Changing Tides (Kill Devil Hills Book 2) (21 page)

“Ew,” I groaned. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”

“Okay.” He rubbed his hand across the stumble on his jaw like he was thinking. Did guys like Rhett even have complex thoughts? “I have a plan to make you feel better. How about we kiss?”

Gasping, I nearly slipped off my crate.

“Don’t look so stunned,” he said. “You’re a beautiful girl.”

Beautiful
?
That confirmed it, he had to be high. Or a flat out lunatic. Or maybe this was the reason he’d already kissed three girls today—he was a
total
player.

“How old are you?” he wanted to know next.

“Sixteen.”

“Yikes.” He jumped to his feet. Actually, he’d been kind of leaning toward me and I hadn’t even realized it until he ripped himself away from me. “You’re practically a kid. Is kissing a minor illegal?”

With a giant huff, I stood up. “You are officially the worst bartender/therapist ever!” I yelled at him.

“Oh yeah,” he yelled back, “well, you have the prettiest green eyes I’ve ever seen!”

What?

“And you shouldn’t let one guy define you. You should never cry over someone as stupid as a guy. Because trust me, we’re all stupid when it comes to women. And you shouldn’t kiss me either. Your first kiss should be memorable and special—something that makes you smile for the rest of your life. Ask anyone, I’m not ‘first kiss’ material, or even last, and you—”

Something inside me came to life. I’m not exactly sure where the surge of confidence, excitement, and power came from, but I flung myself at this stranger and I kissed him. He was older and sexy and completely out of my league…and I, Sydney Francesca Michaels, kissed Rhett Morgan. He wasn’t Ben, but maybe he was the next best thing.

So it happened. A quick press of my lips to his. Then I immediately pulled back—shocked and terrified by my actions.

He stared at me for a moment after, as my face burned under his scrutiny and the blood in my veins raged through my body. He was probably equally shocked and terrified. But somehow, the expression on his face didn’t show it. “You have to go slower,” he finally said, his voice different now, thicker and heavier now. “Never rush it.”

Inching closer, he took my face in his hands. His touch was searing hot. For what felt like forever, he continued to stare at me. I just stood there, unsure how to act. Then his hands moved to remove my glasses. He slipped them off and tucked them into my hand. “Can we try that again?” he asked. “You already spoiled your first kiss on me. We might as well try to make it count a little more. Good plan?”

Unable to speak, I nodded. More than anything, I wanted to try that again.

“You really do have very pretty eyes,” he whispered, moving closer.

“A boy in kindergarten told me they were diarrhea-green.”

“He was an idiot. They’re the color green the ocean turns when a big storm is coming.”

And with that lingering thought, possibly the nicest compliment anyone had ever given me, he pressed his lips against mine. Aside from his hands on my neck, no other part of our bodies touched—just lips. Warm, soft, lingering lips. My brain didn’t know how to rationalize Rhett. I couldn’t decide what to make of him, but his kiss was perfection.

Up until the moment it ended.

Rhett was ripped away from me and then punched in the jaw…by my brother. John had appeared out of nowhere, livid, aggressive, and ready to kill. “Don’t you fucking touch her, Rhett Morgan,” he screamed. “You nasty motherfucker.”

Oh dear God, I’d never in my life heard my brother swear like that. Nor had I ever seen him hit another human being. John looked like a badass—covered in tattoos with a nose ring right through the middle of his nose like a bull—but he was harmless. At least, I’d always thought he was harmless. I guess when it came to protecting me, he wasn’t. Rhett stood to his feet, adjusting his jaw. Then he put of his fists like he was about to fight back. I was willing to bet my life on the fact that Rhett had been in his fair share of fights. He had that look about him—the look like he could do some serious damage. I had to stop this.

“This is my fault,” I shrieked, tugging on John’s arm. “I kissed him.”

“I don’t care who kissed who,” my brother snapped. “You’re never going near him again.”

“Fair enough. It was an impulse thing anyway. Didn’t mean anything.”

Rhett lowered his hands. I wasn’t sure if I was lying about the ‘impulse’ comment or not. Either way, he looked hurt by it. But that wasn’t possible, right? I was the fourth girl he’d kissed today. Surely, he’d just find someone new to kiss later.

My brother ushered me away, toward the front of the restaurant, leaving Rhett behind. I let him because I didn’t know what else to do.

“I need to pay for your milkshake and the appetizer I ordered,” John grunted. “Then we’re gone and never coming back here again. Got it? Rhett Morgan sleeps around with everyone. He probably has crabs or something even more disgusting. He’s no good and will work at this bar for the rest of his meaningless life. You’re never going near him again.”

Wow
.
I didn’t know my brother could be such a jerk and so judgmental.

“It didn’t mean anything,” I whispered. “I’m sorry.”

We went back into the restaurant, John tugging me along. A big part of me wanted to glance up, toward the bar in the back of the room, and look for Rhett. I felt horrible about my brother punching him. I hoped that he knew that I was sorry. But I kept my head down and followed John.

Our untouched appetizer of fried calamari was sitting at the table. The server approached us, carrying my milkshake. John asked for the check and asked her to box up our food so we could take it home. It took a few minutes and then finally she returned. She handed John the takeout box and me my milkshake. She also slipped something into my hand when John wasn’t looking.

A piece of paper.

My heart started beating even harder than it already was. My skin burned. I couldn’t look at the paper the whole way home for fear that John would see. But once we arrived home, I rushed up to my room to see if the paper was what I thought it was. It was. It was a note. A note from Rhett. It read:

Come find me when you’re no longer jail-bait.