I stare him in the eyes. There’s no way I’m going to back down and look like a child. I can give as good as I get.
Kitt’s hand fists the bottom of his shirt, and he starts to pull it over his head.
My heart lurches in surprise and excitement. “What are you doing?” I want this, obviously, but I didn’t think he would do it, and now, I’m scared he’ll make me.
“You challenged me, Tex. Are you pussying out of your own dare?”
“Yes! Are you crazy?” Oh God, please take your jeans off as well.
He shrugs, and my attention is brought to his shoulder and arm. Those tattoos. I want to see them all. Now. I want to trace them with my tongue.
“Is it crazy to follow through with a bet?”
No. I’m the crazy one. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.
Jesus, my hands are shaking, and I think I’m going to throw up.
With trembling fingers, I grip my top and take it off. Kitt’s eyes widen and hone in on my lace-covered breasts.
He didn’t think I would do it, and I’m a bit shocked at myself, too.
What am I doing? I don’t randomly take my top off, especially not for a bet.
“Tex…what…” he mumbles, his eyes still glued on my chest.
Thank God I’m wearing a nice bra rather than a boring plain one.
“Oh, I’m going to burn in hell. I can’t…”
The hunger in his eyes turns my insides to jelly. I want him so much that my body is throbbing.
I clear my throat. “Are you okay?”
He scrubs his eyes and finally looks at my face. “Wanna take a dare on you getting that bra off?”
Tilting my head to the side, I reply sarcastically, “I would, but unfortunately, you’re not wearing one.”
“Got a spare? I can quickly put one on and whip off.”
It is the most tempting offer I’ve had in a long time. I want to do it because seeing Kitt in a bra would make my whole life, but then I would have to take mine off, and I’m so not doing that.
When…or if Kitt ever sees me with nothing on, I don’t want it to be because of a bet.
“I don’t think I could handle seeing you like that.”
“Ah,” he says, nodding once. “Get too turned on?”
“Oh, yeah, I’m sure that’s it.”
“So, is that a no to the bra coming off?” His voice is rougher than usual, kind of like he has a sore throat.
Sexy as hell.
I roll my eyes and shove his chest hard. Yeah, I did that just to feel that six-pack. This touchier, get-shirtless Kitt is definitely more fun, but I know it’s going to be over soon, and he’ll pretend it never happened.
I need to remember that tonight is nothing but us messing around. Kitt is naturally flirty, and he does it with everything that has breasts. I’m not exaggerating.
Whatever this is, I need to enjoy it. I feel like my time with Kitt is limited. Filthy Sound won’t always tour with Enigma. Soon, Kitt will be off all the time, rarely coming home. He might even move far away. LA seems to be the relocation of choice for celebs. It’d be cliché as fuck, but it could happen. Peyton did it.
As much as it pains me to think about it, my friendship with Kitt has a sell-by date. Our connection is my dad’s band, and I’m scared that if the bands go their separate ways, Kitt won’t have a reason to see me again.
Deep down, I know I’m being ridiculous. We’re friends, and we have been for a few years now, so we’ll probably stay in touch. Kitt is one of the few people I trust, but the music industry and fame can change a person. I’ve witnessed that multiple times.
“Kitt, would you ever move to LA?” I blurt out before thinking.
“What? Do you remember our last trip to the US? I couldn’t get beans with my breakfast, finding a decent tea was like looking for the meaning of life, and they put a mash of cream and milk in their coffee. I couldn’t live there.”
His words soothe something inside me. Whatever happens, at least we’ll still be in the same country.
“Why did you ask that, Tex?”
I shrug and try to pretend like I wasn’t just holding my breath and panicking. At some point, I’m going to have to try to get over this thing with him, but it feels a lot like forever, and I have no idea how to deal with that without it exploding in my face.
“No reason. It just seems to be the done thing with rock stars and other celebrities.”
“You know I don’t like doing the done thing.”
“Yeah, is that why you’re sitting here, half-naked, with me?”
My dad gave a lot of warnings about any member of Filthy Sound messing around with me, and he was very graphic as he went into the consequences if that were to happen. Kitt is quite clearly choosing to ignore that because, right now, he’s breaking Dad’s rules big time. Again.
Kitt’s Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows hard. “You’re different.”