by M. E. Gordon
Swaying as she walked, Caroline tossed her arms around her father. “Hey, Dad,” she slurred. Her eyes were hooded as she smiled up at her father. The next thing I knew, she was mean mugging me. “You were awesome,” she said, pointing in my direction. She was definitely wasted, there’s no way she’d openly admit she liked me. “Oh, wait wrong person.” Turning to Trent, she swayed across the patio and plopped herself down on his large lap, taking him totally off guard. “You, were amazing. Everyone else sucked, especially that one,” she said, pointing at me.
I knew there had to be a catch. “Can you guys keep an eye on her for me?” B asked. “I have to go help out inside, there’s still a ton of people.”
“Hell, yeah, we'll take good care of her,” Reece said, nodding his head and bouncing the blonde who was on his lap.
B shook his head. “No, not you. You stay away from her,” B said, before heading back into the bar.
“What the hell? What’s his beef with me?”
We all laughed and ignored any further noise coming from Reece. I couldn’t help but watch as Caroline made herself familiar on Trent’s lap, laying her head gently on his broad shoulder. He took advantage and held her waist tightly.
“You smell really good,” she said through glazed-over eyes.
Why won’t this bitch stop messing with my hair? Taking her hand in mine, I moved the redhead’s hand to her lap for the tenth time. I caught Trent’s hand move from Caroline’s hip, to the middle of her back, and it kept moving south.
“Kitty,” I called to get her attention.
Sitting up, she swatted Trent’s hand away. Jumping off his lap, she turned to face him. “I told you not to call me that and stop feeling me up,” she spat, laying in on him.
“It wasn’t me--” Trent tried to say.
“Save it. I thought you were the gentlemen of the group. Clearly I was wrong.”
I couldn’t hold in the thunderous laugh that busted out of me.
“And you,” she said, turning her rage on me.
I went to stand up, but the bimbo on my lap wouldn’t move. So whispering in her ear, I told her exactly what I knew she’d been waiting to hear. “Go get me another drink, then we’ll leave this place and head back to mine.”
Sucking in her bottom lip, she copped a feel. Finding me halfway put a fire in her eyes that matched her hair. “All right, I’ll be right back,” she said breathily.
She quickly stood and headed for the door. Little did she know that my “situation” had absolutely nothing to do with her. Caroline was still in front of Trent, when I was free to stand.
“What about me, Kitty?” I challenged.
Her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol but her temper made them redder.
“Don’t you ever call me out like that again! And stop calling me Kitty!”
“Okay. Kitty,” I said, stretching my back.
Oh shit! Her mane of blonde curls barreled toward me. I had a microsecond to react. Her shoe got caught on the uneven pavement and she was falling to the ground, fast. Taking two huge steps, I reached out and grabbed her up in my arms before she face planted. She was heavier than she looked, but I almost expected that. She had a nasty punch, and muscle like that isn’t light.
Her legs were draped over my arm, her arms tightly around my neck. I looked down at her. The blue in her eyes was deep and rich in color. I needed to just sleep with her to get her out of my system. Once that happened, I’d move on to the next one. I can’t be hung up on one girl, that’s not what I do. Maybe once I got that redhead home, I’d be in a better mood. Fucking always put me in a better mood.
“I’m so tired,” she grumbled in my chest. “Put me down so I can go to bed, you big jerk.”
Her eyes were closed and I could swear I heard her snore.
“Come on, Kitty, I’ll take you home,” I said, watching her as she tried her hardest to keep her eyes open.
The guys were all preoccupied with the ten or so other girls that were joining us on the patio. I took advantage, snuck back inside, and carried her up the stairs to her and B’s living quarters. Her bedroom door was slightly open as I approached it. Kicking it with my foot, I opened it all the way. The door bounced off the wall behind it and closed slightly. Cringing, I glanced down, but Caroline was still passed out in my arms. Yup, she was definitely snoring.
