luke smiled at meg before looking at me.

i gave him a look and shook my head. "i need to talk to you, luke."

he smiled and gave meg a slight push back. "not now, meg. maybe later, okay?"

her face dropped before her smile returned. "okay. later it is."

i turned and headed over toward my truck. lex had gotten out, and she was standing next to it, but then she quickly got back in and shut the door.

"what's up?" luke asked.

"what's going on with you and my sister?"

luke laughed. "nothing. why?"

"luke, cut the shit with me. i see the way you look at her, and i also see the lust in your eyes when you look at meg. don't do this. you're gonna end up hurting one, if not both, of them. i don't want to see my sister get hurt by you again."

he opened his mouth like he was going to argue with me, but then he turned and scanned the area before stopping and staring at someone. i followed his eyes, and he was looking at libby.

"i promise you, i have no intentions of hurting either one of them."

he looked back at me, and his eyes were filled with something i'd never seen there before-sadness.

he slapped me on the side of the arm. "i'm going to pretend i don't see my cousin sitting in your truck, like y'all are getting ready to leave. i just happen to know your parents are out of town. i'm going to take libby out for breakfast after the party, so she doesn't walk in on anything. i don't know how i really feel about this, will, but i know you love alex, so i'm gonna tell you the same thing. i don't want to see her get hurt, so make sure this is something you both want." he held out his hand.

i shook it and said, "i will, luke."

i watched as he walked back to libby. i didn't like the way she smiled at luke when she saw him walking up. he leaned down and whispered something in her ear. she smiled bigger as she looked around him and at me.

i pushed the uneasy feeling i had deep down inside as i made my way back to the driver's side before climbing in.

lex looked at me. "do i want to know?"

i let out a breath of air. "ask lauren."

she nodded her head. "where do you think colt took lauren?"

i shrugged my shoulders. "i'm guessing home."

she turned in her seat, facing me, and gave me a sexy smile. "will?"

"yeah, babe?"

"i can't wait for you to make love to me."

i swallowed hard as gunner popped into my head. "i'm scared, lex."

her smile faded a bit before she smiled bigger. "my daddy?"

i laughed. "yes!"

she reached for my hand and then looked down. "is this going to be your, um...i mean, will i be..."

i squeezed her hand and let out a chuckle. "lex, i knew when i was ten years old that you were the one. i grew up dreaming of what it would be like to be with you. there was no way in hell i was going to sleep with any other girl. you're it for me."

the tear sliding down her face caught the moonlight, and i reached up and brushed it away.

"will..."

she leaned over and began kissing me. our kiss was quickly turning more passionate, and i needed to stop.

i pulled back. "lex, i don't want to do this in my truck."

she giggled as she sat back in her seat and pulled her seat belt on. i began to drive, and we headed the short distance to my house. my hands were sweating, and a million things were running through my head. i brushed my hand across the ring in my pocket and then had a brief moment of panic.

did i buy condoms?

"do we have to use one?"

i snapped my head over and looked at lex. "huh? do we have to use one what?"

she tilted her head, and her cheeks turned a beautiful pink. "a condom. you just asked if you bought condoms."

"did i say that out loud?"

she nodded her head and laughed. "yes, you did."

i looked back at the road and gripped the steering wheel tighter.

motherfucker. i can't believe she asked if we have to use a condom.

yes!

no.

yes!

oh fuck.

we drove in silence as everything raced through my head. as i pulled down the driveway, i glanced over at lex. she was staring out the window and rubbing her hands up and down her legs. she was just as nervous as i was.

after i pulled up and parked, she turned to me and smiled. my heart dropped, and i knew what we were about to do was exactly what we both wanted-and needed.