Thoughtful (Thoughtless #1.5)(19)
Author: S.C. Stephens

I was showing her the building where her European Lit class was going to be when a voice broke through the quiet hallway. “Oh! My! God! Kellan Kyle!”

I knew just from the octave of the voice that it was a fan shouting at me. I cringed, wondering how this was going to play out, but ever considerate of my fans, I turned around to look. A springy-haired redhead was practically running down the hall to get to me. I really had no idea what she was going to do once she reached me. I considered grabbing Kiera’s hand and making a run for it, but I didn’t have time. The tiny girl was surprisingly fast. She had her arms flung around my neck and her mouth all over mine before I even knew what hit me.

While she peppered me with fevered kisses, I racked my brain, trying to place her, but I couldn’t for the life of me recall who this girl was. “I can’t believe you’re visiting me at school.”

Okay, she went to school here, so that narrowed it down…not one single little bit. The girl glanced at Kiera beside me and I tensed. She’d better not try to start something. Luckily, the girl wasn’t too interested in who Kiera was.

After flicking her eyes at her, she curved her lips into a frown and muttered, “Oh, I can see you’re busy.” Reaching into her purse, she scribbled something on a piece of paper, then shoved it in my front pocket. Her fingers ran along the inside of the pocket, searching for me, and I fidgeted just a bit. A girl kissing me in front of Kiera was one thing; fondling though, that was kind of awkward to have Kiera witnessing.

“Call me,” she breathed before giving me one last kiss and bounding away.

Well. Okay then.

I started walking down the hallway like nothing weird had just happened. What could I say to that anyway? I could feel Kiera watching me. She had to be curious about the girl who’d practically devoured me in the hallway.

When I finally turned to look at Kiera, she still had an expression of disbelief etched on her face. “Who was that?” she asked.

I tried to bring up a name to go with those flaming red curls, but I was drawing a blank. “I really have no idea,” I told her, knowing it was going to sound bad. Now that I was really thinking about it, I seemed to recall running into her before, but the details were fuzzy and her name was completely gone. Cheating, I peeked at the note she’d stuffed in my pocket. “Hmmm…that was Candy.”

Oh yeah. Candy. I’d met her near a vending machine. I still found that funny. Laughing, I crumpled up the piece of paper with her name on it and tossed it in the wastebasket. I wanted more than random hookups. As we left the building, I noticed Kiera smirking, like she was pleased I’d thrown the note away. Interesting. I wondered why she cared either way about me seeing somebody. Maybe she was just looking out for me.

As the days went on, Kiera started slipping into a funk. More and more time was passing between Denny’s phone calls. I wished I could help in some way, but I really didn’t know how to fix what was slowly breaking them apart. Denny returning was the only solution, and that would happen soon enough. Kiera just had to get through a few more weeks without him.

When the weekend hit and she was once again on the couch in her pajamas, I knew I had to do something. The guys and I had plans for the day, but it wasn’t anything that she couldn’t join us for. In fact, she’d probably have a great time if she came out with us. All I had to do was get her off the damn couch. She was currently glued to its lumpy cushions, flipping through channel after channel like a person possessed.

When she let out yet another forlorn sigh, I stepped between her and the TV. “Come on,” I said, extending my hand.

She looked up at me, confused. “Huh?”

“You’re not spending yet another day moping on the couch. You’re coming with me.” I raised my hand a little higher, but she stubbornly refused to take it.

Frowning, she sulked. “And where are we going?”

I grinned, knowing that what I was about to say was going to make absolutely no sense to her. “Bumbershoot.”

Like I’d just spoken a foreign language, she slowly blinked her wide eyes as she tried to comprehend just what that could be. “Bumper-what?”

I laughed at the way she mispronounced the strange name, then flashed her a bright, reassuring smile. “Bumbershoot. Don’t worry, you’ll love it.”

The mocking smile she gave me in response made her lips curve in an extraordinarily appealing way. I did my best to ignore how attractive it was, and how amazingly soft they probably were. “But that will ruin a perfectly good day of wallowing.”

“Exactly.” I grinned, flexing my hand so she’d finally take it.

