Cara Wade asserts the right to be identified as the author of this work. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictionally, and any semblance to the actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  First published April 2020

  Copyright © Cara Wade 2020

  Published by: Crooked Crown Publishing

  Developmental and copy editing provided by Kendra Gaither at Kendra’s Editing and Book Services

  For Mom, Dad, and Amy. Thanks for letting me be weird!

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  Check out my other releases

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Lana

  Summer. It’s finally here! The school year ends tomorrow, and I couldn’t be happier. Junior year seemed like it would never end.

  Who would have thought the average looking, book loving, blonde-haired girl would end up hanging out with the popular kids at school? This sounds like one of those cheesy chick-lit books I love to read. Popular boy likes nerdy girl, and his friends make fun of him for it, but he prevails and they live happily ever after.

  Okay, so that’s not exactly how this year went. To be honest, it didn’t start off so great. It started off like any other year. I’m the girl who works hard for my grades. Greenwich Preparatory (go Spartans!) is known for producing some of the smartest minds in all of Connecticut, and I have my eyes set on going to Cornell to study architecture.

  In order to make that dream a reality, I spend my nights forgoing football games and parties to study. I had a few close friends, but if I had to choose between them and books, books would win every time. Mind you, it didn’t used to be like that. When I was little, I hated school and was held back in first grade. Then I discovered chapter books, and everything changed for me.

  So, me being the oldest girl in my grade didn’t make being uncool any easier. That is, until Bethany James, the most popular girl at school, started flunking math. Mr. Cross pulled me aside one day and asked if I wanted some extra credit in his class. Any chance to turn my A minus into an A plus is a win, so I accepted.

  I became Bethany’s pet project, even after my futile attempts to stop her. She was determined to give me a full makeover like in the movie She’s All That. She added highlights to my hair, taught me some make-up techniques, and made me get a new wardrobe. When she was done with me, I didn’t even recognize myself. I went from peasant to princess in two point five seconds.

  Suddenly, I’m being asked to sit at the cool kid’s table, and the cutest boys are actually giving me a second glance.

  Holy shit, I’m hot!

  For once in my life, I feel like people see me, and I have Bethany to thank for it. It also helps that she’s kept me practically glued to her hip, helping her stay on top of her studies.

  Her parents want her to go to Yale, and the two of us decide to stick together and help each other. I help her study to get better grades, and she gives me the social life I didn’t know I needed. It’s been beneficial for both parties.

  I sit at the lunch table, poking at my spaghetti, my nose buried deep in a book as I wait for everyone to join me. Bethany arrives with her boyfriend Dave in tow, and he places both their trays down on the table across from me. She flips her thick blonde hair behind her shoulder and pulls Dave toward her for a kiss.

  Next are Joe and Jim, the twins, and each takes a spot on either side of me. These boys can make panties drop with a smile. Short brown hair, brown eyes, and tall. Joe has about twenty pounds of muscle on his twin brother, but no one would complain that Jim is small.

  I’m squished between the two hottest guys at school, and a blush covers my body from head to toe until I feel like a tomato.

  “You’re cute when you blush,” Joe says quietly as he knocks into my shoulder. I glance up at him through my lashes and smile shyly. He tries to glance at the cover of my book. “Reading something naughty, Lana?”

  I slap the book closed and pull it against my chest, shaking my head, a sly smile playing on my lips.

  When he laughs, I feel it deep in my bones. He tries to take the book away from me, so I grasp it tighter. He rubs his finger up and down my forearm, trying to coax it from me, and the tingles that form in the wake of his touch make me want to give him anything he wants.

  He pushes his bottom lip out and opens his eyes wide, giving me the best puppy dog eyes he can muster, and I melt into a pile of goo.

  I’ve had a crush on Joe DiMatto since second grade. I’ve fantasized about him since freshman year when we were in sex education together when we had to learn about everything. I’m not just talking about the reproduction system; I’m talking about safe sex, condoms, birth control type of everything.

  I sat on the other side of the classroom from him and let my imagination run wild. Now, let me make one thing perfectly clear. I read—a lot. I read all types of genres, but romance has always been my favorite. The thing with romance is there is a lot of sex and a lot of power exchange situations. Even a few popular jock and nerdy girl situations. Those are the easiest to picture myself in. Shocking, I know.

  Imagine sitting in sex ed with the hottest guy in the school as he asks questions about blow jobs and anal. Yes, he really did ask questions about both. It was his way of messing with the teacher, but all it did was make me clench my thighs throughout class and stifle moans of desire.

  That was the first night I went home and touched myself with Joe on my mind.

  “Oh, Joe, leave her alone. She doesn’t have to show you anything.” Bethany comes to my aid.

