by Calia Read
He glanced down at her. “Then carry some Mace with you.”
“I do,” Severine patted her clutch. “It’s in my purse. The same purse you were pressuring me into leaving behind.”
Thayer looked away, but Severine saw a small smirk lingering on his lips. In the past few hours, Severine had discovered more things about Thayer than she had ever known about Macsen. For once, she pressed her body close to Thayer as they walked into the club.
“Follow me,” Thayer shouted above the noise.
Severine went to answer, but stopped short when Thayer grabbed her hand tightly in his and guided her past the warm bodies around them. There was no weaving around people. Thayer towered above everyone, giving him free rein to demand space as they made their way to a couple waiting by the bar.
“Thayer Fucking Sloan!” A guy yelled from the bar.
Thayer’s shoulders moved up and down from laughter as he did the ‘bro hug’ that had been around for ages. “You guys been waiting long?”
The black haired guy laughed and reached a hand out for the small girl next to him. He was around Severine’s height. An infectious grin spread over his lips as he wrapped an arm around the girl next to him, bringing her closer. She had on a cute black dress with red heels. They made her come up to Severine’s chin. It was dim in the club, but Severine could make out the smokey eye makeup and red lipstick. Her blonde hair was layered around her face in a cute style that Severine would never be able to pull off.
Severine’s bitch-o-meter wasn’t flying through the roof, and that was a good sign. Time was always the best thing when it came to getting to know other females.
“Severine,” Thayer draped an arm around her, shrouding her to his side. “This is Dan and Morgan.”
Severine’s smile was wide. It was all from Thayer. “Nice to meet you guys.”
“How much did he have to pay you to come with him tonight?” Dan teased.
Severine kept a solemn expression on her face as she answered him. “Nothing. He kidnapped me from the local McDonald’s.”
Thayer guffawed at her response. “What she’s trying to say is that we go to the same college.”
The mention of school made Severine’s back stiffen. Not here, not now. She didn’t want to think about it. Thayer noticed her tenseness and started to rub his hand up and down her arm. Both Morgan and Dan watched the movement.
“Are you going to stand here all night?” Morgan directed her question toward Dan. “Chop, chop, and get us some drinks!”
He walked away, and she slapped him on the butt.
“You want something?” Thayer asked.
“Ahh...” Severine couldn’t concentrate long enough to think of anything good. “Just get me a White Russian.”
He nodded and followed behind Dan. Severine was left with Morgan. The two of them awkwardly stayed silent. Sometimes it was easy to connect with someone. Other times, it took a little more work. Severine was willing to put in the effort for tonight. “You wanna go find a table?”
Morgan smiled quickly. “Yep. Let’s find something far away from the bar.”
“Why?”
“It’s fun to listen to Dan complain. He’s my bitch,” Morgan teased.
Severine laughed as she helped Morgan search for a table. One finally became open, and Severine practically tackled someone to get to it.
“Have you been with Dan very long?”
Morgan turned to look back at the bar, where Thayer and Dan stood. A bright smile lit up her face.
“For about five years. It’s all really, really romantic. He told everyone in eighth grade that it looked like I drank a bottle of self-tanner, and I baked him a plate of brownies with laxatives laced in them.”
Oh yeah, Severine could get along with Morgan. “So true love really does exist.”
“And the plus side is I never have to bake for him!”
“Have you known Thayer long?”
“God, yes.” Morgan rolled her eyes in thought. “I grew up alongside both him and Dan.”
“Really now.” Severine leaned across the table anxiously. “Do you have any really embarrassing stories about Thayer?”
Morgan smirked deviously. “I have hours worth of stories.”
“You know you have to tell me one,” Severine demanded with a sneaky grin. “Right now!”
Morgan smiled back and scooted closer to Severine. As she settled in her seat, she glanced behind her. Severine looked at the same time, noticing that Thayer was watching her with a slight frown. “Uh-oh. He knows I’m going to say something,” Morgan snickered.
“Ignore him,” Severine said quickly. “Now, tell me, tell me, tell me!”
“You remember school field trips, right?”
“Of course.”
“In the fourth grade, all three classes took a trip to the Arch. It’s a long trip on a bus, a really long trip...”
“What did Thayer do?”
“Oh, nothing on the bus. He was probably being a dumbass with Dan. But, after the bus ride there, after visiting the Arch, after everything...that’s when things got interesting,” Morgan said cryptically.
“Okay.”
“We were all getting ready to get back on the bus to go home. But the teachers and chaperones wanted a picture. So we all lined up on these stairs. At the time, I was hitting a growth spurt and had to stand next to Thayer in the back. Well, after the sixth picture, Thayer was getting a little antsy, started mumbling that he had to pee,” Morgan paused dramatically.
“Uh,” Severine screeched out, “don’t tell me.”
“Yup, he pissed his pants.”
“This might be the greatest moment ever.”
“Dan dared him to drink an entire liter of Surge. Even at the age of nine, they were idiots.”
“This is amazing. I officially want to make love with this moment.”
“Oh, it gets better. All of it is captured on camera. So the first few shots are okay. But then you get to the last three, and it shows me looking horrified while looking down at his pants. Thayer’s face is contorted in relief.”
