“Sure, sweetie.” She smirks as if she doesn’t believe me. “Now help me finish this crap and get this party started.”

* * *

The last hour flew by as I tried with everything in me not to stare at Kellan from across the park. After his reunion with his parents, I haven’t had a chance to talk to him or really even see him. He’s been staying close to his mother, her not wanting to let him out of her sight. I don’t blame her. I feel the same way.

After one round of chicken, potatoes, corn, pie and anything else I could put my hands on, I decided I haven’t had enough chicken to get me out of this slump. Chicken is usually my cure for everything.

I walk over to the picnic table that is still covered in food and lean my head over the tin tray that used to be overflowing with chicken. Now all that’s there is an old tore up wing with no skin that everyone must’ve decided they didn’t want. No one ever wants the wings.

“Dammit!” There goes my day. I close the lid to the tin tray and walk over tossing my plate into one of the trashcans. When I look up, I see Jen standing by Nathan’s Jeep, her arms flying around as she rambles on about something. He’s such a douche. I really don’t understand what she sees in him. He’s been nothing but trouble and I bet he’s not even going to get out and join the picnic.

Taking a seat at one of the picnic tables, I look around searching for Kellan. I’m tired of trying to avoid looking at him. He’s taken up residence in my mind for days.

I can’t seem to find him anywhere, but I notice Kade standing by the bathrooms talking with Luna. I haven’t seen him notice her before today, not that I can blame him the way she showed up looking just as gorgeous as ever. The girl gives underwear models competition. Who wouldn’t notice her silky, black hair that hangs in waves at the small of her back, bright green eyes, and tanned skin? Let’s not forget the mile high legs in those tiny white shorts. She has on a strappy turquoise tank, cut low, allowing her br**sts to play peek-a-boo and brown leather flip-flops.

She volunteered to set up games and Kade has been helping her ever since. Not that it bothers me, Kade and I are just friends and nothing more. Actually, maybe he can use his seduction tactics on her for a while. I need a break, at least from him. I’m sure it wouldn’t bother me. Would it? My minds a mess. I don’t know what I want.

“May I sit down?”

I think my heart may have just stopped. After hearing that voice the other day, it has been stuck in my head repeating itself over and over again, driving me crazy. It’s so deep and raspy, oozing sex, and borderline toxic to a woman’s will power. Much deeper than I remember.

“Sure,” I whisper, looking up to meet Kellan’s playful eyes, just now noticing how bruised up his face is.

“Holy shit, Kellan.” I panic and reach out to touch his face, but stop myself before I can make an ass out of myself. I pull my arm back. “What in the hell happened to your face?” Something tells me that’s not from Kade’s hit.

He smiles as if it’s nothing. “Don’t worry. It didn’t hurt . . . much.”

He sets a plate down in front of him and swings one leg over the bench so I’m sitting in between his legs, a small space being the only thing separating us. For some reason, my whole body craves to scoot that few inches and close the gap between us. I guess eight years wasn’t enough time to wither the feelings I had for him as a kid.

“I see dad is still having his company picnics. It’s nice to see that something hasn’t changed.”

That’s not the only thing that hasn’t changed. I close my eyes, breathing in the smell of his cologne. Georgio Armani’s Auqua Di Gio, I would know that scent anywhere. It has always been Kellan’s favorite. That smell did things to me then, and the smell has only gotten sweeter, making it even harder to refrain from burying my face in his neck.

I nod my head but don’t say a word. I can’t, if I don’t already look obvious, I surely will then. If I speak, then it will probably be something I shouldn’t say.

He scoots the plate across the table so it’s sitting in front of me now. Then he leans over my shoulder and his lips curl into a smile.

I look down to see three chicken thighs with a pile of chicken skin covering the entire plate. I laugh as I look back up at him. “What’s this?”

He leans in and picks up a piece of the skin. “It’s chicken and a whole shit load of skin.” He beams before shoving the piece into his mouth and moaning. Damn, I’ve missed that smile. We’ve both always shared the same love for chicken. We used to fight over the skin when we were younger. “I stole a bunch of it when no one was looking. I figured I would be nice and share.” His eyes meet mine before he licks his lips, being sure to get every last crumb. “Usually, I don’t share.”

I swallow hard while staring at his lips. On the bottom one, I can see a little hole that looks as if he has his lip pierced. Suddenly, my skin becomes hot and flushed, picturing the ring brushing over my skin as he kisses down my body. “I should feel special then?”

He opens his mouth to laugh and I think I notice a metal bar in his tongue. I can’t be certain though, but it turns me on more, imagining him running it up my thigh and between my legs.

“Something like that.”

It’s silent for a moment before he leans in and grabs a piece of my hair, twirling it around his finger. When he touches my hair, I catch a glimpse of a fresh tattoo. An angel I think, but I wonder what it means. Before I can get a better look and ask, he speaks.

“Your hair has gotten so long. I remember when it used to be short. It made you look like a boy.”

I slap him in the arm and choke on the chicken I have just shoved in my mouth. “What! You jerk,” I squeak.

He grabs his arm and looks me in the eye. “I was just joking, woman. Calm down, you’ve definitely always looked like a girl.” He looks down at my br**sts before meeting my lips and biting his own. “Now you look like a woman.”

I feel myself blushing as I quickly pull my eyes away. “I guess that’s a good thing. So that’s why so many creeps like to stare now?”

He reaches for another piece of chicken skin and eats it. “I suppose that could be one reason,” he says with a note of seriousness. “But, not the only.”

It’s silent for a moment before he speaks again.