“I feel like I’ve been Jedi mind tricked,” I answered honestly. It was the truth; all my rules and pep talks, suddenly, didn’t matter! Damn! I actually wanted this guy.
Reece laughed and took his hand from my cheek, ran it down my arm and grabbed my hand. He waited to see if I was okay with it. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not. I had never held hands before, not with anyone.
“Come on Synclair, let’s eat, and you can tell me how you became the Storybook crusader for blind kids,” He chuckled pulling me along with him.
Using my free hand to facepalm myself, I sighed and let him pull me closer to his side, his hand felt warm and secure. We had only taken a few steps when he suddenly shifted me to the side of him that wasn’t nearest the busy street. Wow, did he just move me away from the traffic side of the sidewalk? Mayday! Mayday! All hands on deck, Synclair is sinking fast!
Another thought brought me out of my head; he wanted to know how I got started at the library! Shit, he was going to want details; he was going to want to try to get to know me. I was so fucked.
Reece
Just holding Synclair’s hand made me want to fist pump the air. I thought I was screwed when she looked at me with those fearful, hazel eyes. She actually thought I had come to the library to hurt her? No, matter what happened, I would never put my hands on a woman like that. First, I wasn’t raised that way and two; my mama would skin me with a dull knife if I ever disrespected a woman like that. So, tricking her into your bed so you can win a bet is better?
Deciding to ignore my conscience, I concentrated on the bigger question. Why was she so convinced I was going to hurt her? She hadn’t been faking that reaction; she was afraid. Synclair had been scared for the safety of those kids she had been reading too, or afraid because I was bigger than she was, which one, I wasn’t sure. The idea of someone picking on a smaller person, or some guy beating on Synclair made my blood boil. Trying to get myself together, I sharply reminded myself that this was a bet. That’s all. I was not allowed to care, not permitted to wonder about her life.
Still, I liked the feeling of her small hand in my large one. I loved the vulnerable side I saw when I knocked her off balance, by asking her to eat tacos instead of addressing her fear of me. Her confusion was endearing; my plan was going better than I had expected. I would wrap up this bet, get my money from Ron, and in the end, Synclair could tell her friends how the star player rocked her world. I had no doubt I had the talent to make our night together, rock. I would even take extra care to ensure it was the best night of her life. You can’t hate the person who rocks your world can you? Nah. No way! Happy with my direction, I pulled open the door and motioned for my little hellcat to proceed me.
Synclair
I don’t know how it happened. Nevertheless, somehow, I’d managed to spend the next three hours eating carne asada tacos and laughing with Reese Hudson. He told me all about his family’s ranch up north. I found it cute that he had decided to become a vet because his horse had died from an infection when he was just a little kid. I could tell how much he had loved the horse, the affection in his voice when he spoke was evident. Still, who comes to Las Vegas to study animals? Reece was so serious when he schooled me all about the history of my city. How back in western days, cattle runs were always made through Vegas, and how the Rodeo Championships were still held here every year.
The first part was interesting; however, no one needed to tell me that Vegas hosted the rodeo every year. It was the one time of the year that belt buckles were bigger than the hats on the cowboys, who wore them. Yet, they always seemed polite, at least from a distance.
I tried to keep the conversation on Reece. I told him the short truth about the library. How I had hung around there a lot and finally, the librarian had asked me to help. He seemed to accept my explanation and thankfully, he never asked me why I had spent so much time there. I didn’t want to lie to him, but I wasn’t ready to share all parts of my life.
I felt like this was the first time I had gotten to live life as Synclair. Syn would have grabbed the tacos and ran to her dorm room, but I wasn’t Syn anymore. Maybe I could have friends, maybe I could have lovers? The thought made me shiver.
“Are you cold? Here.” Reece asked while putting his jacket around me. Instead of going back to his side of the booth, he stayed next to me and smiled. I pulled his, far too large, jacket around my shoulders. Do not smell it, do not. Too late, before I could even heed my own advice, I buried my nose in his jacket and inhaled the warm, ocean and musk scent that was uniquely Reece. I looked up, and Reece was staring at me. His eyes were liquid jade and the vein at the base of his neck was pulsing wildly. My heart raced, and I looked away, knowing my cheeks were flushed red. Damn, that’s embarrassing!