I took her over to the bed and gently laid her down. Deep blue eyes locked on mine as I went to move my hand from behind her neck. As she searched my face, a beam of a smile came across hers. I would have loved to know what was going on in that mind of hers.
Lost in her features, I released my hand from her neck. I had to touch her. I had to know how soft her skin was. I ran a shaking finger down the side of her face. I’d never been so nervous to touch a woman before. I was in knots. I hadn’t noticed before, but she had small freckles that ran across the bridge of her nose and under her eyes.
If I wasn’t straining against my jeans before, I sure as hell was now. Her hand reached up over my neck. Her fingers glided over my Adams apple and down my exposed skin. Her lips twisted with a gleam of passion. Fuck yeah, she wanted it as bad as I did. I climbed on the bed and positioned myself perfectly over her body. I felt like putty as she kept moving her hand up and down my arm.
Oh God, I groaned inwardly. What the hell is she doing? Arching off the bed she brushed her breasts against my chest. I tried my damnedest to keep a straight face, but I knew my eyes rolled to the back of my head as her hand curled around my belt. Yanking me closer to her, she closed her eyes and sighed just loud enough for me to hear. Her legs moved under mine, and that sweet hand of hers fisted my belt tighter--
Pain struck me hard and fast. I jumped, or more like fell off of her and the bed. I clutched at my balls and curled into the fetal position. The bitch kneed me in the fucking balls! I tried to stand but kept doubling over in pain. Oh, man, that’s not right!
“Jesus Christ, Kitty!” I cried, clutching my throbbing crotch. Just to be safe I took a few steps back.
She stood from the bed and yelled down at me as I knelt on the floor. “I told you, to never step foot in this room again,” Standing a little straighter, I bit my lip as another wave of pain shot from my balls. “I was just helping you, since you can’t drink with the big boys,” I groaned.
“I was just fine, and you really expect me to believe you over top of me, feeling up my face is helping me? You were trying to take advantage of me. Thankfully, I came to my senses before you could infect me with your whore-dipped dick.”
“Whatever, won’t happen again. I’ll make sure to let you face plant on the asphalt next time.” Backing up, I held my side as a wave of nausea came over me. I really hated getting kneed in the balls.
“I’ll take my chances with the asphalt,” she said, placing her hands on her hips.
“Fine, maybe it will fix that face of yours.”
Sucking in a breath, she fought with her hair, pulling it back into a ponytail. “That’s it!” she shrieked.
The next thing I knew she was running me at full speed.
CHAPTER 11
Caroline
I’m going to kill him. There’s no questioning it, the headlines will read, woman kills absurdly hot lead singer of popular hometown band. What was he thinking trying to seduce me with his good looks, amazing smell, and gentle hands? I wasn’t falling for it--scratch that, I wasn’t falling for it anymore!
He held his hands out in front of him, bracing himself for a collision. I kept running, at him. I was swinging my arms violently. He grabbed them and held them above my head. So I resorted to other means of beating him. I went to knee him again, but he saw it coming that time. Pulling my arms up, I jumped to kick him, but wrapped my legs around his hips instead.
“Will you stop it?” he said, adjusting his grip on my wrists. “Get off me!” he yelled, trying to wiggle from the tight grasp I had on his waist. I crossed my feet, pinning myself even closer to him.
Losing his bal
ance he stumbled.
“Let my hands go, so I can strangle you!” I said through gritted teeth.
“I don’t think so, Kitty,” he yelled back.
We kept moving around the room, struggling to overpower the other. That is, until we began to fall. He had tripped over the rug, and we were now falling backward. The plush mattress broke our fall, but neither one of us let up. My legs were still around his waist and his hands were still clutching my wrists.
My feet were sore under both our weight, so I uncrossed them but kept them tight so he couldn’t wiggle free. He went to sit up but I pushed him back down, trying to free my hands again. I wiggled my fingers, the closer I came to his neck. I was determined that I going to hurt him.
