I want to kill Zander for being such an idiot and I’m pissed off that yet again he’s insinuating I’m sleeping with two men. I would have thought he knew me better by now. It is one thing that I lead others to believe that’s who I am, but he should know better. I’m trying my best to get away from Ray so I can brain the big, dumb-ass Cowboy up the side of his head with this bottle. Him or Paul (I can’t see who) takes the bottle away and then Ray kisses the top of my head. He bends down to whisper in my ear and I go still. Still. It’s all I can be when I take in his words.
“Damn Kitten, when you leap, you go all in. Welcome to the land of the living, Doll-face.”
Once I’m still Ray lets me go. My urge to kill Zander is over though. Instead I let Ray’s words settle inside of me. He’s not wrong. When Zander is around I am…alive. I’m usually frustrated and wanting to kill and scream like a banshee—but I am alive. Never once, not once since getting close to Zander, (and really before that) have I been afraid of him hurting me physically. In fact, I’m so comfortable with that knowledge that I strike out at him, without the usual sick fear that comes when I’m around a man—any man. That is…extraordinary. It says…so much. Then, I concentrate on Ray’s other words. When I decide to jump… Shit! I’ve already jumped. I’m so deep into whatever this is with Zander that no matter what happens, he’s going to take a piece of me. That is stupid. That is monumentally stupid. I don’t have many pieces left, certainly not enough to be giving them away. It’s too late and just thinking of the consequences robs me of my voice. So, all I can do is shrug at Zander and walk towards the bar. I need to regroup.
*
Apparently a few drinks and lame jokes is all it takes to make men best friends because Zander, Ray and Paul have all been joking and laughing, so much that they’re annoying the hell out of me.
“Don’t you have a job here or something?” I remind Ray, because I want to talk with Zander, or at least I think I do. It would be nice to at least have that option. He looks at me and that smirk he is wearing, annoys me. He knows what he is doing.
“I am working Kitten, I’m on a break.”
“It’s been an awful long break,” I mutter into my drink.
“She’s right, Crusher. We’ll talk tomorrow I figure.” He turns back to me before Zander responds, “I take it you’re going home with him and not Paul and me?”
“I don’t…”
“Yeah, I got her,” Crusher says interrupting my denial.
“Good job. I’ll probably stay with Ray then until clean-up is done. It’ll be late so we may stay in the office apartment in the back. Since you have company and all,” Paul adds, being about as subtle as a Mack truck.
“Jesus, why not just say Dani, we’re getting lost so you can get your brains screwed out by the hot cowboy-biker,” I mutter and apparently not too quietly because Crusher laughs—loudly, Ray and Paul do too.
“Paul and I are going to get lost so you can get your brains screwed out by the hot biker. Is that better, Kitten?”
“Oh loads,” I answer sarcastically. I ignore them all. When they leave, I continue ignoring Zander. Out of the corner of my eye I watch him stand up. He’s hovering over me waiting for a reaction. I don’t give him one. Apparently he can’t appreciate that he’s being ignored because instead of letting me continue, he sighs heavily (and loudly), then picks me up in his arms and starts walking out of the bar. Now I could complain and whine, but I don’t want to. I’ve wanted to be in Zander’s arms and alone with him since that kiss. So, I just lay against him and enjoy the feel of him holding me. In fact, it’s so nice, I decide to play.
I use my hand to pull his shirt up out of his jeans and slide my hands against the warm skin of his stomach. I push until the shirt is wadded up under his arms and then I slide my tongue against his nipple, flicking it before sucking it hard into my mouth with a groan. I’ve missed his taste.
Zander grunts softly. “Are you horny, Hellcat?”
I smile, biting down on his nipple. My man isn’t one for sweet words and seduction. My man. I like that. He can be mine, at least for a while. Surely the universe owes me that? I use my hands wrapped around him to pull his head down to me.
“I’ve missed you,” I whisper into this ear.
“Have you, sweetheart?”
“Yes, I’ve even dreamed about you,” I confess, using my nails to lightly rake down his stomach, grazing his nipples. God, surely we’ll be at his car soon.