Like all our kisses, the first leads to many more, and the more we kiss, the more I want to take things farther. I slide my hand underneath her shirt, and her back bows off the bed. She reaches for the quilt on her bed, pulling it overtop of us. “Just in case they come in here,” she says, against my mouth.

“There’s so much I want to try with you, Kinsley.” She stares at me with her gorgeous brown eyes, and all I want to do is show her how much I love her with my body—to show her what she does to me from one simple look.

“Now?”

“No, not with your brother a couple feet away. I just got on his good side, I can’t screw it up already.”

She giggles, knowing I’m right. Still, she cuddles as close as she can. “When?”

Knowing she wants this too only makes waiting that much harder. It’s pure torture. “Maybe next weekend. We’ll be in our own tent for two nights. I’m sure we can come up with something.” The thought alone makes my heart race. Spending the night with Kinsley in my arms, without any interruptions or worrying about getting caught, makes me crave her even more.

“I’m nervous, Rhett.”

“There’s nothing to be nervous about. It’s just me and you, Sunny.” Before I can try to convince her how perfect our weekend away will be, there’s a crash in the living room that makes the both of us jump off the bed.

“What was that?” she asks, latching onto my arm.

“No idea, but I’m going to look.” I slowly inch the door open, and all I see so far is Becca in the corner with her hands covering her face. But the closer I get to her, I hear the grunting and grappling of bodies.

It takes me a second to realize who’s fighting Wyatt, but as they spin around, I get a clear look at Jake—and it appears he’s had a couple beers before coming here. I warned him not to do this. That coming here and starting trouble wouldn’t do him any favors.

Before I have a chance to break it up, Kinsley rushes in between her brother and Jake. I grab her around her waist, hauling her away from them before she gets hurt. “Stay out of it, Sunny.”

“Stop them, Rhett. Please.”

I take a second to try to calm her down, but she won’t even look at me. Her eyes are zeroed in on the fight. Determined as ever, she manages to wiggle out of my grasp, and puts herself in between Wyatt and Jake again. “Kinsley!”

A punch from Wyatt, intended for Jake, just misses her jaw, but Jake’s elbow connects with her eye as she dodges the punch. Her hands fly to her face and she falls to the ground, her body curled up in pain. Seeing my girl on the floor, stops time. With superhuman strength I didn’t even know I was capable of, I grab my best friend by the back of his neck and throw him on the couch. Wyatt’s still mid swing when I grab his arm and spin him around, pining it behind him. “Enough,” I seethe.

Jake rolls off the couch, and then attempts to stagger toward the wall, trying his best to get to Becca before Wyatt can try to stop him again. Wyatt finally sees his sister laying on the floor in a protective heap, and forgets about Jake entirely.

Kinsley’s crying, her hands still covering her eye as I bend down to help her. Wyatt tries to get close, but I hold my arm out, giving her some room to sit up with a little help from me.

“Kinny, are you okay?” Wyatt asks, softly. I can tell the adrenaline’s still pumping through his body, but he does his best to catch his breath and let go of his anger. “Look at me, Kin,” he begs.

“Rhett,” she whispers, ignoring her brother entirely, as her body shakes with every tear she sheds.

“I’m right here, Sunny.” I scoop her up and carry her to her bedroom where I place her gently on the bed. Everyone follows, except Becca. Suddenly, she’s disappeared. “Can you open your eye?”

She drops her hand, her eye lashes slowly opening despite the bruises already forming. “Yes, but it hurts and it won’t stop watering.”

“Your vision’s okay? Nothing’s blurry?”

She shakes her head. “It’s okay, just feels like I got poked really bad.”

“Do you want me to take you to the medical aid down the street?”

“No, I’ll put some ice on it. I’m not explaining this to anyone.”

Wyatt stands behind me, watching our entire conversation. “I’m so sorry, Kinny,” he says over and over. He’s calmed down, but he’s still shifting from side to side, anxiously.

Next thing I know, Jake’s standing next to me holding out an ice pack for Kinsley. Wyatt makes no move to punch him again, or to say a single word. Whatever they were arguing about has been forgotten—at least for the time being. “I’m sorry, Kinsley,” he says.

“I suggest you leave, Jake. I told you not to come here in the first place. If you would have listened to me for once in your life, she never would have gotten hurt.”

“It was an accident,” Kinsley says in his defense. Why she feels the need to stick up for Jake, I have no idea. As far as I’m concerned, he’s not welcome here anymore. He’s lucky I’m too worried about my girlfriend or I’d be the one punching him in the face.

“I’m sorry, Kinsley,” he says one more time before turning and walking out of the room. Shortly after, I hear the front door open and close. Good, let him go.

“Sunny, can you put this on your eye for me, please?” She turns toward me, opening both eyes ever so slightly. I’m careful when I rest the ice against the swollen bruise, but she flinches anyway. “Sorry, I’m trying to be gentle.”

Finally, she relaxes again. Now that the ice is on her eye, and I know she’s okay, I look to Wyatt for an explanation. “What happened?”

Back in defensive mode, he crosses his arms over his chest, and shakes his head in disgust. “That douchebag came to my house trying to pick a fight with me. Becca and I were finally making some progress, and he barged inside and ruined it.”

I thought I warned him into staying away, but I should have known better. When Jake drinks, anything’s possible—especially when it comes to something he wants. “He was pissed about Becca coming here when we left the locker room. I didn’t think he’d actually go through with a fight though.”

“All this over some girl.”

“She’s not just some girl, Wyatt,” Kinsley says, with her head resting on her pillow. “You have to find her. Make sure she’s okay.”

“I’m more worried if you’re okay. She could be anywhere by now.”

“I’m sure she didn’t go far,” I tell him, hoping to lift his spirits a little.

Defeated, Wyatt shrugs his shoulders. “I guess I have my answer if she left with Jake.”

Kinsley sits up, the ice covering most of her face. “Find her, Wyatt. She wouldn’t have left with Jake, so she’s here somewhere. She may be confused, but I know my best friend better than anyone. She wants to be with you.”

Like his sister’s words were enough to remove any doubt he was having, he pushes off the wall he was leaning against. “I’ll find her,” he says, convincingly, before leaving the room.

Now that we’re alone again, I slide into bed next to Kinsley. She rests her head on my chest and the coldness from the ice seeps through my thin shirt.

“I have a black eye, don’t I?”

“Yeah, it’s a pretty nice shiner.”

“I can’t go to the dance tomorrow night looking like a freak, Rhett.”

“I think you should show it off, it’s pretty badass.” She smacks me and presses the ice pack against my face. “Shit, that’s freezing.”

“It’s such a great story. My boyfriend’s best friend beat me up while he was fighting with my brother. It will be front page news at school in no time.”

“What were you thinking getting between two guys twice your size?”

“That I didn’t want either of them to get hurt. And I hate seeing them fight over Becca. The girl needs to make a decision though because she can’t play both sides anymore.”

“They’ll figure it out. Until then, how about we stay out of it. I can’t take you getting hurt again. Once was enough for me.”