“You’re such a jackass--let me go, so I can strangle you,” I said struggling against him as I gained a few more centimeters toward my target.
Stretching his hands up, he pulled them over his head, making me have to lean over him. Inches separated us.
“No! You kneed me in the balls. I’m not letting go till you apologize.” His voice was even and stern. The pompous ass then flashed that stupid grin of his.
“You were taking advantage of me. I had to do something to get you to back the fuck off!”
Tugging my arms, he was able to pin me closer to him. “Apologize!”
“No!”
It was only then that I felt the tension between us. Not the angry, fighting tension. I had felt that all along, since I first met him, eight hours ago. This was different. This was feral, heavy, sexual tension. It was as if he felt it the same moment I did, because he let go of my hands and gripped the back of my neck, the exact moment I loosed my legs and ground my hips into his. His face came up off the bed, his lips crashed onto mine, or maybe I crashed onto his, either way it was fucking amazing.
He sat up, hand still holding my neck while the other wrapped around my hips, pulling me even tighter into him. Taking a hand full of his hair, I pull his head back, dragging my fingers along his exposed neck and face. All the while his hand griped my ass tighter. His velvet tongue snuck between my lips, and for the love of all that’s right, I let him assault my mouth. He tasted too good not to let him in.
My body took over. I had no control as I arched into him, for real this time. Loving the way my breasts flattened against his hard chest, I pushed harder. Yup, my brain had lost all control as we admittedly gave in to desire. So when he began to pull away, leaving soft little kisses on my lips, I had a moment of realization.
What the hell were we doing? I am repulsed by this guy, he is a womanizer. I was so dense that I hadn’t realized I was being used. I was exactly where he wanted me. Hell if I was going to let him continue to mess with my head! I jumped up off his lap, and he carefully took his hands from me. I stood at the foot of my bed where he was sitting, wrapped my arms around my midsection, and shook my head no.
I know there was a blaze behind my eyes when I was finally able to look at him. “Get out!”
I made sure my words were icy, with no sign of banter in them. He didn’t say anything back, he just stood in front of my bed.
“This was a mistake, and one I intend to never let happen again.”
He took a step toward me as I took one away from him. “You’re a fucking tease,” he said, pointing to me.
“And you’re an asshole. Now that we have that cleared up, get the fuck out of my room.” I pointed at the door and stepped out of his way as he stormed out. I heard the door to our living quarters slam shut.
I can’t believe I just let that happen. I had been here less than twelve hours and this place had me wishing the summer away, so I could get the hell out of here. I was going to have to take extra precautions around Kane. He was clearly more clever than I expected. I didn’t easily get caught up like that. I usually kept my wits about me, but there was something about him that sacred me and made me feel things. I wasn’t ready to feel anything. Previous guys only had me thinking about sex and nothing else. When Kane and I kissed, I felt a future that I had sworn off when my mother--
Nope, not going there. I don’t do happily ever after. I do right now, a hook up here and there, but not the future. When I kissed him, I saw it all, marriage, white picket fence, kids, a dog. I didn’t want that life for myself, not since Mom.
CHAPTER 12
Kane
I slammed the door closed, stomping my way down the stairs. I couldn’t believe that tease. She was a real piece of work. I was ready to finish what she had started, get her out of my system, cross her off the list, and worry about the consequences later. I was even willing to put my ego aside, just to get her out of my mind.
There was no way one girl should have had all that clout over me. Standing in the doorway that led to the covered patio/outdoor bar, the red head I was slated to take home and examine had two beers in her hand, nervously looking around for me.
The crowd had grown by at least twenty. I wasn’t the least bit surprised. We usually got about a half hour before someone found us and told their friend, who told their friend, and before you knew it, there was fifty-plus people milling around. The women would all be fighting for our attention, while whatever men were hanging around were waiting for our leftovers.
“She realized your dick is the size of a two-year-old’s?” Reece asked, jumping on my back.
