by L. P. Dover
“Nic even got an interview with Kacey and said it went terrific. I’m hoping she gets hired.”
“I’m sure she will. You on your way home?”
Actually, I had a better idea. “Nope. I’m on my way to you. What’s your address? I’m coming over.”
“The only way I’m going to let you come over is if you tell me you missed me this week.”
“Really?” I shrieked.
“Yep, now say the words, love.”
“No. That’s ridiculous. I’m not gonna lie.”
He snorted. “But you just did.”
I opened my mouth to say something and then stopped; he got me with that one. And judging by the satisfied chuckle he tried to contain, he knew it too. “Fine. You want to play games? Then it looks like you won’t be hearing what I have to say. Bye-bye, French fry.”
“Megan, wait—”
Taking the upper hand, I hung up the phone. He was going to drive me insane. I had to hand it to him, he could definitely get my blood pumping. I did miss him, but I wasn’t about to give in to his antics. If anyone was going to submit first, I wanted it to be him. I got my wish when my phone started to ring. Deliberately, I refused to answer it, hoping it’d make him feel the restlessness I felt inside.
With a smirk on my face, I pulled into my neighborhood. He was just going to have to sweat a bit longer.
To my surprise, that wasn’t going to be very long. Because in my driveway, there Kyle stood, beside a sleek, black motorcycle. I hit the button to my garage and pulled past him. He walked up to my door and opened it with a smirk on his face. “You are one stubborn woman, you know that?”
I got out and bumped him in the arm when I passed. “Look who’s talking. I was trying to come over to your house to give you some good news, but you decided to be a pain.”
Chuckling, he followed behind me. I was tempted to slam the door in his face, but who was I kidding . . . I wanted him there. He shut the door and joined me in the kitchen. Opening the freezer, I grabbed the bottle of vodka and a shot glass out of the cabinet.
“Want one?” I asked, holding up the bottle.
“Only if I’m staying, however, I have a strange feeling you’ll be kicking me out.”
I snorted. “Good point.” Pouring a shot, I tossed it back. It burned going down, but it felt good.
“Have I driven you to drinking?” he asked with a chuckle.
I poured another one. “Actually, this is me celebrating. This whole week I’ve been on edge, trying to keep everything hidden, but now I don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
Putting his hand on my shoulder, he turned me around. I finally got a good look at him. His whitish blond hair was in disarray from his helmet and the way he stared at me with his mismatched eyes made me tremble. With my shot in one hand and the vodka bottle in the other, Kyle took the bottle and set it down on the counter.
“What happened with Rushing?” he asked.
Smiling, I drank the shot and then grabbed his hands; they felt good in mine. “Guess who gets to officially start working with me next Monday? You need to get some more moves ready.”
His brows furrowed. “You can’t be serious. Tyler agreed to this?”
“Yep, and he’s even thinking about paying you. Isn’t this awesome? You’re one step closer to getting your sister back.” He beamed and I wished Tyler and Kacey could see how genuine his smile was. One day soon they would see it, I was positive.
“Does Kacey know?”
Sighing, I pulled him into the living room and we sat down on the couch. “Not yet. Tyler’s not exactly ready to tell her.” Nodding, he turned his head, trying to hide his disappointment. Taking his chin, I turned him to face me, the stubble on his face tickling my fingers. “Don’t worry. She’ll come around. You just need to be patient a little while longer. Oh, and I also took off a couple of days after the honeymoon so I can go with you to California. We’ll get Paxton to fix your truck.”
“You’re really going to go with me?”
“It’s a win-win. I hitch a ride with you and I get to see my friends.”
The vodka in my stomach made everything feel warm. Or maybe it was the heat from Kyle’s body. I liked it, whatever it was. He put his arm around me, pulling me into his side and I went willingly. “From the first moment I met you, I thought you’d be the last person to give me a chance.”
