Hunter laughed and shook his head. “Willa, that is a heart that’s unable to love. Best you move on to a boy your own age.”
I stood up, my eyes swinging from my brother over to Aiden. I had taken way too much time this morning picking out what I was going to wear on our first day back from winter break to not let Aiden get the full view.
I’d decided to show off my new changes slowly. So, I’d picked a pair of skinny jeans that Bree said showed off my ass. A light blue shirt that also showed off my breasts, though not with cleavage. It was tight fitting and, as Ellen put it, left things to the imagination. My figure, although still not like my sister Lacy’s, was finally starting to fill out, and I was positive Aiden had noticed.
He watched me as I rounded the island, tossed my apple core, rinsed out my bowl, and then leaned down and put the dish into the dishwasher. When I stood and faced him, something was for sure different. He looked at me with an expression I had never seen before. I swore his eyes turned dark gray when our gazes met. The kind of gray that comes over the mountain tops when a storm is getting ready to come in.
Then he winked, and I nearly tripped.
He winked. Wait until I told Bree and Ellen about this.
“Did you do something different with your hair, Willa?” Hunter asked.
I glanced at my brother. “I did. I got highlights and cut about three inches off.”
“It looks nice,” Aiden said as Hunter looked at him. They exchanged a glance, and then Aiden turned and poured himself a cup of coffee before he leaned back against the counter, his eyes on me once more.
This time, Hunter stared at me a bit longer. “What are you wearing, Willa?” he asked.
I looked down at myself. “Jeans and a shirt.”
Lacy started to laugh. “Little Willa has gone and grown up on us, Hunter.”
He frowned. “Where’s the sweatshirt you always wear?”
“You mean the one that hides the rocking figure baby girl is growing into?” Lacy said, tossing a smile in Aiden’s direction. He lifted his coffee up to his mouth and took a sip.
Hunter looked at Aiden, then back to me. He slowly shook his head. “Yeah, I’m not liking this at all, Willa.”
With a grin, I walked over and reached up onto my toes to kiss Hunter on the cheek. “Don’t worry, big brother, I promise not to lose my virginity in the back of the gym under the bleachers like Lacy did.”
Hunter spun around and looked at Lacy. “What! Who was it? I’m going to kick his fucking ass.”
“Nice deflection there, sis,” Lacy hissed as she grabbed her backpack. “We need to go, some of us still have a first-period class.”
As I walked by Aiden, he reached down and took my hand, gave it a soft squeeze, and then dropped it. No one else had noticed, since Hunter was still walking after Lacy, asking about the guy who’d popped her cherry.
“Don’t let these high school boys sweet-talk you, Willa.”
With a smirk, I replied, “They haven’t so far. Besides, I’m saving myself for someone.”
He raised a single brow. “Is that so? Do I know him?”
It was my turn to wink. “You look in the mirror at him every day.”
That caused him to take a step back, but his eyes stayed locked on mine. For the briefest moment, I swore he was going to kiss me. Instead, he shook his head as if to clear some wayward thoughts, and then walked away.
I stared at his retreating form as Hunter walked back into the kitchen and grabbed a banana and a protein bar. I started to make my way to the door when Hunter called out my name. I turned and faced him as I walked backward.
He smirked and said, “Don’t talk to boys.”
With a lighthearted laugh, I followed my sister out of the house and to her car.
“Watch out there, Willa,” Lacy said as I slid into the front seat. “What do you mean?”Lacy glanced at me before she started the car. “I think Aiden
O’Hara just noticed you’re not a little girl anymore.”With a smile, I turned back and looked at the house. “Let’s hope so.”
Sighing, she pulled out and started down our long drive. “This could be a very dangerous game you’re playing with your young heart, sis.”
I stared straight ahead. “Maybe, but it’s a game I’m willing to play.”
Other Novels by Kelly Elliott
What’s next from Kelly?
The Seaside Chronicles series, coming August 2022
House of Love series coming late 2022, early 2023
Stand Alones
The Journey Home*
Who We Were*
The Playbook*
Made for You*
*Available on audiobook
Boggy Creek Valley Series
The Butterfly Effect*
Playing with Words*
She’s the One (releases on November 30, 2021)
Surrender to Me (releases on January 25, 2022)
Hearts in Motion (releases on March 22, 2022)
Looking for You (releases on May 3, 2022)
Meet Me in Montana Series
Never Enough*
Always Enough*
Good Enough*
Strong Enough*
*Available on audiobook
Southern Bride Series
Love at First Sight*
Delicate Promises*
Divided Interests*
Lucky in Love*
Feels Like Home *
Take Me Away*
Fool for You*
Fated Hearts*
*Available on audiobook
Cowboys and Angels Series
Love Profound
Tempting Love
Love Again
Blind Love
This Love
Reckless Love
*Series available on audiobook
Boston Love Series
Searching for Harmony
Fighting for Love
*Series available on audiobook
Austin Singles Series
Seduce Me
Entice Me
Adore Me
*Series available on audiobook
Wanted Series
Wanted*
Saved*
Faithful*
Believe
Cherished*
A Forever Love*
The Wanted Short Stories
All They Wanted
*Available on audiobook
Love Wanted in Texas Series
Spin-off series to the WANTED Series
Without You
Saving You
Holding You
Finding You
Chasing You
Loving You
Entire series available on audiobook
*Please note Loving You combines the last book of the Broken and Love Wanted in Texas series.
Broken Series
Broken*
Broken Dreams*
Broken Promises*
Broken Love
*Available on audiobook
The Journey of Love Series
Unconditional Love
Undeniable Love
Unforgettable Love
*Entire series available on audiobook
With Me Series
Stay With Me
Only With Me
*Series available on audiobook
Speed Series
Ignite
Adrenaline
COLLABORATIONS
Predestined Hearts (co-written with Kristin Mayer)*
Play Me (co-written with Kristin Mayer)*
Dangerous Temptations (co-written with Kristin Mayer*
*Available on audiobook
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