Jax raises his eyebrows. “Doesn’t matter. A dare’s a dare. Lay it on me.”
I lean over and press my lips to his ear. “If you even think about kissing me I’ll rip your balls off and shove them in your pocket so you can think about me every time you sit down.”
He tosses his head back and laughs. “Oh man, you’re so hot.”
I kiss his cheek. “Truth or dare, Jax?”
“Let’s go with truth.”
“What is your deep dark secret?”
His eyes shoot to Sam, who is laughing at something Sophie’s saying. He looks down at his hands and then back up at me. A second later he shakes the truth off. “Unrequited love is no joke. Truth or dare, Soph?”
“Dare me to kiss Raina. I’m totally a lesbian tonight anyway.” She takes a shot like it’s nothing.
“Aww, don’t butter me up,” I tease, getting up to sit next to her. I throw my legs over hers and press my lips to her cheek. “I’d kiss you without a dare.”
Sam takes out her phone and starts texting like a crazy person. “You should have brought Kent,” she says.
Sophie and I look at each other. She hides her smile in my shoulder and I, my frown in her hair. “You want to go dance?” she whispers.
“Please. Come dance with us, Jax.” I grab his hand. He’s glaring at Sam.
We pull him unwillingly onto the lawn, creating a sandwich out of him and grinding against him until all he can think about is keeping up. Even when the party starts to taper off we don’t stop. We take breaks for shots and then we return, dancing as the sun rises. If I’m being honest, it’s the most fun I’ve ever had without Becca. I toss my head back and laugh like nothing matters, even though I know everything does. When the dancing’s over life will come hurling back. I know it. But for one night I pretend it’s Sophie and Jax and R. Kelley. At five thirty I am so drunk I can’t even walk without help.
“Call someone to come and get you.” Sam comes out of somewhere, half asleep and half dressed. “You guys are not driving like this.”
I fall onto her couch and rest my head on Jax’s shoulder. He drapes his legs over my knees and gets comfortable. I could sleep right here. Right now. Sleep all night…
“Call Kent,” Sophie suggests, joining us.
“Kent,” I grumble. “You call him.”
“All right. I will.” She gets up and a minute later she returns with my purse and phone. “Kent? Hey, this is Sophie. Raina’s friend. Come and get us. We’re too walk to drunk. I mean to walk. I mean we’re drunk.” She cackles. “You want to talk to Raina? She’s with Jax right now. Let’s FaceTime.” She points the phone at Jax and I snuggled together on the couch.
I try to see the screen but it’s too far away. Giving up, I rest my head back on Jax’s shoulder.
“That’s what I thought,” Sophie says to him. “I don’t know. They might have. She’s pretty smashed. You’ll be here in ten minutes? Cool.” She hangs up and hands me the phone. “Unrequited my ass. Jax, you should leave.”
“No!” I whine. “He’s my pillow.”
Sophie sits down next to me and holds the phone to my eyes. There’s a text from Kent.
Kent: Kiss the fucker goodbye.
“What fucker?” I ask stupidly. I feel stupid right now.
“You’ll thank me later.” She kisses my cheek as she texts something back to him and then erases the conversation. She turns it off and returns my phone back to my purse, grinning at me. “You’re so pretty, Raina.”
“Back off. I’m with Jax now.” I wrap my arms around his neck and he chuckles drunkenly in my ear.
“The closer you get, the harder he’s going to hurt.”
“Who?” I ask, feeling stupid again.
For hours, minutes or seconds, I can’t tell, we sit there spinning, having disjointed drunken conversations about things I cannot remember.
“Where is she?” A deep familiar voice rumbles from somewhere in the house.
Beside me Sophie is bouncing with excitement.
“In the living room,” Sam answers.
All of a sudden Kent busts into the room. I gasp at him and lift my head from Jax’s shoulder. “Kent?”
“Who the hell is he?” he demands of me.
I smile at Jax and kiss his cheek. “He’s my friend. Huh, Jax?”
“Answer that and I’ll rip you in half.” Kent stomps into the room and grabs my arm roughly, yanking me out of Jax’s arms and to my feet. “Let’s go, Rain.”