I shrugged. “What can I say, you’re growing on me. It’ll be nice to get away for a few days. I just have to wait until after the honeymoon. Can you wait that long?” When he didn’t answer, I sat up. He was looking down at the ground with a sly smile spreading across his face. “Do I even need to ask what you’re thinking about?”
His eyes met mine. “You just gave me the perfect idea.”
“About what? All I talked about was California, your truck, and the wedding.” As soon as I said the last word, his face lit up. “Kyle, no,” I exclaimed, knowing he was up to no good. “Please tell me you’re not going to crash it.”
“I wouldn’t necessarily call it crashing. I’ll simply be attending a wedding to watch my sister get married.”
“But you weren’t invited. Do you realize what you’ll be walking into? Everyone you ever fucked over will be there.”
“Which makes it the perfect chance to do what I have to do,” he added.
Eyes wide, I turned my body to face him. “Are you insane? You’ll ruin their wedding. I know you want to be there, but it’s not the right time or place.”
Smile gone, he grabbed my shoulders. “You couldn’t be more wrong, love. Kacey wanted me to get forgiveness from the people I’ve hurt. What better way to do it than with her right there to witness it?”
“And what is my part in all of this?” He bit his lip and smiled sheepishly. Groaning, I shook my head. “I can’t believe you want me to do this. I already put my neck and possibly my job on the line for you today.”
Taking my hands, he lifted them to his chest and held them at his heart. “I know and you have no idea how much your faith in me means. It’s all that’s keeping me here.” He leaned over and pressed his forehead to mine. “Please do this for me, Megan.”
“Fuck me,” I grumbled. “I’ll do it but I really, really don’t want to. You’re gonna owe me for this.” His smile made me melt.
“Thank you,” he murmured. “I won’t ever ask anything else of you.”
I snorted. “Why do I not believe that?”
Sitting back, he looked down at my lips and grinned. “Because it’s a lie. I want to ask something else of you.”
“What is it?” I whispered.
Letting my hands go, he reached around my waist and pulled me into his lap. “Kiss me. And not because I asked you to, but because you want to.”
“What if I don’t?”
“Then I would say you’re a liar. Your mind may say no, but your body tells me otherwise. I’d rather you listen to your body.”
I got up and straddled his lap, using the back of the couch, I boxed him in with my arms, leaning in until I could feel his hot breath on my lips. I felt his body flex in anticipation and the movement made my insides twinge. He wanted me and I held the upper hand. It was a rush of adrenaline. He leaned in, trying to make the connection, but I sat back and smirked, maintaining my space. I thought he’d laugh at my power move, but his eyes turned dark with need.
Leaning in again, I pressed my lips to his, softly at first, but then I bit his lip and sucked on it, rocking my hips into his arousal. His grip lowered and tightened on my ass as he deepened the kiss, groaning into my mouth. I wanted to rip his clothes off right there and knew this was moving too fast. He hadn’t proven enough yet, I’d be stupid to give in now. Breathing hard, I broke away and sat up. “The answer, by the way, is yes.”
“What’s the question?” His half-lidded gaze caught mine as he pushed up into me a few times, his body less willing to stop than his mind.
“The one you incessantly asked me every day this week, if
I missed you. And the answer is yes, I have. Just don’t make me regret it.”
The door opened behind us. “For Christ sake!” Nic whined as she barged into the living room and caught us grinding on the couch. “Have you never heard of a bedroom? My eyes may be permanently damaged now. Do they have Lasik for this type of shit?”
After she dramatically made her way to her bedroom with one hand over her eyes and the other out in front of her, the moment between us had cooled. At that point, we decided it was best for him to head home before things went any further.
It was a good thing Nic had such bad timing, otherwise who knows what we would’ve ended up doing.
***
IT WAS FRIDAY night and instead of spending it with Kyle like he asked, I chose to be with Nic. She had just finished the popcorn and sat down beside me.
With her mouth full, she turned to me. “Are you sure you didn’t want to go out with lover boy tonight? I wouldn’t have minded.”