“Don’t,” his voice was husky and low.
I looked back at him; I had to. When his gaze caught mine, he refused to let it go.
“Don’t be embarrassed that you want me,” he whispered as he leaned closer to me.
I should be pissed; I should smack him for his arrogance. However, he was right; I did want him. God, I was so embarrassed. I had never wanted anyone before, I wasn’t experienced with men. I had no freaking clue what I was doing. When his lips were just a breath from mine, he stroked my cheek with one hand and smiled, his eyes never leaving mine.
“I want you too; I'm not embarrassed, and I won’t let you be either. I'm not letting you run from this Synclair! Fair warning, sweetheart, track was my best sport in high school. You run… I follow.”
With that, he pressed his full lips against mine. He kissed the corners of my mouth; he kissed the tip of my nose, and then he nipped at my bottom lip. I gasped at the sensation. He groaned and slipped his tongue into my mouth. He threaded his hands through my hair hold me as he thrust his tongue gently in and out of my mouth. He teased my tongue with his until I started to respond, he was so gentle, never scary or overpowering. Even the hard grip on my head didn’t frighten me, in fact, it made me feel strange in my belly.
Dear God, the man could definitely kiss and with my limited experience, I was sure I sucked. It didn’t seem to matter to him, as I sighed into his talented mouth, he kissed me so thoroughly that my lady parts stood up and applauded.
Reece
She smelled like vanilla and tasted like the sugary, custard flan that we’d had for dessert. I told myself to keep the kiss short, to keep it sweet. I wasn’t sure how much experience she had, but my guess was not much. The way her tongue had tentatively touched mine made me want to groan. I loved how responsive she was to me. It was taking everything I had not to grab to those full breasts or put my hands on that ample ass.
I didn’t want to scare her, but when I saw her smelling my jacket, I just lost it. I had never seen so much desire in a woman’s eyes. Her hazel eyes almost turned green; they were so light. Her cheeks were flushed and the little groan she made, had me adjusting my pants.
“Damn, get a room,” someone shouted.
I felt Synclair freeze; she moved her hands, which had been buried deep in my hair- my new favorite thing, and gently pushed on my chest. I reluctantly lifted my lips from hers. I felt like thumping my chest when I looked at her wet, swollen lips and flushed cheeks. I had done that, I had put that thoroughly kissed look on her face. I looked over the back of our booth and glared at the guy, who had, obviously, been enjoying the show.
Nice job, you’re supposed to be getting her to trust you, not practically having sex with her in a vinyl booth at Taco Town. Hoping she didn’t slap me, I backed out of the booth, pulling her with me, I tucked her under my arm and led her outside.
Once we crossed the street, I stopped and turned her to face me. The glare on her face told me everything.
“Synclair, honey, I didn’t mean for it to go that far,” I braced myself for the slap, but it never came.
Her angry glare morphed into a silly grin. Before I could make sense of it, she reached up pulled my face down to her and gave me a loud kiss
on the lips. Laughing she released me and started walking.
“Geez Hudson, It was just a kiss. It’s not like it meant anything!” she yelled over her shoulder at me.
Wait? What? Didn’t mean anything? Wait, wasn’t that my line? I had told more women that, then I wanted to admit. I had a patent speech that explained to women, how kissing them didn’t mean we were together. I had always told them, kissing was great, but it was just that, kissing. Shit? When did all of this get turned around on me? For a moment, I wondered if I was playing Synclair, or if she was playing me?
Synclair
I tried to put Reece at ease. I’d acted like a hussy back there. Jesus, I’d practically crawled onto his lap in a room full of people. There was no telling what he thought of me. I mean, who gets lost in a lip lock at a taco joint? Apparently, I did. How was I supposed to be different from my mom if I acted like a freaking whore? You didn’t act like a whore; you acted like a girl who likes a boy. Nonsense, I chided. I needed to do better; I would do better.
