“True.” I laugh again.
“So, when will the baby actually be the size of a decent fruit?”
“Hmm … well, it’ll be apple-sized at fifteen weeks.”
“Apples are okay as fruit goes. They taste better juiced though.”
“Again, true.”
“Are we actually having a fucking conversation about fruit right now?”
“Yep.” I giggle.
“You’re so odd.”
“Hey! You were talking fruit, too.”
“Humoring you, Red. I was humoring you.”
“Sure you were.” I roll my eyes.
All this talk of fruit has gotten me hungry—and also the smell of a vendor selling corn dogs. Not that it takes much nowadays to get me eating.
I start drifting in a bit, toward people and the corn-dog-selling vendor. “You hungry?” I ask him. “Because I could really go for a corn dog right now. My treat, for dragging you here?”
He gives me a look. “You’re not buying me a corn dog, Red. I’ll get them.”
“You sure?”
Another look. “I’m sure. Wait here, and I’ll be back in a minute.”
I watch him walk over to the vendor, shoulders in, head down, avoiding eye contact with people.
Moving back a bit, I rest my butt against a large rock, half-sitting on it.
I’ve not even been sitting there a minute when a guy wanders over. He has short sandy-blond hair and a stocky frame; he’s about six-foot I’d say, and he’s handsome in a pretty-boy way.
He stops before me, a smile on his face, showing gleaming white teeth. “Hey. You work at the diner, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Brad.” He offers his hand to me.
I put my hand in his and shake it. The skin on his hand is soft. Like his hands have never seen a hard day’s work before.
“Carrie.” I pull my hand back.
“So, you’re new to town?”
“Yes.”
“We get a lot of tourists here but not many new residents. What brought you to Canyon Lake?” He moves to lean on the rock beside me.
Discomfort slithers through me. I shift up a bit. Something about this guy doesn’t sit right with me. And I listen to my gut nowadays. It’s always right.
“I fancied a change of scenery.” I shrug.
He laughs. “You don’t give much away, do you?”
I glance at him. His eyes are green. A nice color, but they’re not kind eyes.
I shrug again.
He laughs again.
“Did you enjoy the parade?” he asks me.
“I did. I’ve never seen a Christmas boat parade before. It was fun to watch.”
“So, are you here alone?” he asks, and I don’t like the question.
“I came with friends,” I firmly tell him.
There’s a lull in the conversation, and I really wish he would just go. But he doesn’t.
“So …” He scratches his chin. “I’ve seen you around town a few times and wanted to talk to you. I think you’re a total knockout, Carrie, and I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me sometime.”
Uh.
His direct approach kind of throws me for a moment. I’m about to turn down his offer, but I don’t get a chance.
“No, she doesn’t fucking want to go out with you.”
My head turns at the sound of River, a face like thunder, sans corn dogs. Fire and ire burn in his eyes, and I’m getting the distinct impression River does not like Brad.
Brad stands and faces River. He lets out a laugh, and it’s not a nice sound. “Well, this is the surprise of the century. What the fuck are you doing here? I thought you didn’t leave that mausoleum you call a home.”
And it looks like that feeling of dislike goes both ways.
“Come on; let’s get you back to your friends,” River says to me, ignoring Brad.
“Carrie doesn’t want to go anywhere. Do you, Carrie? We were having a nice conversation before you showed up.”
I open my mouth to speak, but River beats me to it.
“No, you were hitting on her, like you do with anything that has a pulse. Come on, Red.”
“Red? Well, hold up now. This just got really interesting. Are you actually friends with the one-pump chump?” Brad says, lips twitching.
“You still filming people having sex without their knowledge?” River fires back at him.
What?
Brad laughs. “You never could take a joke.”
“The only joke here is you.”
“Well, now, that’s just not nice. And I think it’s only fair that the lovely Carrie here knows who she’s spending her time with.”
“Shut the fuck up, Brad,” River snaps.
And that just makes Brad smile wider. An evil gleam in his eyes.
If I’m not mistaken, I’m guessing I already know what Brad is going to say.
I move and stand beside River.
“I already know who I’m spending my time with,” I tell Brad.
“I’m not sure you do, sugar. You know, aside from being able to get it up long enough to satisfy a woman, he comes from bad blood. Do you know his mama murdered a cop in cold blood? Shot a good man to death in her kitchen while he stood there and watched her do it.”
River freezes beside me.
“I don’t think that’s any of my business or yours.” God knows how I manage to keep my voice steady.
“That’s where you’re wrong, sugar, because that man his mama murdered was my uncle. An honest, good, law-abiding man who deserved better than to be shot dead by some cheap whore who’d tricked him into marriage and taking on her fucked up kid.”
I can feel River practically vibrating with rage next to me.
Brad is smirking like he’s happy with the bomb he just dropped.
“Are you done?” I say quietly to Brad.
“I’ve not even started, sugar.”
River turns so abruptly; his arm knocks into mine.
“River!” I call to him as I watch him stride away from us, heading for the mass of trees that leads into the woods at the back of our houses.