I grabbed a handful of popcorn. “No, I wanted to spend tonight with you. Just because Kyle and I are friends doesn’t mean I’m going to be with him every waking minute.”
She snorted. “Friends? Friends don’t dry hump on their roommate’s furniture.” My face heated as I chewed my popcorn. She threw a kernel at me and laughed. “See? You can’t even look at me without blushing.”
“Do you think I’m crazy for liking him? I don’t know why I always want the bad ones.”
Shrugging, she moved over so I could get more popcorn. “Kyle is nothing like Alex. There was nothing hard or possessive in the way he touched you last night, was there?” I shook my head. “That’s what I thought. He may be a bad boy, but Alex was evil. There’s a difference.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” My phone buzzed on the table with an incoming text.
“Who is it?” she asked, spewing popcorn at me.
Scrunching my nose, I wiped off my leg before reaching for my phone. It was Kyle. “Who do you think?” I said with a smile.
“What is he saying?”
Kyle: Date tomorrow night?
“He’s asking me out on a date. If I say yes, it’ll be the first time actually going out in public with him.”
“You don’t plan on keeping him a secret forever do you? Eventually, everyone will find out.”
I stared at my phone. “I know, but I don’t want to look like a traitor. It would be different if everyone had forgiven him for what he did.”
“Maybe they’ll be more apt to forgive him if they see that you have faith in him. Did you ever think about that?”
Lifting my head, I peered over at her, astonished. “My friend, sometimes you amaze me.”
She lifted her chin and brushed off her shoulders. “What are best friends for? Now text him back and tell him yes. You’re way past due to get laid. Your poor lady bits are going to have to do some calisthenics prior to consummating your relationship, it’s been so long.” Taking the couch pillow, I swung it and hit her on the head, laughing. “Hey, it’s true,” she squealed.
Was I ready to go that far? It’d been over two years since I’d had sex with anyone and that was only because I had to or Alex would get pissed. It was strange actually having the desire for someone to touch me. I liked it . . . a lot.
Kyle: Wear comfortable clothes.
I looked down at the text and then at my denim skirt. Would that be considered comfortable?
Me: I’m wearing a skirt. Will that do?
Kyle: Only if you want it breezy between your legs.
Oh hell, I knew what that meant. He was going to take us out on his motorcycle. I’d never been on one before, but the thought was thrilling. Sliding out of my skirt, I found a pair of jeans in my dresser and slid them on. I was ready to go. By the time I got downstairs, I found Nic in the kitchen, jumping up and down, screaming.
“Having a seizure?” I joked.
“Oh my God,” she shouted, turning around. “Guess who got the job?”
“Holy shitballs, really? Congratulations!”
She rushed over and grabbed my hand, twirling me around. “I can’t believe it! I start next week.”
I stopped and hugged her. “Nic, that’s amazing. This will be a great opportunity for you.”
Giggling, she squeezed me hard and let go. “And I have you to thank for it.”
“What are best friends for?” I said, using her own words from the other night.
The sound of a motorcycle could be heard coming down the street and I knew it was Kyle. Grabbing my purse off the kitchen chair, I took a deep breath. “Do I look okay?” I asked, holding out my arms and twirling around.
“You look sexy, babe. I must say, lover boy’s playing it smart. What better way to get you close to him than by riding on his bike.” The doorbell rang and I chuckled.
“I’ll be back later. Don’t wait up.”
Smirking, she nodded and sat down at the table. “Don’t worry. I don’t foresee you coming home tonight.”
“Bye, Nic.” I turned on my heel and rushed to the door. Opening it, my heart thumped at the sight of Kyle. His hair looked perfectly mussed from the helmet and he had on a black T-shirt with jeans that rode low on his hips. Fuck me.
“Are you ready?” he asked, eyeing me from top to bottom with a satisfied smirk.
Clearing my throat, I joined him outside and shut the door. “As I’ll ever be. I’ve never ridden before so I’m a little nervous.”
His deep chuckle made me shiver even in the Vegas heat. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe. I’ve been riding for years.”