I sighed. But, damn, he could kiss. However, I knew how it went with players. You give in and then they give you the brush off. I didn’t want to be one of Reece’s many conquests; I wanted to matter. If I had any chance at keeping my heart from getting hurt, I was going to have to use my head and not my ovaries to make decisions.
I knew my statement threw him. He was used to women falling down with their legs up for him. I had almost done the same thing, but I was going to be better than that. Putting my game face on, I let him grab my elbow and whirl me around.
“Don’t even try to deny that you liked that kiss as much as I did,” he warned. He was breathing hard, and I tried not to focus on how his chest strained against his tee shirt with every breath.
Smiling, I shook my head. “I’m not denying anything Reece; it was the best kiss of my life,” I told him honestly. His face brightened. “But, it’s just an attraction; we don’t have to act on it. We don’t have to take it further. We’re not animals that ruled my instinct, we’re human beings that have the intellect to choose what we do and don’t do,” I added. I watched his face fall. Now he looked like someone had run over his puppy.
“What if we want to act on it? What if there’s more there than just attraction?” he asked. The way his eyes were darting around made me feel like I finally had him off balance. Good, I thought, at least the playing field was even now.
I shrugged, trying to keep my expression blank, “I don’t date Hudson; I don’t do relationships, and I am not a whore. So, where exactly do you see this going then?” I asked. I tried to look bored, but my heart was beating so hard, I could barely breathe.
“We don’t have to label everything; we don’t have to over-think this. Let’s just feel our way through it,” he suggested as he moved closer. I backed up, trying to avoid the heat of his body, and hit a cement wall. I inhaled sharply when he put his hands on the wall and caged me in. All I could see was Reece, his smiling green eyes, his dimples, his well-formed arms. Geez, if I didn’t get a hold of myself soon, I was going to drool. Dear God, this was harder than I thought.
Reece
I had Synclair’s back against the wall, using my body to cage her in; I tried not to lose myself in those hazel eyes of hers. I have no idea why I was doing this. I had just want a rise out of her, but the fact that she was acting like that kiss hadn’t been scorching hot was killing me. It wasn’t just ego; it was something more. Something in me wanted her for more than sex, which really fucked me because that was the only thing I was supposed to want out of her. She was lying; I knew she was. She wanted me as much as I did her. I should tell her about the bet, just come clean, grovel, and then we could move past it. Conversely, she might rip my nuts off and bury me in the desert. Shit.
“I don’t think you’re a whore, even if I took you right here, against this wall, You. Are. Not. A Whore.” I put my forehead against hers. If nothing else, I didn’t want her to think that when I did, finally, get her in my bed, that she should be ashamed.
“We’re not dating,” she lifted her cute chin up at me defiantly.
“Of course not,” I almost grinned when I saw her face fall. “We’re spending time together in various locations, exclusively,” I told her brushing my lips across hers in a brief kiss. I felt her body relax. See, she doesn’t want to see other people either.
“I don’t do relationships,” she blurted out suddenly. I could tell she was trying to figure a way out of this. No way sweetheart, you are mine.
“I don’t either.” That was true. I hadn’t had a relationship since my sophomore year of high school, with track, basketball and boxing, I didn’t have time. Sex, I was definitely always down for that, but relationships were messy, and I didn’t do messy. At least until now. For some reason that I could not explain, the idea of a relationship with Synclair didn’t seem so bad.
“We are not in a relationship; we are two adults, spending time together with no actual destination,” I told her, it sounded reasonable in my head. I had to make sure she didn’t bolt, if that meant calling our relationship, not a relationship, I was game. I knew one thing, as soon as I got back to campus I was backing out of this bet. I didn’t care if I paid Ron a thousand dollars. After that, I was coming clean to Synclair, whatever body shots she took, I would gladly take. As soon as she was done pummeling me, I would get her to forgive me. My pops had always told me that when I met the woman I would spend my life with, I would know right away. Hell, the story of how he had met my mother on a city bus and spent months, relentlessly chasing her until she had agreed to marry him, had been a favorite family bedtime story for years.
