“Hey, Summer, wait up!”
I turn and find Everly jogging to catch up with us. Her wavy auburn hair bounces around her shoulders and her cheeks are stained with a hint of pink. She really is striking with all that long red hair, unusual turquoise-colored eyes, and a dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose.
“Hi!” I greet, happy she joined us. Even though I’ve been here since August, I haven’t made any girlfriends and I really miss the ones I left behind in Chicago. We keep in touch, but it’s not the same. Plus, there’s the whole Team Summer or Team Sloane thing going on. Obviously, a lot of the girls are Team Sloane. And I can’t necessarily fault them for that.
At least, I try not to.
Sloane has been the queen bee of Hawthorne since kindergarten. I moved here a hot minute ago and my family has been public enemy number one for generations. Overcoming the family brand hasn’t been easy. What I’ve learned is that memories are long around these parts.
Everly’s attention slides from me to Kingsley before bouncing back again. “Thanks for the invite.” She tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I woke up this morning in a cold sweat at the thought of having to eat lunch by myself.”
The need to reassure her surges through me and I untangle myself from Kingsley before looping my arm through hers. “See? Nothing to worry about.”
A smile curls around the edges of her lips. I’ve just met Everly, but so far, I like her. If given half a chance, we could be friends. The babble of voices intensifies as we near the cafeteria. Once we turn the corner and head inside, Everly’s footsteps falter as she takes in the vast space with widened eyes.
“Wow,” she murmurs in awe, “this is gorgeous.”
Much like the corridors, there are rustic wood beams that cross the vaulted ceiling. Heavy chandeliers ringed with thick white tapers are suspended in place from high above. The far wall is comprised of an arched stained-glass window that allows sunbeams to flood into the space, giving the expansive room a warm, colorful feel. Gold-leaf framed pictures of when the school was newly built dot the walls. Tables are arranged in three neat rows allowing all four grades of students to dine together so everyone is on the same schedule.
For a second, my mind tumbles back to what it felt like to walk into the lunchroom for the first time. Austin and I hadn’t just been the new kids. We’d been the hated Hawthornes. It takes effort to shake loose the discomfort trying to take root in the pit of my belly.
“You know what’s ironic?” she muses. “I attended an exclusive prep school on the Upper East Side that my father paid fifty grand a year in tuition, and it wasn’t nearly this fancy.” She looks genuinely confounded by her surroundings. “Remind me again that we’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“We’re in the middle of nowhere,” I parrot back.
“Yeah,” she says in bemusement, “that’s what I thought.”
“I grew up in Chicago and attended public school my entire life,” I add with a chuckle, “so this was a definite culture shock.”
I point to the hot lunch line and give her the rundown about the type of food that is served as we wind our way through the rows of polished wood tables to the one reserved for Kingsley and his friends.
Everly doesn’t take notice of it, she’s much too busy checking out her surroundings, but people’s heads swivel as she walks past. As the new girl, she would immediately draw attention. The school is fairly small with around five hundred students, but it’s her vibrant beauty that draws the eye and holds it. She’s like a flame dancing in the darkness.
“I didn’t realize I should have packed a lunch.” Everly glances at my brown paper bag with concern as we stop near the table.
“No problem.” I point to the dark-haired boy and a few of his friends who have veered toward the hot lunch line. “Kingsley will help you out. Or I can come with you. I don’t mind.”
“I’m good.” She waves a hand. “Thanks for all the help, Summer.”
“No problem,” I say, as she takes off. As soon as she sidles up to Kingsley, he introduces her to a couple of the guys he’s standing with.
I watch to make sure Everly is all right before dropping my lunch onto the table and settling on the bench.
“Who’s the new chick?”
Surprised by the question, I glance at the blond boy sitting across from me.
Duke Carmichael.
I’ve noticed him before. It would be impossible not to with all that messy blond hair he’s constantly shoving away from whiskey-colored eyes. Instead of playing football like a lot of these guys, he’s on the lacrosse team. Austin has mentioned him a few times. They lift together in the weight room.
