Breathe Into Me (12 page)

We both had perfectly-styled, full-bouncing, curls when we came out of the salon. Mine were swept to my left side by a French braid that way I could wear it down, and still keep it off my tattoo.

Jessi wanted to go out tonight and of course she had to have a brand new outfit for the occasion, so we stopped by a few local clothing stores before heading back to the dorm. I was tighter on money than Jessi, so I figured I would just look around and not really buy anything. Well, that had been the plan at least, until I found the cutest pink, off the shoulder dress. The material was so soft and was made to fit you tight and show off all your curves. I was lovingly petting the material when Jessi came up behind me and squealed.

“Oh mah God, Kelsey! You have to get that dress for tonight! With your tan skin and brown hair, that pink will just pop!” she exclaimed.

She had a point. I had always been naturally tan, and bright colors always stood out best on me. But bright colors also drew attention, and attention was something I just wasn’t so comfortable with anymore.

“I don’t know, Jessi. I already have some stuff that I can wear. There’s really no point in wasting money for this.”

“At least try it on, Kels. Please … pretty please! I want to see how hot you look in it.”

I stared at the dress for another second or two before conceding there really wasn’t any harm in just trying it on. “Fine. Let me see if there is a changing room open.”

I walked into the first open room and hung the dress up on one of the hooks. I stood there staring at the dress for another minute. It had been a long time since I had actually bought myself anything as nice as this dress.

After sliding the soft dress over my body, I looked at myself in the mirror. Trying on this dress might have been a mistake because now that I saw it on me, I really wanted it. It came down to mid-thigh, a little shorter than what I was used to, but the dress was so beautiful I didn’t mind. The one strap that was going across my left shoulder was embossed with tiny silver jewels that glittered when the light hit them. I was in love with the dress and it fit me like a glove.

“Kelsey!” Jessi banged on the door to my changing room. “Don’t you even
think
about taking that dress off before I’ve had the chance to see it on you!”

She knew me so well. If I was trying on clothes and didn’t like the way they looked on me, there was no way I was stepping out of those tiny rooms to let the whole store see me in it. But that wasn’t the case with this dress. I loved this dress and had a feeling once Jess saw me in it, she would be adamant that I buy it.

I slowly twisted the lock, and then the knob to the changing room door before stepping out.

Jessi’s swift intake of air was all I needed to hear to know she also thought the dress was perfect for me. “Kelsey … you HAVE to buy that dress for tonight! And I have a pair of silver heels that will go perfect with it!”

I took a look at myself in the large three-sided mirror they had set up outside the changing rooms. She was right. I had to buy this dress. It hugged my body in all the right places without looking sleazy.

“I think I’m gonna do. I’m gonna buy it.” I smiled.

“Great! You can wear it tonight when we meet Landon and Kane at Shot’s!”—she paused—“Oh mah God! I can’t wait to see Kane’s face when you walk in wearing it! Eeep! He’s going to die! Or get a serious stiffy.” She winked.

Kane and I were just friends. I doubted he would be interested in what I was wearing—let alone have that
other problem
. The guy had probably seen girls in skin tight, lacey red lingerie. There was no way he would get turned on by plain little me in a dress. It was official. My best friend had lost it. But now I was feeling a little self-conscious in this dress that five minutes ago, I had been in love with.

But a small tremor of excitement worked its way through my body when I stopped to think about Kane’s reaction to seeing me in this dress tonight. He had never seen me dolled up before so this would be a big surprise for him.
Will he like it?

Hold it right there! Will he like it? Did I seriously just ask myself that question?
Since when did I worry about what I was wearing before meeting Kane? I could feel a shift in the way I viewed Kane, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. If these feelings for him continued to grow, I could possibly mess up the closest friendship I have had since Jessi. I needed to lock this down, now.

Jessi insisted she do my makeup when we were back in the dorms and getting ready. She’d wanted to give me a smokey eye to bring out the bright honey color; and when she was done and I looked at myself in the mirror, I found myself staring at a girl I didn’t recognize at first, but in a good way.

Jessi had really done a number on my eyes. They were dramatic and seductive looking, and I loved it. If it hadn’t taken so long to get all glammed up like this, I would even consider doing it on a regular basis. But seeing as how my butt hurt from sitting in my desk chair for so long while Jessi worked her magic, I would have to pass.

Once I was back in my beloved pink dress, Jessi handed me her silver heels and I immediately began shaking my head.

“No way, Jessi! You know how big of a klutz I am. I will kill myself in those before the night is over with.”

“You have to wear them, Kelsey. The go perfect with your dress, and, besides, heels make your legs look all toned and hot and stuff. They may hurt like a bitch when the night is over but at least you look fucking incredible while you have them on.”—She thrust the shoes at me again—“Now. Put. Them. On.”

I yanked the shoes from her grasp and slipped them on my feet. Already I could feel the pinch in my toes, and when I stood, my ankles started to wobble. Yeah, this was not going to end well. I just knew it.

We had taken another cab to Shot’s, and when the driver pulled up there was no mistaking the tall, tattooed man standing outside laughing with the doorman. Kane was wearing a dark pair of blue jeans and a dark blue button-up shirt that had the sleeves rolled up mid forearm. The shirt fit him nicely, hugging his chest and arms in all the right places. His lip ring glinted in the lights and made me go warm all over. Who would have ever thought I would be so attracted to a lip piercing? Not me, that’s for sure.

Jessi opened the door to the cab and climbed out, but I had to take my time sliding across the seat and shimmying my way out of the car so that I didn’t flash my coocah at everyone. I mean I was wearing panties, but still, how trashy.