“Kent,” I whine. “It’s just Jax.”
“Fuck Jax. Let’s go. Where’s your purse?”
“Fuck me? Who do you think you are?” Jax pushes to his feet and shoves at Kent’s chest.
Kent stares at him impassively. “Move, Rain.” He shoves me back to Sophie, who wraps her arms around me. I don’t understand what’s happening until Kent punches Jax in the face. Jax crumbles to the ground like a rag doll and doesn’t get back up.
Kent turns back to me, calm as a clear blue day. “Where’s your purse?”
“I’ve got it,” Sophie supplies.
“Is Jax okay?” He’s snoring on the ground and Samantha is in hysterics, trying to rouse him. I try to go to him but Kent grabs my hand and pulls me until I’m thrown over his shoulder. I hang there, limp and confused.
“Peace out, Sam. See you on Wednesday,” Sophie calls pleasantly as we leave.
A familiar silver truck idles in the driveway. Kent walks around it with me over his shoulder and then shifts my body so he’s cradling me against his chest. He looks down at me in anger before gently setting me in the middle of the seat. As he walks around front, Sophie crawls in beside me.
“So hot,” she whispers.
Kent gets in, lifting his fine ass inside of the truck. Before we leave he buckles me in. As he does so I touch his handsome face, holding his strong jaw between my fingers. He looks me in the eye. “Hi,” I whisper.
He rolls his eyes at me. “Hi, Rain. Don’t puke in here. James will kill me. That goes for you too,” he warns, pointing at Sophie.
She puts her hand up. “I’m good. Are you good, Raina?”
“I’m hungry.”
She giggles. “Me too. I could go for some of those hot wings Joaquin makes.”
“Mmm,” I moan. “Right? The garlic wings.”
“With some blue cheese dressing with a side of birthday cake.”
“Oh man, that sounds good. With a corndog. I want a piece of pizza.”
“Pizza has too many calories.”
“Calories shmalories,” I slur.
“You two sound ridiculous. Where do you live?”
Sophie rattles off an address and I lean my head against Kent’s shoulder. I’m in a weird space of being drunk where I’m cognizant, but confused. He lifts his arm and I rest against his side. “You smell so good.” I press my nose against his armpit and inhale deeply. He smells spicy and warm. “I could totally eat you right now.”
“You’re wasted.” I take a bite of his chest and he laughs, pushing my head away.
I am not to be thwarted. I reach down and touch his thigh, dragging my hand between his legs. When I get to his crotch he reaches down and pushes me away. “Bad, Raina.”
“I thought you like bad girls?”
He clears his throat. “We’re not alone,” he reminds me.
I look over at Sophie. “I’m hungry.”
“I see,” she says, appearing amused. “This is me. Thanks for the ride. Bye, Raina.” She leans over and kisses my cheek. “I had fun. See you at work. Take what you want, girl.”
“Bye,” I whisper, but she’s already gone.
“We’re alone now,” he grumbles.
I peek at him. “Are you mad at me?”
“Who is Jax and why were you all over him? Did you two hook up?”
“No!” I shout, probably too loudly. “Of course not. The only guy I want to hook up with is you, Kent.” I roll my eyes like duh. Because come on. Duh.
“So not
hing happened?”
“Nothing. Sophie made out with Samantha. Does that count?”
“Not tonight.” He slows down and pulls into a Burger King parking lot. “Still hungry?”
My stomach growls in response. I undo my seat belt and lean over his lap to stare at the menu. As I do, he kisses my cheek. I look curiously at him.
“I thought you were with him.” He looks upset. “I was sure I was going to kill him.”
“Who?” I ask stupidly.
“No one,” he says, smiling lopsidedly at me. “Order what you want.”
“What if all I want is you?” I settle on his lap.
“You’re drunk.”
I sigh and blink at the menu. “I want a burger with cheese, fries, chicken nuggets, and a chocolate milkshake.”
“Is that all?” he teases.