And just to be clear, he looks like it. His biceps are massive. It would be a challenge to wrap both of my hands around one of his upper arms and have the fingers touch. There have been times when I’ve wondered if the sleeves of his crisp white shirt would burst right off him.
I’ve never witnessed him lose his temper, but I’ve heard the whispers. What I’ve noticed is that he’s always watching, taking in what’s being said without constantly having to weigh in on a topic. I’m not sure what to make of the guy. He’s obviously in with the popular crowd, but seems somehow removed from it.
Aloof.
That’s the word that springs to mind. This is probably the first time he’s spoken two words to me.
“Her name is Everly.” I glance up from the lunch I’m unpacking onto the table. “She’s in Pettijohn’s first hour with us.” I do a quick mental rewind and realize that Duke didn’t show up to lit class this morning.
“Huh.” His gaze slides from mine before coming to rest on the auburn-haired girl across the room. Other than the calculating look that fills his eyes, I have no idea what he’s thinking. What I do know is that I’ve never seen him take an interest in anyone since I’ve been here. Sloane and her minions may flirt with the guys at this table, but they steer clear of Duke, which only reinforces the gossip I’ve heard.
I toss a glance over my shoulder to see if Everly has noticed the interest she’s drawing. And not just from Duke, but a lot of other guys. A bright smile curves her lips, making her even prettier than I originally suspected. She’s loosened up and looks more at ease and less nervous. I’m glad I could help make her first day run a little smoother.
A few minutes later, Everly settles next to me with a tray. Her brows draw together as she points to the food. “I can’t believe the school uses real Lenox china.”
Her reaction makes me chuckle. “Yeah, I know. It’s a little over the top.”
“Are you kidding? Everything around here is over the top.” She looks around again, amazement filling her face. “I wasn’t expecting Hawthorne Prep to be so...sophisticated. I mean,” she waves a hand to encompass the space, “it’s in the middle of the country.”
Before I can summon a response, a deep male voice barks, “What’s that supposed to mean?” Both of our heads jerk toward the boy sitting across the table. “Hicks aren’t allowed to have nice things?”
I blink to make sure that Duke is the one who made the loud comment. By the way he’s glaring at Everly, there’s no mistaking it. I’m a little dumbfounded. I had no idea he was paying attention to our conversation. I mean, why would he? Instead of trying to smooth over the tension that simmers in the air, I gape slack-jawed at the blond-haired boy with the brooding eyes.
I cringe when Everly whispers, “That’s not what I meant.”
“Really?” A thick brow rises, changing his normally docile appearance to one that is strangely menacing. “Cuz that’s the shit that came out of your mouth.”
What the actual fuck?
All the color drains from Everly’s face before it roars back to life again. Bright red stains flag her cheeks. They almost match her auburn-colored hair.
Anxiety eats away at me as I glance at Kingsley, but he’s deep in conversation with the guy on the other side of him.
He’s not paying the least bit of attention to our conversation.
I’ll admit to being momentarily thrown off, but I’m not going to allow Duke to scare Everly away. “That’s not what she meant.”
Sparks of resentment fly from him. I don’t understand the intensity of his reaction. Where is this coming from?
In a matter of seconds, Duke, a boy I’ve never conversed with, has blown our lunch to smithereens. The one I’m most sorry for is Everly. She’s visibly squirming on her seat, and it makes me angry that this guy is being such a giant dick for no apparent reason. He doesn’t know her. And she doesn’t need shit from him on her first day of school. He continues to glare like he’s waiting for her to offer up a defense so he can pounce before ripping her to shreds. It’s the most bizarre interaction I’ve ever witnessed. I wish he would back off and leave her alone.
“Then maybe she should keep her big trap shut instead of insulting people who have spent their entire lives in this town.”
In an attempt to defuse the situation, I say, “You’re overreacting.”
“Am I?” His steely gaze never deviates from Everly.
“She didn’t mean the comment like that, all right? Leave her alone.”
