Prologue

Age 21

"Um . . . excuse me."

I glance up from the motor I'm working on, cock my head slightly to see who it is speaking to me, and feel a slight jolt in my chest at the sight of her. She's a slight thing and beautiful. Also, way, way too young.

"Can I help you?" I ask, straightening from what I'm working on.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I need help," she says, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Whatcha need help with, babe?" I reach around to my back pocket, pull the rag out I keep there while working, and wipe my hands off.

"My car, it started acting funny and I didn't want to take any chances, so I pulled into the first shop I came to," she explains.

"Show me your car, and I'll see what's what," I tell her, nodding for her to move ahead of me. When she does, it's all I can do not to drop my gaze down to what I'm sure is one sweet ass. But she's jailbait. Not something I'm into getting in trouble for.

I follow her to where a sleek silver muscle car with two black stripes down the front is parked. I can't help but whistle and admire the car. It's a sweet ride. Not every day you see a girl like this driving around in a 1970 Chevelle. "Nice wheels."

"Thanks, it is my daddy's pride and joy. He loves this thing," she announces, somewhat laughing, though I don't miss the nervousness in her tone.

"He know you're driving his pride and joy?" This is something I need to know before I work on it.

"He gave it to me for my birthday."

"How old are you darlin'?"

"I'm sixteen."

Yep, total jailbait. "Your daddy let you have this kinda car for your sixteenth birthday?"

"Well, I had to earn it. He didn't just give it to me. I had to show him I could handle the responsibility. Which I have," she rambles and furrows her brows all cute like. "I mean, I thought I was, then she started making this noise."

"She?" I cock a brow.

"Yeah, she, my car, her name's Shelly."

"You named your car Shelly?" I chuckle. This chick is full of surprises.

"Well . . . yeah, every car should have a name. That's what my dad told me all my life. Shelly's been Shelly from day one."

"Yeah, darlin', every car should have a name," I agree and stick a hand out to her. "I'm Lynch."

She takes my hand and meets my gaze head-on. "I'm Camilla."

Camilla. I like it.

"Well, Cams, let's see what's going on with Shelly."

Age 23

"Lynch."

Damn, I love hearing herbreathing moans. Never in my life have I thought I'd hear anything so sweet. "Love you, Cams," I groan, finding my release and filling the condom.

"I love you too," she whimpers and wraps her arms tighter around my neck.

I lift slightly to look deep into her eyes. "Happy birthday."

"Best birthday present ever."

"You didn't like the other one?" I ask jokingly.

I know she likes the other gift I'd given her. It was written on her face from the moment she opened it. The past couple of years haven't been easy for her, and I wanted to give her something special for her eighteenth birthday.

From the day she came to the shop needing help with her car, which ended up only being a loose connection to the spark plug, she's been a staple in my life. We've been friends ever since. I'd met her parents. Got on with her dad and mom both. I'd even helped her dad replace the back deck of their house. They were from money, had lots of it, but didn't act it, nor did they make a big deal about it. The house they lived in was big but not massive. Everything done to it, they did themselves.

Camilla has been a staple in my life from the moment she entered it. There was no way in hell to keep from falling for her. Then, she lost both her parents right after turning seventeen. Her aunt moved in with her and tried to act like everything was normal and that she was the cool aunt still rather than a parent, but I saw her for the type of person she was. Whenever Camilla's back was turned, she'd make snide comments to my face. Say I wasn't good enough. She'd even tried to keep the two of us apart.

Now, though, Camilla's eighteen and mine. I'm never letting her go. She's going to college and that won't change a thing, not between us. I want her to get the education she wants. She's smart. Not stupid by any means. She deserves to go to her dream school. I was with her when she opened her acceptance letter and couldn't be prouder. I even made sure to take her out for a celebratory dinner.

"I love it," Camilla says, drawing me from my thoughts and raking her nails across my chest. Her eyes dropped to the ring I put on her finger. "I'm never going to take it off."

"Good, ‘cause I'm gonna put the matching one to that one on your finger before you head to school, baby," I tell her, dipping my head down to meet her gaze.

"I can't wait." She smiles, gifting me with that beaming lightness that shines through her anytime we're together. "I love you so much, Lynch. I never want to be without you."

"You never will, Cams. I'm always going to be here for you. No matter what. We'll figure everything out while you're at school. Then, when you finish, it'll all be a cakewalk for us."

At least that's what I thought for the next year, then everything between us fell apart, and in the end, she wasn't the match for me I thought she was.