I sit with my back to his chest, ignoring the steering wheel. One hand holds my stomach and the other guides us to the order pickup window. The cashier smiles at him.
I have half a mind to snap at her and growl like a cavewoman. Instead I remain quiet.
Like always.
“As much as I like having you on my lap, I need to drive.” His voice is deep and rough in my ear.
I shiver against him. “But I like it on your lap.” I wiggle down deeper into him.
Laughing somewhat uncomfortably, he leans over so he can see my eyes. “Go sit down so I can drive. Please?”
Pouting, I do as he says. I sit as close to him as possible and dig into my fries. “These are so good.” I eat ravenously, uncaring of crumbs and proper manors.
I’m growing more confused and less cognizant as the minutes pass by. I glance at the side of his face, tracing his silhouette as he drives. The sun is rising behind him and it encases his body, draping him partially in shadow and partially in fire. His hair looks translucent on one side and golden on the other. Half of his mouth is dark pink and the other is pale and supple. A need is unleashed inside of me.
Sensing me staring, he looks at me. I turn away because there’s no way I look as good as him right now.
“Stay away from Sophie.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s knows exactly what she’s doing. There are girls who do things without knowing, and then there are girls who do them knowing exactly what they’re doing. Some girls get off on ruining other people’s lives. Willow was one of those girls. Nothing ever ends well for them, but especially not the people who are dumb enough to fall for it.”
“Tell me about her. Willow,” I say bitchily. Right now I don’t like the sound of her name on his lips. I can drunkenly admit that to myself. “Tell me about her.”
“You’re drunk.”
“Of course I’m drunk. I drank. A lot.” I angrily shove a nugget into my mouth. “With Jax,” I add on purpose.
His jaw tightens. “Well, he won’t be drinking with anyone for a while.”
“Tell me one thing about her. One thing you loved.”
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because I want to know what’s so good about a woman who lets a man like you go. If you were mine I’d never let you go. No matter what,” I add firmly, having a revelation.
He inhales sharply. Turning into our apartment complex, he sighs as if what I said could never be true. “Man you’re drunk. Let’s get you upstairs and in bed.”
I blink as he parks. “Your bed?”
Shaking his head, he starts gathering my food. “No, Rain. Your bed.”
I reach over and touch his face, bringing it closer to me. “Your bed looks so much more comfortable.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “How do you know?”
Uh-oh. “I’m drunk.”
He shakes his head disapprovingly. “Smart-mouthed and nosey.” He undoes my seatbelt and opens his door. Hopping down, he turns back around. “Can you walk?”
“Let’s find out.” I take my purse and slide over to the driver’s side where he’s waiting to catch me if I fall. When my feet land and I don’t fall over I grin hugely. “Nailed it!”
He laughs at me. “I give you a 9.9. You wobbled a bit on the dismount.”
“Tough judge.” I skip ahead of him, feeling buoyant and invincible. The heat is already sticking to me. I skip around the parking lot as Kent tries to cajole me up the stairs. On one go around I spot the clear blue water of the swimming pool.
“Let’s go swimming.”
“Right now?” He wiggles my food and milkshake at me. “Don’t you want to eat?”
“I can eat at the pool.”
“You’ll get cramps.” He gives me an adorable apologetic face.
“You’ll save me.” I sound so sure. The part that is more cognizant than intoxicated wonders if I’m right. Will Kent save me? “Shut up,” I whisper to myself. “I’m going. See you later.” I take off for the pool.
“Raina,” he groans. I hear his feet pounding after me.
I run across the lush green lawn and then along the metal fence surrounding the pool. The gate gives way and I enter, inhaling the smell of chlorine coming off the water. The sun is peeking over the tops of the apartment, but it’s still somewhat dark by the water. Without preamble I begin undressing as Kent settles onto a lounge chair. I kick off my sneakers and socks, and then grab for my shirt. From my peripheral vision his gaze is clearly on me as I take my shirt off and drop it near my feet.