  He gives up and takes a bite of his pizza and talks with the other guys. Bethany knows how much I like him, and I offer a quiet thank you to her. She smiles and goes back to eating.

  “Ladies, we’re throwing a small party this weekend at the lake house. Wanna come?” Jim asks.

  I glance over at Bethany, who raises her eyebrow at me in question then nods her head. “Sure. We’ll be there. Lana’s eighteenth birthday is next week so we can use this as an excuse to celebrate. She was just telling me about the cutest little bikini she bought the other day, weren’t you, Lana?”

  My hazel eyes bug out of my head, and my eyebrows shoot up to my hairline. She bites the corner of her lip and smirks. She knows Joe will be thinking about seeing me in a bikini now, and I’m not sure I can muster up the courage to make that happen.

  I’m going to puke. The small amount I had to eat today is trying to work its way out of my stomach. This is uncharted territory. “Y-yeah. I wouldn’t wear it to something like that, though. I figured it would be good for tanning at home.”

  “I didn’t know it was your birthday. I’d love to see it on you. Maybe I can find an interesting pattern of freckles to trace,” Joe whispers in my ear, the heat of his breath doing nothing to tame my racing heart.

  Heat rushes to my cheeks at his remark. “Excuse me.” I jump out of my seat, leaving my untouched spaghetti and belongings behind, and scurry to the girl’s bathroom.

  I lean over the sink, splashing cold water on my face. The door opens, and Bethany walks in. She leans against the wall with the paper towels, watching me, her arms crossed over her chest.

  I lock eyes with her in the mirror, keeping my hands planted on the edge of the counter. “I wish you hadn’t said that to him. You know I don’t like wearing things like that.”

  She shrugs and flips her hair. “I don’t know why. It’s not like you’re fat. You’ve got killer curves. If I had hips like yours, I’d rock it. Joe likes you; it’s pretty obvious.”

  My heart gallops at the thought of him liking me, but there’s no way he does. I’m still just a nerdy girl. I shrug it off. “He’s a flirt. He does it to everyone.” I pull a few paper towels out and blot the water from my face before tossing them in the bin next to the door.

  She shakes her head. “No. Not like that, Lana. I’ve only seen him do that with you.” She pulls me in for a hug, and when we pull back, she searches my face like it holds the answers she needs. “You really don’t see what he sees, do you?” I shake my head. “Joe really likes you. I think Jim likes you, too, but Joe’s staked claim. Come to the party, wear the sexy bikini you bought last week, and get the guy.”

  She walks out, leaving me to get myself under control. Not paying attention, I walk right into Joe’s hard body on the other side of the door. My cheek smashes against his mu

scular chest, and I put my hands up to steady myself, feeling his pectorals. How does someone in high school get this ripped?

  “Sorry. I, ah—wasn’t looking.”

  “Come for a walk with me?” He holds my backpack and book out for me and extends his hand out, waiting for me to make my move. I look at it and up at him. “I promise I won’t bite.” He offers a sly smile, and there’s a glint of something dark in his eyes. “Unless you like biting. Then I’d be happy to make your dreams come true.”

  Oh hell! Another image to add to the rub club bank. That one will be playing around in my head for a while. I take a deep breath, ignore the growing need forming in my lower belly, and take his hand.

  He leads me to the soccer field, where we stand by the bleachers. I risk a sideways glance at him. Most boys look like preppy assholes in the school uniform—navy blue polo and chinos. His polo must be a medium because the way his arms bulge and his pecs are on display makes me want to run my fingers over him. I reach my hand toward him and pull back at the last second. That’s a slippery slope I don’t need to go down.

  “Don’t make me beg, Lana. Come to the party this weekend. Let me show you off.”

  I pinch my eyebrows and tilt my head to the side. “Show me off? Why? We’re not dating.”

  “Maybe it’s because you haven’t taken any of my hints, and I can’t ever get you alone.” He runs his knuckles along my cheek and hooks his thumb and forefinger around my chin. He lowers his voice and drops his head, his lips inches from mine. “Anytime I try, you run away.”

  Kiss him! Grow some balls and kiss him, Lana!

  “That’s because I didn’t think you were serious,” I almost whisper. “You flirt with all the girls. How was I supposed to know I was special?”

  “Because you see the real me. Come. I’ll give you the best birthday present.”

  He leans in, his eyes close, and his mouth parts. Oh my God, it’s happening! Joe is going to kiss me! He hovers over my lips, and I press up into him, feeling his soft lips against mine. He deepens the kiss. I moan into his mouth and grab the front of his shirt, holding on to him. I never want this kiss to end. His hand slides down my side and lands on my hip, pulling me flush against him.

  Hold on. Is that… him? I pull back, putting a few inches between us, and glance down. Sure enough, I can see the shape of him through his pants, and let me tell you… wow. I may have fantasies of him, but I’m not ready to go down that road. I’m not ready to give him that piece of me.

