Lord knows I did before her…but after, I would rather listen to her complain about some guy that bumps into her, or hear her gawk over her favorite bands, and especially hear her rant about the Kardashians, yet find her engrossed in an episode on her phone when she doesn’t think I’m looking.
I break out of the trail and stop and ogle the gorgeous scenery. The bushes and trees are a vibrant green, and the flowers running along the ground are intricate and bright. We’re at a waterfall, and by the looks of it, we’re about fifteen, maybe twenty, feet high in the air.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” I breathe as I sidle up next to Mike.
“Yeah…she is,” he whispers in a dreamy voice.
Huh?
I frown down at him and his smiley expression. I don’t understand until I follow his eyes, and…he’s staring at Rachel.
“What?” I screech, slapping his back. He glares at me, but I just laugh and stare at him incredulously. “Since when did you like Rachel? You never told me anything. Why the hell not, you prick?” I can’t believe this!
“I knew since I first met her last year; Ian’s just always been a prick and kept her away from the guys on the football team. And I didn’t tell you because I never told anyone. It’s just a stupid crush anyway.” He shakes his head, dejected. Running a hand over his head, he keeps his blushed gaze on the ground.
“Well, fuck me, you have to tell her,” I urge.
“Hell no,” he snaps through his teeth, but I can’t take him serious with his reddish cheeks.
“Come on, don’t be a pussy. Just talk to her—” I begin to berate him when Ty comes running over, Majesty hot on his heels. What the hell? I watch them run round an enormous tree, come back around, then whoosh past us, Ty yelping like a girl.
Rachel walks over, giggling. “He stole her sunglasses,” she explains.
Mike stiffens and makes this weird, almost pained, smiley face like he’s gotta shit. “I should go get a beer.” He gives me a pointed look, and I laugh, waving him away. I wouldn’t tell her anything. He pads over to one of the coolers.
“What were you guys talking about?” she asks.
“Nothing,” I lie with a grin.
She scoffs. “Stop lying.”
“I’m not.” I raise my hands.
Her brown eyes rotate, obviously not believing me. “Boys, with your lying and—and other things.”
I laugh. “I’m not lying,” I lie.
Her round eyes pinch into thin slits, and she gently nudges me. “Fine, keep doing it. I’m gonna go get a hamburger. Want one?”
I shake my head. “Nah, I’m good. Thanks.” She murmurs a reply and walks away.
When she leaves, Mike waltzes back over, staring as she walks over to a boy wearing a floppy chef hat manning a grill.
“Did you blab?”
“You expect so low of me—I’m hurt.” I pat my chest, and he glares at me. I laugh and push his shoulder. “Yeah, but you’re not in the clear yet—soon she’ll shed her clothes and you’ll be seeing her in a swimsuit.” I wink. I enjoy making fun of him, but he clearly hates it, as he begins to chase me around like our friends did not too long ago.
“Yay! Food!” Maj squeals and runs past us wrestling; she skips over to the boy man behind the grill.
I chuckle, push Mike away as he laughs, and watch Ty run behind her, pushing her and snagging a hot dog. She pushes him back, and they begin to fight over the food that probably isn’t even halal, which she told me she is strict about, but still, she fights him. Their natural brother-sister bond is incredible…hilarious, but actually really sweet to watch.
Where is my girl?
I desperately search the small crowd. My heart pounds until I find her leaning against a truck, staring off at nothing.
I smile widely, unashamed. Her hair rustles slightly in the wind, and her red lips are puckered in a snarl as she regards her best friend haggling with her brother. But then she breaks out into a heart-stopping grin when she watches her friend squirt her brother with a bottle of mustard. I can’t even stop myself from laughing as she starts clapping and cheering her on.
Mike slinks behind the bickering siblings and snatches up a fresh cheeseburger from the table.
I glance over at my friends all by the food table, enjoying the grilled delights. Majesty’s even chowing down on a slice of watermelon. I smile at that, then look over to Red, who’s already staring at me. “Wanna go for a dip?” My voice is low, my hand stretched out to her.
“Only if you’ll get naked.” She smirks.