I look back at Brad with unconcealed disgust.
He stares back at me. “You’re a fool if you’re spending time with him,” he says in a repugnant tone. “It won’t be long before he snaps, just like his mama did, and whoever is in his way will end up like my uncle did.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
But I’m already turning on my heel to go after River.
And it’s him who’s wrong. River isn’t evil.
I know evil, and it’s not in him. He’s just a human being who’s seen way too much in his lifetime, and he still carries all of that pain and hurt around with him.
River could’ve easily hit Brad just then, but he didn’t.
He walked away.
“River!” I call out, rushing after him.
The man can sure move. I finally catch up with him just inside the first line of trees.
“River, will you just wait?” I gasp, out of breath.
He stops and turns to face me. His face a mask of anger and shame.
I hate that he feels that way. He has nothing to be ashamed about.
“River … what Brad said, it doesn’t matter.”
His lips curl with disdain. “Of course it fucking matters! What the hell is wrong with you? Wait … did you already know about my mom?” Accusing, defensive eyes stare down at me.
Crap.
I swallow, feeling like I’ve done something wrong. “Yes,” I admit. “But I only found out tonight. Before our walk. Guy told me.”
“Of course he did.” He lets out a hollow laugh.
“River, your past is yours. It’s none of my business.”
“You don’t even know what you’re talking about,” he says like he’s not even listening to me. He stares down at the ground. “None of you do.”
&n
bsp; “River—”
“I fucking knew I shouldn’t have come tonight.” His eyes snap up to mine, wide and furious. “I knew something like this would happen. You shouldn’t have pushed me about coming tonight, and I shouldn’t have let you.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, feeling helpless.
“If you hadn’t been talking to Brad, then I wouldn’t have had to go over and deal with his crap. This is why I stay away from people, Red. To avoid shit like this!”
“I … I …” I hold out my hands. “Brad came over to me. What do you want me to do? Ignore him?”
His look is unwavering. “Yes.”
“Why were you talking to him, Annie?”
“H-he started talking to me. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to be rude.”
He grabbed hold of my chin, and furious eyes stared into mine. I started to shake.
“You know you’re not supposed to talk to other men.”
“I-I know. I-I’m s-sorry.”
“What were you talking to him about, Annie? Telling him what a bad husband I am to you? How you want to leave me?”
“N-no! I wasn’t talking about you, Neil, I swear.”
“Liar.” Spittle hit my face. His other hand grabbed hold of my hair, yanking it tight, making my eyes water. “You were arranging to meet him, weren’t you? You want to fuck him, don’t you?”
“N-no. P-please, Neil.”
“You’re a lying, dirty whore! Well, if you want to be a fucking whore, then I’ll treat you like one!”
I step back, shaking off the memory. My hands are trembling. I wrap my arms around myself, forcing strength into my spine. “I won’t do that.”
“Then, you’re a fucking idiot. Brad is not someone you want to spend your time with.”
“Funny. Because he just said the same thing about you,” I say the words and immediately regret them when I see hurt flicker over his countenance. So brief that, if I hadn’t been looking right at him, I would’ve missed it.
“He’s right. I’m not someone you want to be around.” His voice is filled with self-loathing, and that makes me sadder than I can explain.
“So, what are you telling me?” Melancholy starts to creep in around my heart because I already know what he’s saying.
Hard, emotionless, defiant eyes stare back at me. “I’m telling you what you already know. We’re not friends. We’ll never be friends. So, stop fucking trying to push something that will never happen. I barely like you on a good day. I just fucking tolerate you because of the way you wander around, looking like a lost, lonely sheep. You just don’t seem to get that you’re not wanted.”
I know his words are meant to wound and hurt. He’s lashing out because he’s pushing me away. But I won’t be spoken to like this. I deserve better.
I lift my chin even though, inside, I feel gutted. “I get it,” I say in a steady voice.
“Fucking finally.”
“Okay”—I take a step back—“I guess I’ll go. Have a nice life or not …”
Biting my trembling lip, I ignore the sting of tears I feel and turn and walk back out of the trees and into the light of people, leaving River standing there, alone in the darkness.
River
Sixteen Years Old
“What the fuck am I doing here?”
This is stupid. I shouldn’t be here.
I don’t do this. I don’t come to parties.
Because you’ve never been invited to one before.
Standing outside the front door of the house, I can hear the music pumping loud behind it.
I’m at a party.
Well, almost.
Who would’ve thought it?
But, when Chloe Nelson, cheerleading stunner, invites you with the promise of something more—meaning sex—you turn up.
Chloe was dating Brad Thurlow, superstar football player. And the nephew of—
Nope. Not going there tonight.
I’m finally going to get laid. Pop my cherry.
With Chloe fucking Nelson.
And the bonus is getting back at Brad in the process.
I fucking hate that guy.
He’s a dick of the highest order.
He is always doing shit to get at me at school. Fucking pranks, spreading rumors about me.
I mostly just ignore him. But it’s still annoying.
