In Love With Him

Chapter 14

Kennedy’s POV

The first day of senior year.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, trying to decide if I looked like a total loser or just semi-loser. My black fitted t-shirt hugged just right, and my ripped dark jeans shorts gave me that grungy, IDGAF look I always went for. A few silver rings, my black choker, and a little eyeliner to make my eyes pop. Hair: half up, messy bun. Perfume: light vanilla with a hint of spice.

Good enough.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed downstairs, skipping every third step like I always did. In the kitchen, my dad was putting the last of his travel coffee mug together, and Helen was adjusting her purse strap while checking her phone.

“Morning, kiddo,” Dad said, placing the mug down long enough to kiss my cheek. “Big day. Senior year. You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” I muttered, grabbing a banana off the counter.

Helen smiled and stepped forward like she might kiss me too, but at the last second, she second-guessed herself and settled for an awkward side hug. I stiffened out of habit, but tried to meet her halfway. I remembered Dad’s voice: She’s not trying to replace your mom. She just wants to be your friend.

“Good luck today, Kennedy,” she said with a warm smile.

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

They both left for work, and the house fell into quiet. I peeled the banana and nibbled on it, sitting at the kitchen table in silence. I glanced at the clock. 7:08 a.m.

Wait.

I looked at the empty hallway. Where the hell was Max?

I checked again. 7:09.

The bus came at 7:15.

I groaned and bolted upstairs, storming into his room without knocking. His room smelled like gym socks, Axe body spray, and whatever chaos lives in a 13-year-old boy’s space. Clothes everywhere. Game controller on the floor. LED lights blinking even in the daylight.

“Max,” I called, gently nudging his shoulder. “Get up. You’re gonna be late.”

He groaned, swatting at me like a lazy house cat. “Five more minutes…”

“No, dumbass, the bus is coming soon!” I said, shaking him harder.

Still nothing. I rolled my eyes, grabbed the comforter, and yanked it off him.

And immediately regretted it.

Max shouted, grabbing for the blanket as I screamed and spun around. “What the hell, Max! Why are you naked?!”

“Jesus, it’s hot! Why are you even in my room?!”

“Because it’s your first day of school! You’re gonna miss the bus!” I yelled, shielding my eyes with my hand like I’d been blinded.

He groaned again, clearly not fazed. “Fine, fine—I’m up, God!”

I stormed out, trying to erase the horror from my memory. My eyes. My poor, innocent eyes.

Back downstairs, I grabbed my bag and was halfway to the front door when Max finally stumbled down, hair still a mess, chewing a Pop-Tart. But just as we opened the door, the bright yellow bus drove past without even slowing down.

I groaned. “Great. Awesome. You made us miss the f*****g bus.”

“I made us—?” Max started.

“You slept naked through two alarms!”

“Don’t blame me ‘cause you barged in without knocking!”

“I’m gonna barge into your funeral one day,” I muttered.

“Cool, I’ll make sure to die dramatically.”

Before we could start round two, a voice from the kitchen stopped us. “I’ll take you guys.”

We both turned.

Dominic was sitting at the kitchen island, shirtless, eating cereal like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb.

I narrowed my eyes. “It’s fine. We’ll just walk.”

Dominic stood up, grabbing his keys. “You’re welcome. Let’s go.”

And just like that, he was walking toward the front door, tossing his bowl in the sink without even looking. Throwing on a tank top.

I stared after him, heart doing something stupid in my chest. Max grinned like this was the best thing ever.

Great. First day of school, and I was stuck in a car with the stepbrother who wouldn’t leave my head.

---

Dominic’s POV

I regretted offering them a ride the second we pulled out of the driveway.

It wasn’t Max. I could tune out his smart-ass remarks and his ridiculous ability to breathe and talk at the same time. No. It was her. Kennedy. Sitting in the passenger seat with her legs crossed, hair falling in soft waves around her face, and her dark shirt hugging her curves like it had been custom-made.

Every time I tried to keep my eyes on the road, they drifted back to her.

The smell of her perfume—vanilla with that warm, spiced something—was filling up the car, making it even harder to focus. And the worst part? Every time she shifted, her shirt lifted just enough to show a sliver of her soft, pale stomach. Just enough to drive me insane. She probably didn’t even realize it. Or maybe she did. I didn’t know which was worse.

We dropped Max off first. Thank God. He hopped out of the back, yelling something about not wanting to be picked up unless we brought snacks, and then he slammed the door behind him.

Finally, silence.

Kennedy pulled out her phone and stared at it, biting her bottom lip like she always did when she was deep in thought.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter. The thought of her walking through those school doors dressed like that… every guy’s eyes on her—eyes that didn’t deserve to look at her the way I did… it made something hot and territorial boil in my gut.

I cleared my throat. “Hey,” I said, keeping my voice casual. “Is that outfit, uh… appropriate for school?”

She looked down at herself, confused. “Why wouldn’t it be? Nothing’s showing.”

She was right. Technically, nothing was inappropriate. But the way her shirt clung to her chest, the way her shorts hugged her hips and made her legs look a mile long—that was what made it a problem. Not for the rules. For me.

I shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. “Just saying… guys are probably gonna look at you.”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, when hell freezes over.”

I looked over, eyebrows raised. “Why?”

She sighed, her fingers fidgeting with the zipper on her backpack. “There’s this girl, Amber. She’s been bullying me since second grade. She was the one who dared that boy to kiss me in the cafeteria. She… she made my life hell. And even now—she’s nineteen and still stuck in senior year—she hasn’t stopped.”

Amber.

The name hit me like a punch to the stomach.

Shit.

The same Amber I slept with before the bonfire. The same Amber who had wrapped herself around me like she owned me. That Amber. And now I was hearing she was the one who had been tormenting Kennedy since they were kids?

I felt sick.

I pulled up to her school’s drop-off loop and threw the car in park. Kennedy went to reach for the handle, but I reached over and gently caught her wrist.

She froze, looking up at me.

“You are smart,” I said quietly, looking into her eyes. “You’re funny, and a little weird—but in a good way. And you’re beautiful, Kennedy. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise. Especially not someone like her.”

Her lips parted like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.

My hand lingered on her arm longer than it should’ve. I didn’t want to let go. Part of me wanted to pull her toward me, close that damn gap between us, and kiss her until she realized none of those assholes at school mattered. Until she realized I saw her. All of her.

I leaned in slightly—closer, close enough to smell the vanilla on her skin—

“Kennedy! You better hurry your b***h-ass up or we’re gonna be late!”

Marty’s voice echoed across the parking lot, followed by Finn’s dramatic, “Yeah, ho, let’s go!”

Kennedy cleared her throat and looked away quickly. “Thanks for the ride.”

I let her arm go slowly, forcing my fingers to release her skin.

I leaned back into my seat. “Anytime, princess.”

She climbed out, slinging her bag over her shoulder, and jogged off to her friends without looking back.

I sat there for a moment longer, jaw tight, chest aching.

That outfit was about to start a damn war.