“Where exactly are you taking me tonight?”
“Well,” he began, “since it’s our first date, I thought I’d keep it simple. Pizza, a movie, and then end it by walking the Strip. In all my trips to Vegas, I have yet to walk it.”
I stopped and smiled up at him. “Pizza? I think you just found the way to my heart.”
Chuckling, he placed his hands on my face and kissed me. “I can take you wherever you want to go, but you don’t strike me as the kind of girl who succumbs to pretentious flattery.”
“I don’t. I’m just glad you realized that. I think our date sounds amazing.”
When we got to his bike, he handed me a helmet and slipped his own over his head. I planned on doing the same, but then stopped when I got a good look at what was on it. The helmet was black, but when you turned it into the sun it shimmered like rainbow-filled diamonds. But that wasn’t what had me mesmerized. It was the design itself that appeared in the sun.
“Kyle, what is this?” I asked in awe.
He took off his helmet and a mischievous grin spread across his face. “Do you recognize something?”
“Oh my God,” I gasped as I ran my fingers over the helmet. “The design . . . How is this possible?” It was of a picture I’d taken long ago.
“When you stepped out of the living room the other day, I took a picture of the photographs you have on your wall.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t know, there was something about that one that reminded me of you. Anyway, I had it designed yesterday.”
My eyes burned. “Thank you,” I murmured. “It’s beautiful.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, taking it from me. He started to put it over my head, but I stepped back. “Wait, I forgot something. Give me one second.”
He nodded and I took off toward the door. When I opened it, Nic was walking down the hall and slammed into the wall when I rushed past. “Whoa, slow down,” she laughed.
In my room, I found exactly what I needed. Snatching it up, I gently placed it in my bag and grabbed a change of clothes to throw in as well. I wanted to be prepared in case I didn’t come home at the end of the night. Who was I kidding? I didn’t want to come back. Rushing out of my room, Nic glanced down at my bag and grinned wide.
“Is that what I think it is in there?”
I ran past her, laughing. It was way past time I got my life back on track. “You’re damn right it is
.”
***
“I’M TOO STUFFED to move,” I grumbled as we walked out of the pizza shop.
Kyle put his arm around me and chuckled. “I know the feeling. You up for a movie or do you want to walk the Strip?”
I looked down at my bag and smiled. “Let’s walk the Strip. There’s something I’ve been dying to do.”
Since we weren’t near the heart of Vegas, we jumped back on his bike. There were cars everywhere, but Kyle maneuvered us through the gaps and got us there in record time. Heart pounding, I blew out a shaky breath and got off the bike.
“You okay?” he asked.
I took off my helmet and handed it to him. He placed it in a duffle along with his own and slung the bag over his shoulder. “Yeah, just glad to be alive. You scared the shit out of me.”
He chuckled. “It was fun and you know it. Now what do you have in that bag of yours?”
Smiling, I pulled out the case in my bag and opened it up. “It’s something I haven’t used in years.” My camera stared back at me and my fingers itched to touch it. Taking a deep breath, I reached in and pulled it out. “I thought maybe it was time I tried again.”
He followed beside me as I took pictures of the lights and the iconic hotels, secretly taking pictures of him in the process. “So what brought this on?”
I turned my camera to him and took his picture. “You.”
“Me? How so?” Putting his arm around my shoulders, I let my camera rest on the strap around my neck so I could hold my arm around his waist.
“You’ve made me feel things again I never thought possible,” I admitted truthfully.
“Does this mean you’re not going to hide our relationship?”
We stopped in front of the Bellagio where the light show lit up the sky. It was beautiful and I’d always wanted to take pictures of it. Kyle leaned against the rail and I took another picture. “I’m here with you aren’t I? I’m not hiding anything.” I walked up to him and held up the camera. “Now smile. I want a picture of us.” I snapped the picture and it turned out perfect with the fountain lights as the backdrop. What made it even better was Kyle’s seductive smirk.