My heart goes wild. I lean down and kiss her earlobe teasingly and chuckle as she draws in a sharp breath. “Later…” I nibble on the soft skin and pull away when her soft moans shoot straight to my dick. Damn, she gets me high by doing practically nothing. “Take off your shirt,” I demand.
“Yes, master,” she purrs, and I know she’s trying to be funny, but—fuck, tell my dick that. Instead of throwing her over my shoulder and finding a room to show her who the real master is…I chuckle into laughter, it’s low and hearty, and she bites her lip. I wink, telling her later, baby. I grip the hem of her top. Her chest caves in sharply as she sucks in a breath.
“Trust me, you don’t need this…” I rasp and slowly, slowly, slowly pull up the shirt. Her breathing becomes harder as my fingertips graze up her soft, smooth skin.
“Noah,” she says so breathlessly, my mind reads it as a moan, and I grip her hips almost instinctively. My eyes are glued to her toned stomach that seems to glow in the bright sunlight.
They run up the length of her stomach, traveling up, up, up…until they land on her chest. This. Fucking. Sexy red bikini top. And I have to take really deep breaths to not freak out. But seeing her in this…and then her tattoos…and then her puffy, kissable lips…holy shit.
“Do we really have to watch you guys eye-fuck each other or—” I hear Majesty call out.
Red smiles shakily. “What are you doing?”
I curve my finger under her chin, tilting her head back. “Just trust me, babe.”
Babe?
She just smiles, unbuttons her shorts, pulls them down to reveal a matching bikini bottom, and takes my hand. The look of trust in her eyes makes me even harder. Thank God I bought these trunks a size too big.
Taking her hand as the eyes of every guy there checks her out, I pull her to the edge of the party, where most people are wary of the cliff. But I want to surprise her and freak everyone else out; most people would be daunted by the jaw-dropping height, but it’s perfectly fine. You just gotta be brave enough to jump.
I curl a hand over eyes and whisper, “Do you trust me?”
She bites her lip, and seeing her like this takes my breath away. “Yes.” Her voice is soft, and she stands closer to me.
“Get ready to hold your breath,” I tell her, guiding her to the edge.
With a mischievous grin, I tug her hand, and we’re suspended in the air. Wind rushes through my hair, chilling goosebumps over my warm skin. Her hand clutches mine, and I focus on it as we plunge into the water. I lose her hand, and we part a few feet away. The bottom seems endless, but I know I’ll be able to fight gravity in a few seconds. I fight my way up to the top, kicking and maneuvering in the water.
I gasp for air the second I pop up. “Wasn’t that fun?” I shout, but when I blink away the water from my eyes, I don’t see her. My heart drops, and I don’t waste time. I go back under and kick around, searching for her far and wide. I come up several times, but I don’t see her anywhere.
Oh shit oh shit oh shit! I lost her! Where the hell did she go?
I’m diving back under when I feel something poke my back and hear a loud, “Boo!”
“Ah!” I whip around and find her. Her head is tilted back, and wild laughter tumbles out of her lips.
“Red! You scared the crap outta me!”
“And dragging me off a cliff wasn’t scary?” she exclaims but pauses and bites her lip, nose scrunching. “Actually, it wasn’
t. But a little heads up next time would be greatly appreciated.”
I roll my eyes. “You shouldn’t have scared me like that.” Water rolls down my hair and onto my nose and mouth. I push my hair behind my forehead, aware of her gaze on my wet mouth. I smile and hook an arm around her, treading with my other. Our legs mingle and separate as we stay afloat.
“Did you enjoy it?” I ask, hands tracing her lower back, chest pressed against hers. I feel her thriving heartbeat under mine, gauge her almost discreet moan.
“It was all right,” she whispers.
I raise a brow. “Was it now?” My voice is low as I duck my head, leaning for her mouth. Mine hovers over her parting lips. Her eyes flutter closed, and I feel hard. I hope she can’t feel me…the dirty side of me actually wishes she can, so we can do something about it. But instead of kissing her like she thinks I’m going to, I pull us under the water.
