As soon as we’re in his car, I don’t waste a second before I break the tension. “So about last night…” I look over at him and I honestly wish I hadn’t because I get caught up in how unbelievably gorgeous he looks. He’s wearing different sweatpants than he did last night, my guess for obvious reasons, a black T-shirt and a black baseball hat worn to the front making him look at least ten years younger. His biceps flex under the shirt and I see those familiar tattoos peeking under the sleeve. I reach out to drag my fingertips over the familiar numbers. My birthday. His muscles tighten and I smile at the thought that I affect him so much. JP had tattoos of both Mason and my birthdays that he’d gotten right after we were born and that fact hits me harder than it usually does.

“What about it?” He looks over at me and I can see a smile pulling at his lips but he doesn’t say anything else.

“I liked it.”

He doesn’t say anything for a minute; he just continues to drive. “So did I.” My cheeks heat and I resist the urge to squeal because Oh. My. God. What does this mean? “It doesn’t mean I think we should do it again.”

Fuck. And just like that, the excitement leaves me and I’m flooded with rejection and annoyance. “Why? Did I do something wrong?”

His hand grabs mine for a second but he drops it just as quickly, probably thinking he shouldn’t touch me at all right now. “No, of course not. You did everything right. Fucking too right. It’s my fault. I knew better and… I shouldn’t have touched you like that.”

“JP…” I turn toward him and cock my head to the side.

“I’m your godfather, Whitney. I was there the day you were born. I was there for so many of your firsts. I can’t be this person.”

“Why?”

“You know why.”

“I know why in theory but… didn’t you see how right that felt?”

“Do you know how this looks?” he answers without responding to my question.

“Do you care?”

He shoots me a shocked look before turning his gaze back to the road. “What your parents think? Yes.”

“I wasn’t suggesting we tell them.” I roll my eyes and prop my feet up on his dashboard. “I’m going to college in the fall.” I shrug. “Everyone goes a little crazy the summer before college. I want to have some fun. It’s not a big deal.” I try to appear as unfazed as possible at the idea of going down this road with JP but truthfully, I was freaking the fuck out.

“You told me you had feelings for me, Whit. That’s not just fun. I don’t want to fuck our whole relationship up more than it probably already is.”