Severine laughed until her ribs ached. “I take back what I said earlier. I want to divorce the other moment and marry this moment.”
“Shh!” Morgan hissed out. “He’s walking over. Play it cool. You heard nothing from me.”
Severine nodded and kept her face neutral as Thayer placed her drink in front of her. Her hands immediately reached for the straw, and she sipped erratically.
Thayer leaned his arm on Severine’s chair and notched his head in Morgan’s direction. “What were you two talking about?”
Morgan shrugged and stirred her drink. “Nothing.”
“Nothing.” Thayer nodded his head and took a long drink of his Heineken. He tested the boundaries and shifted closer to Severine. His thigh touched her knee, and she raised her eyebrows at him expectantly. “What were you guys really talking about?”
Severine smiled slyly. “Nothing...” Thayer nodded his head and looked away, just as she finally finished her sentence. “Huggies.”
He slammed his beer on the table and pointed in Morgan’s direction. “I fucking hate you, Morgan.”
She shrugged her shoulders while Dan choked on his beer next to her. “Suck it, Thayer. That’s for telling everyone during freshman year that my eyebrows looked like the ozone depletion.”
Thayer pointed between his eyebrows and smirked. “Good to see you lost your tweezers.”
Severine laughed at their banter and enjoyed the moment. Seeing this side of Thayer, for longer than a few minutes, hushed all the worries in her head.
More time sped away as the four of them talked. Thayer’s arm moved closer and closer to her back, until it was secured near her hip. After four shots, Severine’s peaceful energy was replaced with the crazed feelings she’d had the minute she met him.
Her legs slid to the floor, and she clutched Thayer’s hand. “Let’s dance.”
His smile showed just how please
d he was as Severine led them toward the dance floor.
If Severine concentrated long enough, she would’ve recognized the song. All she could hear was the beat, as it pulsated around the room. She instantly started to move. Thayer’s smile started to fade as he stared at her hips. For someone who was always so smooth, he seemed hesitant. His movements were almost slow, like he was trying to draw out the moment.
He took in every shift of her body. Severine looked him in the eye, waiting for him to relax. Slowly, he started to let go. Severine tilted her head back to look up at him. He couldn’t keep the cocky illusion around her. She wanted him like this. Always.
She smiled—it seemed like the wisest thing to do—and grabbed his large hands into hers and held them high into the air. Their bodies were inches apart. They had been thigh to thigh moments ago, but now the air had shifted around them to something more intense.
Any space between them was closed off as Severine lowered their hands and touched the muscles on his hips. Her fingers splayed on his stomach. Severine felt his muscles twitch as she moved them up his chest, around his shoulders.
Thayer’s eyes took on a feral look. His hands moved down her hips. He tightened his grip and pulled her close enough for her to feel how hard he was. Severine’s response was to push further. She knew she was playing with fire. But right now, she was getting a glimpse at how sex would be with him. Every boundary would be pushed. Neither one would pull away and admit defeat.
The heat of the room made every move even more acute. Everything he felt, she could feel too. Severine didn’t ignore what was building around them. She took what she wanted, wrapped her fingers around his neck and guided his lips to hers.
Unknown territory should be a terrifying thing. His tongue crept into her mouth, just as his fingers dragged down the length of her hair and pulled lightly for Severine to tilt her head.
Kissing Thayer bordered on wicked. Severine could become greedy after this.
Lust would set in and she’d want more. Her pride would always be with her, but she’d beg for this again.
Severine wanted him closer. She wanted relief.
Everything about this kiss enticed her to take as much as she wanted. By the time they pulled away, Severine knew she had to have more.
“I wanna go.”
Thayer’s chest moved up and down as he absorbed her words. His eyes never moved from her face while he nodded his head. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Thirty-six
“You have fun?” Thayer asked as he opened up the door to his family’s cabin.
Severine smiled. “I did.” And I will. “Your friends are awesome. I want to hang out with them again.”
“Why? So you can hear more embarrassing stories about my past?”
“That...plus Morgan reminds me of Lily. You can never have too many Lilys in your life.”
Thayer laughed as he shut the door. “You’re a poet when you’re drunk. Anyone ever tell you that?”
Severine shrugged off her jacket and placed it on the banister. When she turned back around Thayer stared at her with a hungry expression. “Tonight was amazing,” he said slowly, like it was painful for the words to come out of his month. “I liked having you to myself. Am I fucked up for thinking that?”
Severine shook her head. “No.” He still stood awkwardly by the door. “You can come closer.”
His steps to her made the distance seem like nothing. When he was in front of her, Severine craned her neck back. “Even with heels, I still have to look up.”
Thayer grinned darkly. His hands settled underneath the curve of her butt. He picked her up, and easily set her on the kitchen counter. The granite counter was cold beneath her exposed thighs.
“You still tower over me. We’re supposed to be eye level.”
He remained silent. Everything was always silent with him. He moved his hands onto her thighs, and Severine flinched at the action. His smirk was now a smile as he lifted her legs and motioned for her to wrap them around his waist.