  Sensing my discomfort, he cups my cheeks in his hands but doesn’t move closer. I lift my eyes to his.

  “You drive me crazy. Come on Saturday. I promise I’ll behave.”

  “Okay.”

  I’m on cloud nine for the rest of the day. Who wouldn’t be after a mind-blowing kiss from the hottest guy at school? When I walk through the front door of my house, my mom and dad are sitting in the living room talking.

  “Hi, honey, how was your day?” Mom calls out.

  I float into the living room with a Cheshire cat grin on my face. “Wonderful. I got invited to a party at the lake this weekend with Bethany to celebrate my birthday. Can I go?”

  “Pumpkin, why don’t you sit down?” Dad taps the seat next to him, and my smile falters.

  I drop my bag by my feet and sit. “What’s going on?”

  “Your mother and I booked a vacation. We leave on Saturday.” He smiles as though he didn’t just break my heart.

  I’m… confused. They booked a vacation? Doesn’t one usually plan a vacation months in advance? “Where are we going?”

  “Wyoming. We’re spending two weeks on a dude ranch. They have hiking, swimming, and horseback riding among other activities. It’s a place called Black Stallion Ranch.” He hands me his laptop with the page pulled up, and my eyes scroll through the mountainesque landscapes and pictures of the smiling, happy people. The exact opposite of how I feel. “Make sure to pack some jeans for horseback riding.”

  My eyes shoot up to him. “What?” I shout. “No! I can’t go there. The party. This is huge. The biggest event of the season! My birthday...” My chance to get to know Joe on a deeper level.

  “There’ll be other parties. We’ll only be gone for two weeks and can celebrate it out there. You can see Bethany and your friends when we get back and have a party then,” Mom reassures by rubbing my shoulders.

  Tears sting my eyes, and I put the laptop on the table. “No, Mom, you don’t understand. I have to go to this party.” I take a steadying breath. “When did you book this? Why didn’t you tell me before today?”

  “I’m working on a business deal, and the client’s going. It sounded fun, and with the school year ending, the timing made sense. I’m sorry about the party, pumpkin, but we’re going and that’s final. It’ll be good for you to see this side of the country. A new adventure.” He smiles, trying to ease the pain of the blow he just dealt me.

  The only adventure I wanted was with Joe at the lake.

  Chapter 2

  Tristan

  I scan the list of the new guests arriving today and mentally prepare for another round of city slickers who want to pretend to be cowboys. There are eighteen people in this new group, so it’ll be busy this week—all hands will be needed on deck. We have a few families with young kids and two more with teenage girls. I hope the girls aren’t worried about messing up their nails.

  Aren’t all city girls worried about that sort of thing? Kasey, my girlfriend, always seems to be bitching about that. Guess I’ll find out soon enough.

  This is my last season working the ranch before I travel the whole fifteen miles to become a college freshman. Okay, so it’s not far, but I’m the first one in my family to go and Mom and Dad couldn’t be prouder. I even got a full ride football scholarship to play with the Cowboys as I study for my business degree. I had my hopes set on a school farther away, but I couldn’t pass up a full ride. Especially when Mom and Dad don’t have the extra funds to hire someone else to help at the ranch.

  I sit on the porch with my clipboard as I go through the morning checklist and sip my coffee. I have a football training session with my coach in a few hours, so I like to get an early start and help out where I can. I won’t be good for much more than a shower and a hot meal when I get home tonight. Coach works us hard, and since this is my last one with him, I know it’ll be brutal.

  Mom joins me on the porch, holding her steamy mug of coffee in her favorite purple floral mug. She leans down and places a chaste kiss to the top of my shaggy, brown hair. She pulls my hair back off my forehead. “You need a haircut. It must fall in your eyes when you run on the field.”

  I roll my eyes. My hair’s fine. Plus, Kasey likes that she can grab it. “Kasey likes it like this.”

  She sighs, and I see her shake her head from the corner of my eyes. She likes the Bowmans, and she and Dad are close with them, but she doesn’t care for how Kasey treats me. “I know you like Kasey, baby.”

  I grit my teeth. It’s too early for this conversation. “I’m not talking about this right now. I need to finish looking over the checklist for today and get to practice.”

  “Let me make you something to take with you.” She gets up and walks back into the house, leaving me to finish.

  “Morning, Tristan,” Kristy, one of the guests, says. She’s a nice girl, but she’s about twelve and has a major crush on me. I’m so happy she’s leaving with her family today. She follows me around like a lost puppy.

  “Morning, Kristy. You and your family ready to ship out today?”

  She pouts. “Yes. We’re packed and leaving for the airport in an hour.”

 

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