The One She Needed. **complete**

Chapter 25 **Kissing Your Brother

Scott dropped Kelsie off at her car with just enough time for her to get home before curfew. As she jumped down from the truck he hollered "oh wait! Your present!"

He pulled what looked like a pink tackle box out from behind his seat, handing it to Kelsie. "The lady at the Wilton store said that this would have everything a decorator would need. Those couplers and tips and she said something about bags and Wilton colors? I didn't really know most of what she said, but she got excited talking about it so I thought maybe..."

As Scott had been talking Kelsie had been going through the box. It really did have everything she used to decorate. He bought her the tools to do the thing she loved the most.

Before Scott could finish telling her about the box , she had thrown herself across the truck and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"This is the best gift anyone has ever given me!" She said into his ear. "Thank you so much!!" Then she kissed his cheek, felt a jolt when her lips touched his skin, and thought, 'those damn sparks!!'

Kelsie jumped out of the truck running to her car without looking back. Then as she drove home she told herself over and over "I can not fall for Scott...I can not fall for Scott......" Somehow she didn't think that was going to help because she was pretty clearly starting to fall for Scott.

Kelsie went to Sunday dinner with the Cooks the next day and Darren waited until everyone was quiet and eating to say, "so Kels, who was driving your car Friday night?" Kelsie stopped mid bite and looked up.

"Huh?" She said looking confused
"There was a guy...driving your car ...Friday night...Who was he?" Darren said talking slowly.

"Oh!!" Kelsie said as it dawned on her "I completely forgot! There was a fight and I ended up closer than I wish I had been to the action. So I was kinda shook up. This guy named Myles offered to drive me home and it seemed like a good idea." Kelsie said looking at Darren as she wondered what he was up to.

"Wait!" Jake interrupted looking at Kelsie in horror. "Are you talkin about when Bruner nearly killed that guy? You were there Kels?"

"Umm yeah." Kelsie said, cringing as she remembered. "He also punched his window out and broke his hand."

"Darren where the hell were you?" Jake growled, "she could have really been hurt!"

"We weren't together Jake." Kelsie said with her head down. "I was meeting friends."

"This is bullshit and you know it". Jake said looking at Darren. "I know you brought a girl home Friday, but I thought it was Kelsie so I didn't say anything. Who was in your room?"

"It's Ok Jake." Kelsie said quietly "don't freak out. I don't care. I knew he had a date. It's OK." Then Kelsie started to feel a little ill so she excused herself, thanked Mrs. Cook and left.

Kelsie drove around for a while,  not sure where she wanted to go. She thought of Scott, but her attachment to him was starting to scare her. Tom was with James who would be leaving in a few hours. So Kelsie headed to Eric. She knew he would listen and she knew that he could never hurt her. Eric was safe and right now she needed a safe place.

Eric's mom opened the door with a big smile and pulled Kelsie into a hug. "Baby Girl!!" She nearly yelled, "I'm so happy to see you! Eric's been hogging you! We haven't made brownies in forever!"

Eric must have heard her because he came running up the stairs with no shirt and said, "Kels? Shouldn't you be at the Cooks?" And Kelsie smiled sadly and said, "No. That's the last place I need to be right now."

Kelsie promised Eric's mom that she would come over after work the following Wednesday and make brownies then Eric led her to his room.

"What the hell did he do?" Eric asked, fury clear in his voice.