She gulped, and he lowered his arms. He moved his head closer, until their faces were inches apart. “I think this is better.”
Severine nodded her head in agreement. Thayer seemed composed and relaxed. Her heart was slowly dying. It’d be in pieces before the night was over.
She wasn’t used to being this off-kilter. It caused all of her actions to be unsure.
Her hands moved up his arms, and she gripped his biceps painfully. All she wanted was for him to feel her agony. Severine was completely within his reach.
She couldn’t run away fast enough. She couldn’t get close enough.
His hands took over her face as he looked at her closely. There it was—that smirk. “Look at them.”
“What?”
He rubbed his thumb across her cheeks. “Your freckles. You can barely see them from far away.” His grey eyes clashed with her own. She stared back. They mixed a new shade for the world. It’d never fit, though. Together, they’d never fit.
One of his hands reached behind her and touched her hair. Her eyes widened but not out of pain. They wanted to close, and she was afraid what would happen after that.
Thayer brought his hand back and held her face once again. His nose connected with hers. As he spoke, his lips touched hers. “You’re right. Eye level is much better.”
Severine leaned closer, but Thayer retreated. She wanted to groan. He was building her up.
“What about now? Am I wrong to be this close, Severine? Do you think this is too much?” His eyes glinted with a challenge. “Are you going to call it a night?”
Blood was thicker than water. The two of them both knew how fucked up this was. Severine had the potential to collapse two brothers deeper into a hatred that had already pulled them apart. She didn’t want every action to focus on that. They could consist of something further than that.
Presently, Severine didn’t care where Thayer belonged, or who he was connected to. It didn’t matter. She just craved a place with him.
His skin felt like fire as her fingers dragged down his arms and to his back. He moved closer, still waiting for her to answer. He stopped moving away and settled his mouth on hers. Her lips moved persistently, trying to show him exactly what she felt. Severine wanted him to know how badly she needed this. His right hand touched the side of her cheek as he pulled away and placed his head on her shoulder. His breath came out choppy, and Severine placed her hands on his back. The muscles flinched, and he groaned.
He lifted his head enough to look down at her. Millions of questions were in his eyes, but he stayed silent and stared. Severine’s lips curved in a half smile, and Thayer followed the action with his eyes.
“Is this too much, Thayer? Are you going to call it a night?” She turned his words around on him; her voice barely let the words pass. He looked a little afraid. Unsure. His true emotions were showing.
“Just another kiss, Thayer.” Her lips were on his as she spoke the last of her words. “That’s all.”
He nodded and lowered his face again. They both knew it was a lie.
This time, they clashed together. All of their turbulent emotions came to surface. She felt completely out of control. Every part of her was desolate. With a simple kiss, Thayer could encompass all of her. Lightly, he bit down on her bottom lip. Severine moaned and her fingers dug into his neck as he lifted her off the counter and staggered toward the stairs.
His steps were rushed as he hurried up the stairs. Severine guided her fingers back to his face and crept her tongue into his mouth.
Her feet touched the surface of the second floor, but her lips stayed connected to his. Thayer backed up into her room, and Severine followed. Their positions changed as Thayer directed her away from the door. Too much was between them. Severine tugged at his shirt with antsy fingers. He pulled away impatiently to pull his shirt from his body and came back for more.
Her eyes looked at his body with greed. Her cool fingers touched the skin of his stomach;
it was hot to the touch. Slowly, she drifted her fingers down the ridges of his stomach and toward the edge of his boxers. Thayer sharply inhaled, and Severine smiled.
The laughter was sucked out of her the minute she felt his hands push her dress up and away from her skin, and over her head. She stood in front of him in only her panties and bra. There wasn’t a thought to cover herself. She wanted Thayer to see every part of her. If she was going to be altered by this, she wanted to make sure he was too.
So much was being manipulated and warped in this moment. Her legs wrapped around him before she could think twice. He reeled backwards, and his shoulders slammed against the door loudly. He craned his head up to keep their lips in place. And with her hands placed on the door above his head, she moved higher. Severine moved against his dick, and he groaned harshly. It sounded painful.
Thayer abruptly dislodged their lips and placed his forehead against her chest. “Shit, Severine.” His words came out rough. She leaned her forehead atop his head.
“What the hell are you doing to me?”
She breathed as heavily as him, and it scared her. She never felt this wild, this free. “I need control of this.”
“You want to control me? Then do it.” His words came out instantly. “No other girl can say that. Only you, Severine.”
She looked at him blankly. His hands reached up to grab her face, but all she felt were his words. They cradled her closely.
The two of them held each other’s stare. Severine moved her hands away from the door and linked her fingers at the back of his neck. He lowered her slightly, and their faces were level.
No one wanted to feel weak. Right now, Severine felt completely broken. She shifted, and Thayer let her slide down his body.
He was challenging her. All Thayer wanted from her right now was to admit that she wasn’t in control of anything between them. Part of her realized it.
She barely nodded her head, and Thayer pushed her toward the bed. She fell back and watched as he took off his belt and jeans. It was only for a moment, but he paused and stared down at her body. Goosebumps broke out across her skin, and the process followed wherever his gaze went.