We twist around; our bodies intertwine and spin under the water. I’m laughing even though she can’t hear anything. But I do see her grinning, eyes closed, arms holding my biceps. I bring us to the surface, and my laughter is clear.
“Got you!” I wiggle my eyebrows.
“Fuck off, Noah!” She splashes at me, but I splash back. We do this back and forth for an eternity before I stop splashing and pull her closer, pulling her under again and again.
The fourth time we pop up, she’s screaming. “S-stop,” she stutters as she’s snorting in laughter. Her laughter makes my chest tight, my skin dance. Lively—she makes me feel so alive. I brush my knuckles against her red cheeks, and she smiles and stares into my eyes. Something in her eyes takes my breath away, and I could only press my nose against hers.
“Noah,” she whispers softly, pushing her hands into my hair.
I open my mouth to reply, but a scream and a loud splash cut me off. I look behind her shoulder and smile. Ty is resurfacing in the water and looking up. I follow his eyes, and Red does too, gasping as we watch Majesty run off the cliff. The splash is encouraging for Mike. I wait for Rachel to come down, but when she doesn’t, Red splashes me and swims toward shore.
“Race you!” she screams.
I’m confused when I realize she wants to jump again.
“You’re on, Sylvetti!” I swim after her and, noticing my fast approach, she curses and swims faster.
We jump again, and again, and again until the thrilling feeling of jumping is blurred out by hearing her shout before we hit the water, feeling her when we swim underneath water, and feeling her hand as we race up to the cliff.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Red
Majesty can’t dance for shit. I repeat this over and over in hopes of it sinking in, but it doesn’t with every chicken dance and robot move she busts out. She’s always danced like this, so why am I suddenly amused by her?
I try to keep up with her, but I just can’t; she’s moving too erratically, bursting with energy. I’ve always been envious by how carefree and how she’s always hopped up on unicorn juice, ready to jump out of a plane if you asked her nicely enough.
Nonetheless, I throw my hair around and dance like I’m being electrocuted, for her sake. No one would criticize me anyhow, what with one of my prized abilities being punching a motherfucker out in two seconds flat, one if he’s a super-duper asshole. I take her hands and spin us around and round until we’re dizzy and spinning out, then come back together and dance to the trashy music.
Why won’t the DJ grow some real music-balls and play me some Nirvana?
I don’t pout for long. I can’t; not when my man is staring at me, engrossed with how I’m rocking my hips and fisting my own hair. I do these sexy moves for him, rolling around in circles. I get quite a few stares, but they all seem to back down when I give them dirty looks, accompanied by his. I only want him watching anyway.
Damn…he is so handsome. I don’t think I’ve ever really called a guy handsome, but he deserves to have the word reserved just for him. I mean, look at him! His short dark-brown curly hair and baby dimples gives him his boyish looks, but his jaw and straight nose and muscles—those give him his damn sex appeal. And he’s all mine.
It admittedly releases a herd of animals to run rampage in my stomach and makes me giddy as fuck. I’ve never been with a guy who makes me feel this way. So wanted and loved and respected and…admired. He is such a good guy; he’s sweet, and thoughtful, and funny, and just so fucking perfect, it almost breaks my heart that he’s mine.
Almost.
I know I’m seriously bad for him—I’ll tarnish the boy—and that I should let him go, but I can’t help but be selfish and keep him. He makes me feel alive. Like the last twenty years, I was barely breathing, but when he entered my life, a breath of fresh air seeped into my lungs and set me on fire, but in a good way—a really damn good way.
He begins to walk over, and I have a minor freak attack like usual. But I bite the inside of my cheek and keep my facial expression neutral. Can’t have him finding out how head over heels in love with him I am…despite the amount of times I told him on the way here.
Gah. I am turning into a sappy, putty-thing in his big, strong, muscular arms.
I lick my lips and bite on my lip ring.
This boy has got me wrapped around his finger…
Oh, that finger…
“Ladies,” his deep voice says, and I smile.
“Noah,” I reply.
He just stares at me in this longing way. Those dimples are waving at me, and I envision myself waving back. They’re so cute, he’s so cute—gah!