My dress had ridden up a good inch or so on my thighs by the time I’d finally emerged from the car, so I quickly tugged it back into place before looking around to make sure no one had noticed. Kane was staring at me with a look on his face I had never seen him use before. I had seen that look before but it had been never directed toward me. It was a look of hunger. He was looking at me like I was the last piece of triple chocolate cake and he had deprived himself of sweets for years. I felt a tremor run though my body just from the intensity of his stare.

I took my sweet time making my way toward him in one of those slow-motion effects you see in movies … and also because I still wasn’t used to the death traps on my feet; and eating it right now would ruin the vibe I had going for me at the moment.

Jessi and Landon were standing next to Kane by the time I’d reached him, and everyone just stood there gawking at me for a second. I was beginning to feel a little insecure at the way they were all staring until Landon let out a long whistle, looking me up and down.

“Damn girl. You look good!” he howled—earning him a soft punch to the gut from Jessi.

“What about me, jerk?” She glared up at him.

“Baby, you’re so beautiful all the time that you knock the words right out of me.”

Jessi rolled her eyes and muttered—“Kiss ass”—Making us all laugh, but when I looked at Kane, he wasn’t laughing. He was still starting at me.

“All right, kids. You ready to get in there?” Jessi said and looped her arm around Landon’s waist.

We all nodded and made our way into the building. The boys offered to get our drinks after we found a table, and other than asking what I wanted to drink, Kane didn’t say a word to me. Nothing about how I looked, or even a quick
hello
when I first walked up.

Maybe he doesn’t like the change in my appearance like I thought he would.

Jessi laid a hand on mine and leaned in close when she noticed my quietness. “What’s wrong chick?”

“Nothing.” I shrugged.

She gave me her ‘spill it’ look and I sighed before leaning in close to her ear so she would hear me over the music.

“It’s so stupid, really, but I don’t know—I kinda hoped that maybe Kane would like getting to see a different side of me or something.”

Jessi looked at me for a while before busting out laughing.

“What, Jess?! I know it’s stupid to want him to notice me, but do you really have to laugh at me right now about this?”

“Kelsey, honey, I’m not laughing about him not wanting you. I’m laughing because you don’t realize that he does.”

What in the world was she talking about?
Kane looked at me as nothing more than a friend, and we had agreed on being exactly that just one week ago
. One week
. It really seemed like I had known Kane so much longer than a week.

The boys returned to the table before I could question Jessi more about her last statement. Kane slid in beside in me but never uttered a word to me. He placed my drink in front of me and began sipping from his bottle of beer. This night was shaping up to be one of the most pathetic nights of my life.

I was about halfway through my drink when Nate approached our table. He smiled at everyone before looking to me. “Wow, Kelsey. You look amazing.”

I felt a blush creep up my neck to my face. At least someone had noticed and commented on my new appearance. I just wished it had come from a different person.

“Thanks,” I said, managing a small smile at him.

“So, could I bother you for a dance?”

Everyone at the table was deathly quiet while they waited for my answer. They all stared at me, including Kane, who was staring at me so hard you would think he was trying to look through me.

I shook my head. “Maybe later? We just got here. I’m still not finished with my drink.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Nate nodded and winked before walking away.

I can’t tell if it’s the music playing, but I could have sworn I heard Kane growl at Nate before he left.

We sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Jessi drug Landon out onto the dance floor. Kane’s actions tonight were making me nervous and I began fidgeting—messing with my hair, pulling at my dress … anything to distract me from the awkward tension between us.

After a few moments, Kane cleared his throat and I looked at him through my lashes.

“You really do look amazing, Kelsey.”

“Thank you,” I clipped out. I knew I sounded bitchy, but I was a little hurt. I couldn’t figure out if he was only telling me because Nate had said it. Because if he had meant it, why in the world would he have waited so long to tell me?

He let out a loud sigh and began scrubbing his face with his hands. I watched him for a second before he turned in the seat to completely face me. “Look, I know I should have told you earlier but I was stunned when you stepped out of the cab. I’ve never seen you in anything other than jeans, and, honestly, those sexy legs of yours had me floored. I loved what I was seeing, but it also made me jealous that other guys would be seeing it—enjoying it—just as much as me. And for that I am a complete ass.”

It took me a moment to fully grasp what he was saying. He liked how I looked and the reason he was so quiet about it all this time was because he didn’t like the idea of other guys checking me out? So did this mean … No he couldn’t.
Could he?

I took a good look at Kane. His eyes never wavered from mine. Could the feeling that I have been feeling for him actually be mutual?

Just as I opened my mouth to ask him that question, he surprised me by speaking first.

“Can we just start this night over? Will you dance with me?”

I couldn’t seem to make my brain function enough to form words so I just nodded. Kane slid from the booth and took my hand to help me out of it as well, and we made our way to the dance floor. A slower, more relaxed song was playing, and I was so thankful for the change of pace in the music. I wasn’t really sure I could handle any bumping and grinding at the moment. Not with the realization that Kane may actually be as attracted to me, as I was to him.

Kane held tight to my hand as he led us through all the bodies to the middle of the dance floor. We stood surrounded by people, but I was so focused on Kane that they began to blur from my vision, and then it was like they weren’t even there at all. When he took me in his arms and began to sway to the beat of the song, I cleared my mind and lost myself in the music.

I slowly ran my hands up his arms, feeling every indention from every muscle and I could feel them flexing under my touch. When I finally made it to the top of his arms, I wrapped my hands around the back of his neck and stared into those gray eyes I couldn’t get enough of. The song playing was an older Lenny Kravitz song, and when Kane began to whisper the lyrics in my ear, I knew I would never be able to listen to this song again and not think of Kane and this exact moment.