His gaze jerks to mine and a sliver of fear scampers down my spine. But I’ll be damned if I allow him to see how much this encounter has shaken me. Twenty minutes ago, I had never spoken to Duke Carmichael. Now, I realize he’s one more person at Hawthorne to be avoided. One glance at Everly’s ashen features tells me that she realizes it, too. I reach out and lay my hand over her fingers, which are twisted together in her lap. When I give them a reassuring squeeze, she glances at me before forcing a smile to her lips. After a few silent moments, her gaze reluctantly slides to Duke who is still focused on her.
Seriously, what’s his problem?
It's a relief when Austin settles on the bench next to him.
“Everly,” I say, wanting to draw her attention away from the angry blond boy, “this is my brother, Austin.”
It’s almost as if she has to rip her gaze from Duke. Once her focus shifts, she gives my twin a forced smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. All the bubbliness filling them a handful of minutes ago has vanished. Duke has chased it all away and that pisses me off.
“Nice to meet you.” Austin glances at me with a quirk of his brow as if to ask where all the strange suffocating tension is emanating from.
“You, too.” Everly’s narrowed gaze bounces between us before she asks, “Are you twins?”
I smile, wanting to lighten the mood. “Yup.”
The change in topic does exactly what I was hoping it would. Some of her anxiety falls away as Austin peppers her with a few questions, drawing her out of her shell and helping her to relax.
For the rest of lunch, the three of us talk, but it’s almost impossible to ignore the guy sitting across from us. Even though Everly puts on a good show and avoids eye contact, I can tell she’s bothered by the strange confrontation. Her earlier happiness never quite returns.
Chapter Six
It’s not a surprise when Kingsley slips into my bedroom later that night. As conflicted as I am about what my parents have set in motion, it doesn’t stop me from craving what only he can give me.
“Missed you, baby girl,” he growls, hauling me into his arms.
The hard-sinewy strength of his body pressed against mine is all it takes to have me melting. “I missed you, too.”
The confession isn’t a lie. The more time we spend together, the stronger our bond grows. It’s not something I have control over. When his mouth crashes onto mine, it silences the riotous thoughts swirling through my head. All I want is to forget about the future and focus on the boy in my bed. The one who drives me to distraction with his touch.
Without prompting, I open, giving him the access he demands. The way our mouths fuse and tongues tangle is enough to have desire curling in the pit of my belly. A groan works its way from deep in his chest as his hands graze the length of my body. His lips tease a fiery trail to my chin, nipping at the delicate flesh of my throat. My mind clicks off as he forces me to my back, his mouth dancing along my collarbone before hovering over my chest. His tongue darts out to lap at one taut nipple, drawing it between his lips.
It’s almost as if there is an invisible thread connecting the tip of my breast to my core. The deeper he tugs on me, the more I throb with painful awareness. A whimper slides free from my lips as I bow my back, attempting to get closer. Within a matter of seconds, I’m shifting beneath him, restless with anticipation.
“Do you like that?”
It’s a question he already knows the answer to. When my response isn’t given quickly enough, he bites the hard bud with his teeth.
I yelp as a rush of pleasure-infused-pain throbs through me before settling in my core and igniting a deep ache. Cool night air rushes over my wet flesh as he releases the hard point and lifts his head. When his lips crash with mine, his tongue thrusts into my mouth and our teeth scrape. There are times when it feels like he’s trying to devour me in one hungry gulp. As if he can’t get enough. This is one of those times.
“Answer me,” he growls.
“You know I do.”
His teeth sink into my bottom lip and another flash of pain explodes before he sucks the bruised flesh in his mouth, releasing it with a soft pop.
“I want to hear the words.”
There is so much arousal careening through every cell in my body that it’s almost too much to handle within the confines of my skin. The way he carefully stokes my excitement to life leaves me mindless with need. Like I’m nothing more than an animal, driven by instinct.
