I drag my knuckles across her firm cheek. “If a man did that to you, I’d punch him.”
Her giggle tickles at my ears. I love it!
“Neanderthal,” she says as she gently punches my arm. “I can’t believe she was willing to give you alcohol. Tell me what other things women have offered you for a moment of your attention.”
“You don’t really want to know that, Alyssa. Just like I don’t want to know why in the world you would frequent such an establishment as this,” I say as I scan the dirty bar.
The lights flicker over a pool table as the bikers swill from large glasses of dark, frothy topped beers. Their protruding bellies are a testament to their devotion to the fattening spirit.
Her smile dazzles me as she leans in a bit closer. “Watch how you talk about this place. Those bikers call this place home and anyone who speaks ill of their home usually finds themselves sprawled out in the parking lot with boot prints on their asses. Oops, sorry. Don’t want to offend your delicate senses by cursing. I meant to say bottoms.”
Placing my hand behind her neck, I pull her to me, leaning my head to speak in her ear. “It is not my delicate senses I worry about. It’s your honor I wish to protect by reprimanding your use of vulgar obscenities. With a mouth so beautiful, it’s a crime to let disgusting words flow out of it.” I leave a kiss on her cheek to soften my correction.
The glow of pink on her cheeks shows me she’s taken in what I’ve said and I’m pleased to see it. “How you speak is so … what is the word I’m looking for? Eloquent. Far beyond your years, Eden. I’ve never thought about the words I use making me seem dishonorable. You’re right, though.”
I’m right! That’s a step in the right direction. She’s beginning to trust me.
The cigarette smell is back and I turn to find the waitress back with our orders. She tosses my mates’ basket with her burger and fries in it and a fry falls on the table. I quickly pick the fry up and hold it near her face, which is much too close to mine as she leans over me to throw food at my princess.
“If you weren’t tossing things at this young lady, you might be able to keep the food where it belongs. See that you stop, or your tip will reflect my disapproval.”
Her eyes widen and she pulls her ample body up. “Sorry, sir. It won’t happen again. I promise,” she says, then her eyes dart to Alyssa. “Sorry, Ally. I didn’t mean to do that.”
Alyssa blinks back at her. “It’s okay. No big deal.”
No big deal! Really! So she feels it’s just fine to have someone treat her disrespectfully.
That is what he made her feel like when they came here. A common girl who is treated with no respect at all is what he’s made her.
“Mmmm, take a bite, Eden. It’s really good,” Alyssa says with a moan.
Not one bit mad. Wow!
“Okay, then, here it goes.” I lift the grease-laden mess to my mouth and take a hearty bite. I’m immediately sorry I took such a large bite of the foul tasting—dare I call it a burger?
Her face lights up. “See, it’s good, right?”
I swallow the horrible stuff, then wipe the grease from my lips. “No, it’s not. It’s quite possibly the worst thing I’ve ever tasted,” I say as I take the cap off my bottle of water and try my best to get the nasty taste and greasy film out of my mouth.
What I would give for a toothbrush right now!
Alyssa laughs and takes another bite. I so badly want to take this burger—if you can call it that. I doubt there’s any real meat to the thing—and toss it in the trash.
She swallows and wipes her mouth. “You have to be joking. These are the best burgers in town. Come on, try another bite, Eden.”
“If you truly believe that, then we must educate that pallet of yours,” I say, then tweak her cute little nose.
She scrunches it up, making her even more adorable. “And just how might you go about doing that?”
Another bite she takes, making my stomach hurt at the sight. Only the best foods should pass through that delicious mouth.
“I’ll take you to the finest restaurants this planet has to offer.”
A smirk forms on her sweet lips and I wish I could kiss it off.
“Only if I agree to that, and I am quite taken, if you will recall. A friendship is one thing and traveling around to eat is quite another. Kyle will not cotton to the idea of me and you traipsing all over just so my pallet can be refined.”