My bra is ivory-toned and made of sheer lace. I glance down at my body long enough to determine it’s like wearing nothing in front of him. My breathing deepens at the thought and I reach for my shorts, peeling them over my backside slowly and down my thighs. My pink lace panties feel like even less. I’ve never undressed in front of anyone before. Excitement travels over me as I pad barefoot and half-naked to the edge and get in.
The clear water parts for me as I break the still blue surface. I duck my head and swim all the way to the other end, searching for the courage I know I’ll need.
“Aren’t you coming in?” I call so only he can hear me.
“I’d rather watch you.”
For some reason I hear his words between my legs. “I’d rather watch you too.”
All the way from over here I see him swallow.
I look away and part the warm liquid, letting the water keep me afloat. For a few minutes I do laps, but it’s lonely without him, and I can feel him watching my every single move. His gaze is heavy, like fingers trailing over my skin. It’s turning me on. I know when I push my hair from my face, my breasts lift out of the water and he’s seeing them swell. When I’m swimming my ass is for his eyes. And when I kick my legs out he’s getting a perfect glimpse of them.
I swim to the edge of the pool and look him in the eye. “Come in.”
He takes one last sip of my milkshake and sets it down on the ground. “We both know what’s going to happen if I get in that pool. You still want me to come in?”
I squeeze my legs together. “Yes.”
“Are you sure, Raina? Think about it? Are you truly sure I’m what you want right now?” His searing gaze burns into me.
“I’m sure.”
Without another word he gets up.
He walks to the edge and looks down at me. Reaching for the hem of his shirt, he lifts it easily over his head and drops it at his feet. He reaches down and takes his boots off, putting his face close to me. I devour his body when he straightens up—his chiseled abs, chest, and arms—and have to force myself to breathe through my nose. His belt buckle is next. He yanks it apart effortlessly and searches for his zipper in the same motion. He pushes his jeans down his legs and steps out of them, adding them to his shoes and shirt. His boxer briefs are tight like black leather.
He walks around to the other end of the pool and takes the stairs slowly into the water. I stay where I am. He swims to me, the water parting against his chest. The sun creeps over the top of the gate and hits his back so that he takes my breath away. When he gets close to me I push off the wall and swim th
e rest of the way to him.
His arms encircle my waist under the water. He pulls me to him. “You really want this?” He presses his forehead against mine and his warm breath brushes across my lips, smelling strongly of my chocolate milkshake.
I wrap my arms around his shoulders, falling into his dark gaze. He looks hungry and fearful, as if his desire is greater than his uncertainty. Why am I the only girl he’s uncertain with? “Shut up and kiss me.” Just once I want it to only be me and him. I want all of the other women to fade away and for his desires to be focused solely on me.
Under the water I encircle his waist with my legs. Kent smiles and then he gives me what I want, bringing his lips down on me roughly. I turn my head to the side and open my mouth for him, wanting his tongue inside of me again. I move my fingers to the back of his head, threading my fingers in his hair. His strong arms are under the water, wrapping me tightly against his body. He kisses me deeply, wanting me with every inch of his body. His tongue tastes like chocolate as it strokes mine, owning me.
This kiss is so different than our first one. That was primal and hormone-driven. This one is intense, coaxing a fire slowly, feeding the flames with our lips. It’s as if we both know what we want in this moment, which is so incredibly sexy I moan against his mouth. I wonder if it’s the alcohol making me so confident. I don’t think too hard about it when his hands start to inch higher. He moves one leg between mine to hold me up as he lets me go so his fingers can skim my waist and stomach.
I break our kiss to watch him grab my breasts in each hand. He squeezes me gently, cupping me fully in his large hands. The lace of my bra is like a teasing thing. He’s not really connecting with my flesh, but he’s touching just enough of my skin to drive me wild. He leans down and brings his mouth close to my breasts. Right before his lips close around my nipple he looks up into my eyes. And then he sucks on me through the lace. My reaction is involuntary. I arch in his arms and moan, tugging on the handful of his hair I still possess in my fist. My nipple hardens enticingly between his lips.
I want his mouth. I want his tongue. I want to feel him.
I grab his face and crush my lips to his.
My Sweet Demise (Demise #1) Page 13
