I answer.”

“It’s eight thirty, it’s going to be Mrs. Adams.”

He remembered? “Crap. I forgod it was Thursday.”

“Oh, you forgod, did you?”

I looked up at Kash’s wicked smile and wished I had the energy to punch him. “Shuddup.”

He beat me to the door and opened it as I came up behind him.

“Ra— Oh, you’re a boy. Um . . .” Mrs. Adams stood there wringing her hands. “Uh, well . . . is Rachel here? She needs to help me, my cats are all gone.”

“Hi, Mrs. Adams.” I stepped up and tried to smile.

“Rachel dear! They’re all gone, come quick!”

“Umb, I’m a little sick.”

She shook her head. “The cats, dear.”

I couldn’t close my mouth and I’m pretty sure snot was starting to come out of my nose. Could she not see this?

“I’ll help you, Mrs. Adams,” Kash said with a charming smile.