And, as of four days ago, his girl—or ex-girl—and him broke up.
I checked around school to make sure it was true, not that I have actual friends to ask, but I listened around, and apparently, he dumped her. And, now, she’s been texting me. Her parents are away, and she asked me to come to the party she’s having at the big-ass mansion she lives in.
It’s highly likely that she is using me to get back at Brad.
Do I give a fuck? Nope.
I’m about to stamp my V card with the hottest girl in school.
Not that I’ll be telling her I’m still a virgin.
Chloe Nelson is gorgeous. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed, with a fan-fucking-tastic rack.
I’ve seen her in gym and at cheerleading practice, jumping around in those tight tops she wears, her tits bouncing around.
Shit. I’m getting hard, just thinking about it.
I rearrange my dick in my pants.
Okay, this is it. Get your ass inside, River.
But I don’t move.
Because I’m a chickenshit.
I’m fucking nervous, okay?
I’ve never been to a party before. All the kids in school hate me. I honestly don’t know why Chloe wants to be with me.
But I do want to lose my virginity, and she’s the first girl who’s shown a keen interest in making that happen.
Of course, I’ve hit first and second base with other girls.
We get a lot of tourists around here. Girls who know nothing about my past. Girls who wanna mess around with a local to pass the time.
But this is Chloe, and she knows who I am, yet she still seems to want me.
Come on, River. Man the fuck up and get yourself in there. You look like the freak they accuse you of being, standing out here on the doorstep.
I take hold of the door handle, turn it, and push open the door. The music is even louder in here. The party is in full swing. The house is packed with bodies.
No one even registers my appearance.
I’ve barely gotten three steps inside when Chloe appears in front of me. Her eyes are bright, cheeks flushed.
“You came!” She smiles up at me.
“Yep,” I say. Full of words tonight I am.
“You want to mingle or,” she reaches up on her tiptoes and speaks into my ear, “go upstairs for some privacy?”
I turn my eyes to hers. “Upstairs.”
She grabs my hand and leads me past people and up the winding staircase to the second floor. I follow her down the hall and into what I’m guessing is her room. It’s pink with a big four-poster bed, and there are pictures tacked to the walls—of her and her friends and still some of Brad.
She goes and sits on the edge of her bed. Then, she pats the spot beside her.
That’s her bed.
Her bed.
My insides start to tremble. Queasiness eddies in my stomach.
Not now. For fuck’s sake.
Pull yourself together, River.
Clenching my hands, I go over and sit down beside her.
“Your house is nice,” I say, just for something to say.
“Yeah, it’s okay, I guess.”
I’m staring ahead at the wall in front of me like it has the answer to the meaning of life. My leg starts to jig with nerves.
“River?”
“Yeah?”
“Look at me.”
I turn my face to hers. God, she’s so pretty.
“Do you like me?”
“Sure I do.”
Her tongue darts out to lick her bottom lip. I can’t stop staring at it.
“I like you, too.”
“
You do?”
She laughs. It sounds awkward. I bring my eyes up to hers.
“Of course I do, silly. You wouldn’t be here right now if I didn’t.”
True, but … I’m just surprised a girl like her would want a guy like me. All the kids at school think I’m a freak because of what my mom did …
What you did.
“You’ve barely spoken a handful of words to me up until a few days ago,” I say to her, resting my hands on my thighs.
“Well, you know I was with Brad, and you know how he can be … but I’ve always thought you were hot.” She starts to trace her fingertip over my hand, moving up my arm and onto my leg, moving up and up until she’s running her fingernail over the zipper of my pants.
I swallow down hard.
She brings her lips close to my ear. “Do you want to … fuck me, River?” she whispers, and I nearly swallow my tongue.
Even though I had a pretty good idea that’s what she wanted from me—from the tone of her messages and the way she brought me straight up here—hearing the way she casually just asked me to fuck blows my mind.
“Uh … y-yeah,” I cough out the word, and she giggles.
Then, she kisses me.
Holy fuck. Her lips are so soft and plump.
I taste alcohol on her breath. I pull back. “How much have you had to drink?”
I don’t want to take advantage of her.
“One beer.” She holds up a finger. “I swear.”
Her eyes look wide. Pupils dilated.
“Have you had … anything else?”
“Nope. Cross my heart.” Using her finger, she draws an X over her chest, dragging my eyes downward to her tits.
She takes off her sweater and then her bra.
“Touch me, River.”
So, I do.
And, God, she feels good. Warm and soft. Like nothing I’ve ever felt before.
I’m so fucking turned on; I feel like I might jizz in my pants. I have to think of mundane things to stop myself from coming.
Then, she’s kissing me again, and clothes are being removed at the speed of lightning.
“Did you bring a condom?” she says against my lips.
“Yeah.” I grab my pants from the floor and get the condom out of my pocket.
When I turn back, she’s staring down at my cock, her mouth open.
“Is everything okay?” I ask her.
“Yeah … you’re just big,” she whispers. “I wasn’t expecting you to be big.”
River Wild Page 12