There it is again, the stab in my heart every time she says his name.
“What that boy doesn’t know won’t hurt him, princess. I have a jet. Let me take you to one tonight. I know the perfect place to start your education.”
With a gleam in her eye, her smirk turns into a full-blown smile. “You have a jet?”
She’s interested now. I might be able to talk her into it.
“I do. We could be there in about an hour. What do you say?”
“Dad would never allow it,” she says, but she’s still smiling.
She’s finished the awful burger and drained her glass, so I guess she’s done eating. “Let’s get out of here and go ask him,” I say as I stand and pull her to come with me. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I hold her close.
“He’ll never agree to that, Eden. But you can ask, I suppose.”
A beam of dust-filled light comes in as the door opens. A gangly boy with a light brown mop of messy hair walks in. He turns back and gives a thumbs up, then closes the door. The boy heads straight to us, his eyes on my mate.
“Sup, girl?” he drawls.
“Hey, Cody,” Alyssa says, as she wiggles in my grasp a bit. “This is, Eden. Our parents are friends and he’s visiting for the week.”
His eyebrows go up and he gestures to the hold I have on her. “And just what is this about, Al?”
“Didn’t you hear about my accident?”
He frowns and answers, “Yeah, and you don’t look like you got hit by no truck.”
She giggles. “That’s because I didn’t, silly. I stopped, then fell and hit my head. I get dizzy pretty easily, so Eden has been kind enough to help me get around, or I’d be stuck in bed.”
“Convenient, isn’t it?” His eyes move over my entire body, sizing me up.
I perceive him as no threat. He doesn’t ruffle my feathers even a tiny bit.
“We were just on our way out,” I say as I propel my mate forward, away from him.
He stands in place and watches us leave. I drop a hundred in front of the red-head and proceed to the door. I can feel his eyes burning a hole in my back.
“Don’t you want your change?” the waitress calls out.
I lift my arm and wag my finger as I gesture a no back to her.
“Have fun, Al,” I hear the boy say as I open the door.
The light is bright and I’m blinded for a second. Pulling the shades from my head, I put them in place. Alyssa does the same thing.
“The light is killing me,” she mutters.
Looking back up, I see a tall black truck parked right next to my jag. The tall blonde guy from the hospital is leaning up against the hood of my car. His arms are crossed and he wears a very pissed off expression.
Fantastic. An interaction with the boy who’s treated my mate like a common girl for years.
This should be good!
CHAPTER 17
ALYSSA
I struggle to get away from Eden’s tight grip. Kyle already looks pissed. This won’t help matters. “Eden, let me go. He’s mad enough,” I hiss.
“I’m not letting you go, Alyssa. So stop wiggling,” he says with a harshness I’ve yet to hear from him.
“What the fuck is this shit, Ally?” Kyle asks as he gestures to the hold Eden has on me. “All hugged up on him, and are those matching sunglasses? Well, how fucking cute are the two of you? Tell me when the fuck you broke up with me, Alyssa. And when does this guy leave your house? His car’s there all through the night.”
Eden smirks. “Stalk much?”
His arms are crossed and the expression on his face tells me those words softened his demeanor none.
“I’ve had a couple of concussions playing football, Al. No one had to hold me up for days on end. Let’s just say someone did carry me around—a hot nurse, maybe—would that have gone over for you, Ally?”
Obviously he doesn’t get it. “Okay, I see you’re jealous. There’s nothing to be jealous about. Come out to the house later and we can all get to know each other. I’m sure we can all become friends,” I say, then he drops his arms to his side and a glint of a tear threatens to fall, breaking my heart.
“Come to me, Ally. I just need to hold you, then I’ll believe everything can be all right.” His arms open up for me to go into them and I want to.
I look up at Eden. “Let me go.”
His eyes are impossible to see through the dark glasses, but by the small wrinkle of his forehead, I assume he’s frowning. “I’d rather not.”