Shaking him off, I pushed him back against the wall, not really in the mood to put up with his fucking antics.
“Well, don’t hold out on me, bro, how was she?” he asked, straightening from the wall.
“A tease,” I said, crossing my arms and continuing to look out at the patio.
“Maybe she’s just not into you, maybe she prefers a man with style and devilishly handsome good looks.”
Inhaling deeply, I turned my body toward him. “Whatever, dude. She’s not worth it. That redhead over there better be ready, because I’m going to screw the shit out of her.”
“Damn, Kitty has you all sorts of messed up.” Clapping his hand on my shoulder, he squeezed it, his way of showing compassion.
Nodding, I turned to look at him. “If you’re going to try, make sure you wear a cup.”
With that, I left him standing there, mulling over what I had just said. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him finally get it--holding is hand over his balls as he scrunched his face, and then shook his head before jogging after me.
An hour later, I found B and let him know that I wasn’t going to stay to help out tonight. I told him I wasn’t feeling up to it, but I’d come back tomorrow afternoon and help out before they opened.
“Is Caroline okay?” he asked, looking around the patio. “I don’t see her.”
“She was tired and went up to bed an hour or so ago, haven’t seen her since.” As much as I wanted to let B know his daughter was a fucking tease and ball buster, I held back. He was ecstatic she was here and I wasn’t going to ruin that for him.
I wasn’t sure what happened between the two of them four years ago, before he came here, and I really didn’t care, but B was like a second father to us guys, and I wasn’t going to hurt his feelings. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have had a place to play or the huge cult following we had.
“I’ll be down here around noon to unlock the door for you, that too early?” he asked, before taking a swig of beer.
“Nah, noon is good, I’ll see you then,” I said before, heading for the parking lot. My conquest was already sitting in the passenger’s seat waiting for me, when I got there.
***
It was eleven and I was fully awake. What am I saying? I never went to sleep. After finding out the carpet and curtains didn’t match, I rolled over and tried to fall asleep, but it wasn’t happening. I grabbed my acoustic baby and headed downstairs to sit on the huge porch that encompassed our house. The guys and I rented a five-bedroom farmhouse from a couple who had moved Down South. Rent was cheap and the privacy was even better.
We had struck a deal with the couple tha
t we’d fix up the house, if they’d cut the rent in half. We’d usually work on it in between construction jobs that my uncle had us doing. We had even done B’s whole upstairs for him, three months ago. He had anticipated having his daughter visit for the summer, so we demolished the upstairs, made the living area minuscule and her bedroom huge, adding the large bathroom and closet.
We all specialized in something different. I did most of the woodwork with JJ, Aiden was good at all the electrical, Trent had a knack for plumbing, and Reece was our demo guy. Together we were the total package--not only could we sing your panties off, we could also fix your house while we did it.
I was on my second cup of coffee and hundredth re-run of last night. Although I enjoyed exploring the interior decorations of the woman who was still sleeping in my bed, I wasn’t into it as much as I usually was, and that was all Caroline James’s fault. Glancing outside, I noticed a van with a taxi sign on top of it. The next thing I see is the redhead, two blondes, and a brunette walking past.
They didn’t say anything to me as they did. They just headed to the door to leave.
JJ came down the hall next. Grabbing a cup of coffee, he joined me at the table. “I’m so glad we have off this morning. I don’t think I could lift a nail,” he said, gulping down his coffee.
Nodding in agreement, I sat there silent.
“Kane, what’s going on?” he asked.
“Your cousin, that’s what’s going on. She’s found a way to fuck up my head, playing hard to get.”
Chuckling, JJ took another gulp of coffee. “That bad? Why not sweet talk your way in? It’s worked before for you.”
“I’m done with her. I just have to get out of my own head. I guess I can’t win them all. Plus, I don’t want to make things weird with B. She’s only staying for the summer then moving on.” I was trying to convince myself of everything I just said and it might have been working, a little.