His lips are everywhere as he hovers over my body, sucking the other taut peak into his mouth. Once he releases me, he licks a path down my ribcage. The velvety softness of his tongue swirls around my navel. His teeth nip at my flesh, sending a thousand shivers of need careening through me as he continues his descent.
Once he reaches my lower body, he maneuvers between my legs, spreading them wide to accommodate the broad set of his shoulders. His fingers splay against my inner thighs, pushing them apart until I’m stretched impossibly wide. The first time he did this, it embarrassed the hell out of me. The intimacy was enough to send me up in flames. No longer do I feel that way. How could I possibly when there is so much pleasure to be had? The way he’s able to use his mouth should be illegal. Or, at the very least, come with a warning label.
I squirm beneath his hot gaze. Shards of silvery moonlight filter in through the unadorned windows, giving him enough light to look his fill. And he does, taking his sweet damn time while doing it. I can almost feel the way his gaze burns into me. It’s like a physical caress that leaves me breathless for more.
“You’re so fucking pretty,” he murmurs. “Do you know that?”
Before I can formulate a response, his thumb slides over my core. A thousand tiny shock waves riot through me. It’s like a heavy stone being tossed into a calm pool of water. The ripples of pleasure originate in the center before spreading outward until they reverberate in my fingertips and toes.
“I love your pussy.” As he presses a tender kiss against me, his tongue darts out, grazing the delicate flesh. “And the way you taste. I could eat you up all night.”
The stark image he paints in my mind has a fresh wave of arousal crashing over me.
Another moan punctures the silence of the room when his fingers glide over my outer lips before separating them so he can inspect every intimate inch. He drags his tongue over me again before it circles the tiny bundle of nerves that pulses with painful awareness. He laps at it until my fingers claw the sheets and I’m arching my back. With relentless determination, he propels me toward orgasm until I’m nearly mindless with the hot licks of pleasure that scorch my insides.
“Kingsley,” I whimper, “I need you.”
His lips quirk against my damp flesh. “I know ex
actly what you need, baby girl. And you’ll get it when I’m damn good and ready.”
The way he torments me makes the arousal thump with agonizing awareness. It’s almost more than I can withstand.
“Please,” I gasp, unable to stop myself from pleading, “please make me come.”
“Mmmm,” he growls, “you know how much I love when you beg.”
When his teeth scrape against my clit, it propels me over the edge until I shatter, screaming out my orgasm. Even after my body turns limp, muscles sinking into the soft mattress, he continues to feast as if he will never be satiated.
It takes a couple of heartbeats to crash back to earth and regain my senses. There’s only one thing I like more than when Kingsley makes me come. And that’s returning the favor. It’s sexy as fuck to watch him splinter apart beneath my fingers.
I might be new to the game, but I’ve become a quick study. I’ve learned what drives him over the edge. As much as he loves being buried inside me, he loves when I’m on my knees, staring up at him, all the while worshipping him with my mouth.
As I catch my breath, he kisses his way up my body until he’s able to hover over me.
“Open,” he demands gruffly.
My lips part as he licks at the top and then bottom. Need sparks to life deep inside my core. When my tongue peaks out, he strokes it, sucking me deep inside him. No one has ever kissed me with such intensity. Slow, steady strokes that slide against mine, igniting a firestorm of need. Even though I’ve only just come, I want more.
My legs wrap around his waist as the blunt tip of his cock nudges my entrance. With every thrust of his hips, he penetrates my heat, sliding deeper inside me.
“Are you ready for yours?” I ask, knowing if I don’t do it now, I’ll be lost to the pleasure he’s so intent on showering me with.
A grin curls around the edges of his lips. “I’m always ready for what you want to give me.”
My palms flatten against the chiseled lines of his chest, shoving until he slides from my body and rolls onto his back. He stacks his hands behind his head, all the while watching me with thinly veiled interest. In an effort to draw out the pleasure, I take my time in straddling him so that the lips of my swollen pussy are splayed wide against his erection. I remain still, allowing him to soak up the warmth of my heated flesh before rubbing myself over the thick length.
Queen of Hawthorne Prep Page 4