Kyle flies off the hood of the car. Grabbing Eden’s shoulder, he pulls back his fist. “No! Kyle, don’t!” I scream as his fist moves through the air towards Eden’s face.
Eden doesn’t even take a step back. His free hand catches Kyle’s fist as though it was a baseball which had been tossed to him. “Not going to happen, guy,” Eden says with an eerie calmness.
Kyle’s eyes widen in disbelief. “What the fuck? Who the fuck are you? Why are your hands on my girlfriend?”
Eden lets Kyle’s fist go and takes a couple of steps back, taking me with him. “Your language is disgusting and I’m afraid it’s rubbed off on Alyssa. A gentleman doesn’t use such words in the company of someone as precious as she is. This bar is also no place to take her to. I’m quite sure you’re not a person she needs in her life. You’ll only bring her down.”
My mouth drops open with what he’s told my sweet Kyle. I jerk myself from his tight grip and stand next to Kyle.
“Eden, how dare you! It’s not your place to speak to him like that. I will not have it,” I shout, then take Kyle’s hand and lead him to the side of his truck. “I’m sorry he said those things to you. He’s extremely upper class and sees things differently than we do.”
Kyle backs me up against his truck, pressing his body to mine as he hugs me. Lightly, he kisses my cheek.
“Kiss me, Ally. Show him what I am to you. He needs to know. He’s trying to steal you away from me. Can’t you see that?”
“He can’t do that. I’m solidly with you. Have faith in our relationship and how I feel about you. I love you, Kyle.”
“Kiss me, then, and show him.”
His eyes beg me, but something in me feels it’s wrong. Eden needn’t see us together like that to know my heart is Kyle’s.
“Come to my house later, Kyle. It’s not right to kiss you here in this parking lot where everyone can see our business. You’ve never asked me to do this before. You need to trust me.” My heart beats hard against his chest.
His mouth moves closer to mine even though I’ve told him no. “Don’t be mad at me, Ally,” he says just before his lips land on mine.
A hand grips my shoulder and I’m yanked away from Kyle. Carrying me away by my waist, Eden places me in the car without opening the door.
“Eden!” I yell as he buckles my seatbelt. I see Kyle moving up fast behind him. “Kyle! No!”
My eyes must be deceiving me because Eden’s feet don’t seem to move, or they move so fast I can’t see them.
He has Kyle pinned to the side of his truck, his hands on Kyle’s shoulders as he says, “This stops now. She said no and she will not be disrespected. Talk to her father if you wish to see her. Although I doubt he’ll allow that once I let him in on how your influence has affected her. If you care for her at all, you’ll leave her alone. She’s far too special for what you have in mind for her. By the way, how is it you think so little of her that you’d take her to your bed with no vow between you?”
Kyle struggles to move, but can’t seem to. “You’re ancient, dude. Our personal relationship is none of your business. She’ll be of legal age to consent to a physical relationship in mere weeks, and you can bet she’ll consent to whatever I ask her to. She loves me, dude. Get over it.”
I can’t take this anymore. “Eden, let him go! I’ll talk to him later.”
Eden looks back at me, his jaw clenched. “As you wish, Alyssa.”
He does like I’ve asked and my heart throbs in my chest as Kyle looks like a fallen man. Finding himself unable to get out of Eden’s hold must have made him feel weak. I’ll have to let Eden know he can never handle Kyle like that again.
I offer a small smile to Kyle, who looks back at me with a dejected expression on his poor face.
“Please let me in when I come over, Ally. We have to fix this. I’ve been over every day and your father won’t let me in. I’ve called and left messages and texts. They’re stopping you from seeing or even talking to me.”
Eden slides into his seat and starts the car, peeling away.
I call out to Kyle, “I didn’t know, Kyle. Come tonight.”
As I turn back around, I find tears falling like rain down my cheeks.
“Eden, why would my parents do that? Kyle’s not what you think. He’s a good guy. The cussing is just words. Everyone uses them. He’s never done anything to me I haven’t allowed.”