Still being stubborn, she let out a dramatic sigh and stood on her own. “Fine.” She put on quite a show of being put out that I was making her go have fun, and I laughed at the display. She’d have to do better than stomping her feet and sticking out her lip to make me believe she was angry. Right now, she was just…cute.

When she came down later in shorts that exposed almost all of her thighs, and a tight tank top that hugged every curve like a second skin, I realized that she was something else. Sexy. Unbelievably sexy.

Collecting our things, we got in the car and made our way over to Pete’s, where the guys were meeting me so we could all ride together. Still curious where we were going, Kiera made a joke out of it when we pulled into the parking lot. “Bumbershoot is at Pete’s?”

I rolled my eyes as I pulled into my favorite stall. “No, the guys are at Pete’s.” Looking around, I could see they were already here. Evan’s vehicle was next to Griffin’s van.

Kiera seemed a little disappointed with my answer. “Oh, they’re coming too?”

I studied her face after I put the car in park. Why did she look so sad? I thought she liked the guys. Well, maybe not Griffin, but the others at least. Frowning, I told her, “Yeah…Is that okay?” The guys would be pissed if I told them we wanted to go alone, but if that was what Kiera wanted…I’d do that for her. Actually, I kind of liked the idea of it just being the two of us.

Kiera shook her head with a sigh, like she wasn’t sure why she’d said what she’d said. “No, of course that’s fine. I’m intruding on your day anyway.”

I suddenly had the strangest desire to touch her, to run my thumb along the faint blush of red coloring her cheek. “You’re not intruding on anything, Kiera,” I told her, my voice soft. Today will be better because you’re here to share it with me. Not wanting to freak her out with my overdramatic thoughts, I kept them to myself.

The guys came over once they saw my car. There were a few issues getting everyone settled, mainly because Griffin was being a pansy and didn’t want to take the middle seat. Thankfully, Kiera solved the problem, although her solution was to move to the backseat and be harassed by Griffin the entire trip, which I wasn’t too excited about. It made a weird sort of protectiveness surge through me at just the idea of his hands anywhere near her. We’d have to come up with a different seating arrangement on the way back, or I just might strangle him.

When we got there, everyone piled out of my car, careful to not hit the cars beside me. It was a well-known fact that damaging the Chevelle in any way resulted in an automatic free pass to walk your ass home. A fact that, to date, only Griffin had tested, when he’d once had the audacity to hurl in my backseat. I swear I could still smell the vomit sometimes.

I waited for Kiera by the door, holding my hand out so she’d take it. As she was about to find out, Bumbershoot was a music and art festival at the Seattle Center, and it was typically jam-packed with people. I didn’t want to take the risk of getting separated from her, especially since neither of us had cell phones. She’d just have to hold my hand today, an idea that made me happier than it really should have.

Evan gave me a look when he noticed our physical connection, but I ignored it. I had a valid reason for touching her. It was purely for her own safety. That was what I told myself, anyway.

Kiera’s eyes were wide when she looked around the Center. Her obvious joy and wonder made me appreciate it again. I came down here so often, I’d sort of lost respect for the area. It was refreshing to see it all again through Kiera’s eyes. It almost made the fact that we were constantly being bumped into by strangers unnoticeable.

There were booths everywhere, selling everything from T-shirts to cotton candy. Artists had their work on display; there were a lot of wild animal prints, landscape prints, and prints of Seattle. As we passed near the Space Needle, Kiera’s eyes traveled to the observation deck at the top. Leaning in so she could hear me, I told her, “We can go up later, if you want?”

Her eyes flashed with green in the sunshine, and she gave me an eager nod. I had to laugh at her enthusiasm.

Once we got into the main part of the Center, the crowds thickened. I could hear music playing in all directions. Oddly, it blended well with the noise of the people ambling around, creating a pleasing, energizing melee of melodies. It amped me up. I was ready to check out one of the many stages, to hear some new tunes.

Matt and Griffin had the map and instantly started leading the way. Evan followed after them while Kiera and I brought up the rear. I made sure to keep a tight hold on her hand as we weaved through the packed crowds. When we got to the outdoor stage where Mischief’s Muse was playing, Kiera squeezed my hand. I smiled and pulled her closer to me. I was not losing her in the masses.