“I guess that’s my cue.” Maj coughs, and I guiltily glance at her. But she winks, mentally telling me it’s fine…and to bone on and use protection. I roll my eyes as she speaks. “I have a Brandon to find.”
“He’s here?” I groan. That asshole keeps leading her on then breaking her heart when they fall back into their rocky-as-fuck relationship.
“Mhm, and I know—I won’t let him get any this time…unless he’s wearing those pants I like.” She bites her lip and looks away with a faraway look. “You know great asses are my turn-on.”
I laugh and playfully nudge into her, pulling her from her dreamland. “Go on then,” I say, and she nods, kisses my cheek, waves goodbye to Noah and his dimples, and skips off. Literally. Sigh. She is so into that ratty little boy, I pray he doesn’t break her heart again. I’d have to break my fist punching his ass to Neverland so he’s where he belongs, where he can remain a silly little boy for the rest of time.
“You’re really protective of her, aren’t you?” Noah asks, and I raise my pierced brow. I play with it briefly, and he watches with an unreadable expression. Why is he poking his cheek with his tongue like that?
“Fuck off. You don’t like my piercing,” I blurt out harshly and begin to storm off. It’s stupid, I know, but I get really self-conscious about my looks when I’m around him, piercings and tattoos-wise. He’s just so pure and good-looking, and beside him, I look like a deviant trying to tame myself or some kind of BS like that.
He grabs my hand and twirls me into his chest, his smile charming and wide. “Hold on now. I was just admiring you.”
“Bullshit,” I murmur, turning away from his handsome face. If I look any longer, he’ll suck me into those beautiful green eyes of his, and those damn dimples…not that that’s a bad thing…
“I’m being serious, Red.” His voice is low, and the back of his hand smooths over my cheek, rubbing gently. Assuringly. Softly. Ugh, I love this man so much it hurts. “You are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever had the chance of seeing, not to mention having as my own.”
My heart flutters and tap dances. “Shut up…” I murmur shyly, wrapping my arms around him. I always resort to these words when I’m at loss for his strong, blush-worthy words. Which is almost freaking always. I hope he knows I don’t really mean it…
He bursts into lively laughter that makes people just stop and turn to smile at him, admire him the way he should be. “Do you wan
t something to drink?” His thumbs are on my lips now, tracing my soft cupid’s bow. His eyes are so intense, watching me closely, as if memorizing every detail about my face.
“Sure…if I can drink it off your body.” I smile devilishly and drag a finger down his thin tropical-print tank top. I purr at his hard abs, and he chuckles and blushes when I look up at him through my lashes. I smile.
I kiss his chest and smile up at him suggestively. I want him so bad, and I really, really want to drink liquor off his hard stomach and cute belly button.
He leans down, cups my jaw with one large hand, and murmurs against my parted lips, “As long as I can do the same.”
I literally jump around, twirling in his hand and tugging him toward the kitchen. “To the vodka we go!” I exclaim, and he laughs and wraps his arms around me, and we stumble into the occupied space with his large body fumbling over his proximity. He holds on like he doesn’t ever want to let go.
I’m on my sixth shot, tongue in his belly-button, watching him giggle so openly and adorably, that I realize how deep I’m in. And I don’t mean my tongue. I mean how much I love this man. I don’t mean silly, dopey teenage love. I mean, completely and utterly in fucking love with him. So much so…I can’t imagine life without him.
The eureka moment makes me freeze. I don’t know what to do at this point. How do you breathe knowing you’ve found your It person? Especially when they’re licking vodka out of your belly-button and making freaking raspberries?
“Noah!” I giggle and wriggle around underneath his sweet mouth. “Stop!” Don’t you freaking dare.
Thankfully, he doesn’t and does one shot after another. He kisses up my stomach. “You. Just. Taste. So. Fucking. Good.” He licks between my breasts, and my eyes fall shut, and it’s hard to breathe. I cup the back of his head and ignore the immature “ooohs” as he does so. I wish he wouldn’t stop, but he kisses the rest of the way to my mouth.
Red: Fiery Finale (Spectrum Series Book 8) Page 22