Eden hands me a handkerchief. “He kissed you when you told him not to. How many other things has he done with no one to witness?”
“Is it you behind my parent’s actions? Do you have some hold over them? They’re aliens to me since your arrival,” I say as the tears dry up and an anger the likes of which I’ve never felt before wells up inside me. “I find it odd that you came here with at least two gifts for me. You had no idea about me, having never met me. Are you someone who’s stalked me online or something? There’s a chance you’re blackmailing my parents to get to me. Is that what’s happening here?”
Eden reaches for my hand and I draw it back. “Alyssa, princess, don’t think like that about me. I’m no crazy stalker. I have no hold over your parents. I’ve come to care for you since we’ve met. It is true that I would like to have something more than a friendship with you. That boy is not right for you. You’re making a mistake in thinking he is. Your life with him would be a string of trailer parks and hardships.”
“You’re a snob, Eden. A heartless snob. I’m afraid I can no longer be your friend. Once we get home, I want you to leave me alone. I want nothing else to do with you during your stay or ever again. Whatever is going on is stopping now. I’ll have no more of it, or you,” I say, clenching my fists so hard my fingernails dig into my palms.
Pulling to the side of the road, Eden takes me by the shoulder, making me turn towards him, but I look away. “Alyssa, please listen to me,” he begs, but I won’t look at him. He takes my chin and pulls my sunglasses off. “Look at me, Alyssa.” I meet his eyes and make sure he sees the anger in them. “Good. I can’t stand the thought of not being in your life. Please reconsider.”
“Fuck you!”
He flinches and I’m glad to see it. “Alyssa, please. You’re too good for this behavior. I’ll do anything you want if you don’t shut me out. Life is not worth living without you in it. Can you understand me? Would you not miss me at all?”
“Eden, I’ve never felt better or worse since I’ve met you. You’ve made me happy, and when you kissed me I honestly had to question if Kyle was the one for me. That kiss felt like we were one and the same. A sense of being whole enveloped me. But this side of you is too much to take. Judging others is not something I do or allow in my life. You speak of Kyle as if he were a piece of trash to be tossed
away with no remorse. That boy, as you continue to call the love of my life, is a fine man and he will make something of his life. Truth be told, I’d live wherever he wanted. I love him that much.”
The hold he has on my chin softens and his knuckles graze my cheek. “That kiss made me feel that way too, Alyssa? I suppose the way I’m beginning to feel about you has me being something I’m not. Perhaps jealousy is why I’ve said the awful things about that boy—sorry—about Kyle. I’m no snob, and I don’t really think he’ll live in trailer parks.”
“So you felt it too?” I ask as I pull his sunglasses away from his face so I can see his eyes. He nods and I confess, “I’ve never felt that with Kyle.”
Intensity covers his face. “So we should try it again and see what we feel, shouldn’t we?”
“It isn’t right, Eden. I’m still with him. I would never want him to do this to me.” My heart aches with the struggle I’m having.
“You owe it to yourself to be sure, Alyssa. If he’s not the right one for you, it would be a sinful existence to go on with your plans when you can have a better life with someone else. A better connection with someone else might be possible.”
The constant current of electricity as his hand touches the top of mine cannot be denied. I bite at my bottom lip as I look at our hands on my lap.
Why does it do this to me?
I look up at him and ask, “What does your hand feel like right now?”
Leaning into me, his voice is but a whisper. “A current flows between your hand and mine. It’s happened every single time I’ve touched you.”
He’s right!
“Have you felt this with anyone else?”
Slowly, he shakes his head as his eyes look deeper into mine.
Damn it, this is too intense!
“Eden, I know what will happen if I let you kiss me, and it breaks my heart because I’ll have to break his and I do love him.”
The glisten in his eyes tells me much. “I know you do.”
A tremble runs through him and I feel it in my core.
How can that be?
Nobody's Girl Page 51