“Bobby, Bobby wait,” Synclair yelled. She pushed against my chest, hard. Confused, I stood back. As soon as I was clear, she took off.
What the ever-loving fuck? I took off after her. I rounded the corner, just as she caught up to some kid. He had to be about ten or eleven; he was dressed in shorts and a Pokémon tee shirt with no shoes. Pulling up alongside him, I saw the bloody lip he was sporting. Crap.
Synclair
I broke from Reece and ran after Bobby. I would recognize the Pokémon crazy kid anywhere. His mom Nadine and his two sisters were regulars at the shelter I volunteered at. The last time I had seen him was about a month ago. Nadine, Bobby, and the girls had come in scared and dressed in nothing but pajamas. Nadine was nursing a black eye, a broken wrist, and a cracked rib. I offered her every program; I begged and pleaded. I had seen it before. The guy gets high or drunk, beats his family and then promises it won’t happen again. It usually ends with someone going to jail or someone dying, and since her husband Mack wasn’t in jail, I was terrified of the other outcome. Like many abused women, she broke down and went back to him about a week later. The only thing I took comfort in was that she lasted a whole week, last time. I could only hope someday she would make the break. Poor Bobby had become a little grown up. He watched over his sisters and brought his mom ice for her eye. He was far too grown up for his age, and my heart broke for him because I knew what it felt like, I had been there, I had been him. So, when he tore past me like Satan was chasing him, I bolted to catch up with him.
“Bobby, what’s happening?” I asked. Man, the kid could run.
It took him a second, but he recognized me. Throwing his arms around my neck, he started talking and crying at the same time.
“Syn, Syn, you gotta come, you gotta come now. Dad is drunk or high or both. I don’t know,” he cried harder. I felt his tears soak my tank top. “He’s gonna kill her this time, he said he would; she got a lawyer and dad’s banging on the door. I crawled out the bedroom window. I don’t know where to go!” He shouted clutching me so tight; I almost couldn’t breathe.
This was bad; this was so bad. I knew Reece was standing there, watching everything. The smart thing was to call the police, stay with Bobby and Reece, and wait until the cops got here. Nevertheless, I knew what would happen; we would call the cops, it would be logged as a domestic dispute
, and Metro would show up hours later, always too late. I pulled away from Bobby and looked at his little brown eyes; I looked at his bloody lip, and I couldn’t do it; I couldn’t lie to him and swear that the cops would save Nadine. I knew better; Nadine would be dead by the time they got there, and Bobby and his sisters would go to foster care.
I looked up and Reece; he must have guessed what I was about to do. He started shaking his head. I stood up and thrust Bobby at him. Placing his hands on Bobby’s shoulder Reece continued shaking his head.
Ignoring the worried frown on Reece’s face, I looked at Bobby.
“You know your address, right Bobby?” I asked, feeling my pockets for my cell phone.
“Yeah, it’s right down the street on Tamarus, the pink house with the broken Ford in the driveway,” he shrugged, wiping at his tears. He pulled out of Reece’s grip. I grimaced inwardly, my little man, so tough, so young to be this tough.
“But, do you know the address so that my friend Reece, here can tell the police?” I had to know if he could do it or not, the actions I would take next, depended on his answer.
“Yeah, 5649 Tamarus Ave,” he recited. Decision made, I looked at Reece. He was going to hate this part; no let me clarify; he was going too really, fucking hate this part.
“I don’t have my phone, do you have yours?” He nodded, looking relieved. I felt bad… I really did.
Reece and I were different; we were from different worlds. In his world, he probably believed the cops were going to show up and put everything to rights. In my world, if you waited for the cops, you might as well call the coroner. Don’t get me wrong, I met a lot of good cops. However, they didn’t choose what calls they went out on; it was all politics.
Before The Dawn: Prequel to Back to You - Synclair and Reece! See Where It All Began! (A Hudson Family Series- PREQUEL to BACK TO YOU! Book 0) Page 4
