"Feels fantastic."
I nodded politely and passed the hemp white chocolate cookies along.
"No, thank you."
"Don't worry, they won't get you high. Hemp is a terrific source of protein."
She leaned forward conspiratorially.
"Unless you have herpes. Then it's a no-no. Then you need lysine. Lysine is good for everything."
I stared at her, wondering how she kept it all straight.
"Janice, leave the poor girl alone. She has Betsy here to look after her nutrition."
A group of women in tunics were smiling down at me. They introduced themselves. They all lived on a communal farm and made their own clothes. They handed me a jar of pickled carrots.
"For when you get the cravings."
I thanked them and set the jar down among all the gifts I'd been given. I had no idea what I would do with all this stuff. So far the macramé baby sling was the most perplexing.
The sling was apparently woven from recycled wool and silk with smooth wooden beads to 'massage the baby.' It was pretty in an odd way, but it didn't exactly look secure. I discretely pushed it to the back of the pile for disposal later on.
It was strange how kind and welcoming everyone was being. Despite the strangeness of it all, I felt my eyes water up. After the way my parents had reacted, and my own fear, this was overwhelming me. So much kindness, even if they were a bit odd, meant more to me than I could have anticipated.
The softly playing guitar music wasn't helping with my sentimental mood. Every once in a while the room would break out in song. Classic songs everyone seemed to know the words to. Stuff my parents listened too mostly. Classic rock. Folk. Even some hymnals.
Oh yeah, I was basically weeping the entire afternoon.
I was wiping another swell of tears away when a hush fell over the room.
As usual, Betsy was at the door, chirping her cheerful hello. She was a natural hostess, warm and friendly. Everyone loved her.
"Welcome! Did you bring a gift?"
I looked up to see Kyle towering over Betsy. His broad shoulders blocked out all the natural light coming through the open doorway. He loomed over everyone in here.
He was here. In the room.
In Woodstock.
And he was pissed.
The corner of his mouth twisted in a cynical smile when he saw me. The look in his eye promised retribution. A shiver went through my body at the thought of what that retribution might be.
"Yeah, I brought a gift. Me."
Chapter Twenty-Two Kyle
She was safe. Healthy. Glowing. She looked beautiful and calm, while I'd been out of my Goddamn mind. That's the first thing I thought. Relief crashed through me, along with a healthy dose of anger.
She'd left me dammit.
Nobody left me.
I smiled at her, narrowing my eyes. It was not a nice smile. It was the smile of a predator who knew he'd cornered his prey.
Belinda's cheeks got red as I walked towards her. I could feel her friend at my heels. There were people everywhere, most of them dressed in soft, flowing fabrics. The woman who I'd collided with earlier was there as well.
She nodded to me coolly and I nodded back, like two gunslingers in a saloon. I would have laughed but I had one thing on my mind and one thing only.
Belinda.
"Kyle-I- what are you doing here?"
I didn't say a word. I just leaned forward slowly, sliding my arms underneath her. She squealed as I picked her up. I turned to her friend.
"Where?"
She knew what I was asking. I wanted a place to be alone. A place to take care of my business. She lifted a finger and pointed, a gleeful smile on her face. I nodded and walked out of the room with my package.
My package.
"Which door?"
"That's my room-Oh!"
I walked to the edge of the hallway and kicked the door open with my boot. Then I kicked it shut again behind me. I carried her to the bed and lowered her gently. Then I went back to the door.
And locked it.
"Kyle? I can see you are angry with me and-"
She stopped talking when my boots came off. Her eyes grew wide as I pulled my jacket off next. Her sweet little mouth opened and stayed that way as I peeled my jeans off.
Good. I could make use of that warm mouth right about now.
I was instantly hard. I had been semi-erect for the entire trip thinking about all the ways I was going to punish her. Please her. Take what was fucking mine.
"Do you have any idea how worried I have been?"
She shook her head, her glorious hair flying.
"No. I thought-I didn't-"
I pulled my shirt off and reached for my shorts. I pushed them down and the beast was out, pointing right at her. Her mouth opened even wider and I smiled.
"Clothes off. Now."
She just stared at me. When I walked towards her she finally seemed to snap out of her stupor.
"Kyle, there are people out there! We can't just-"
"We can and we will."
"But-"
"No buts."
I smiled.
"At least not until later."
Her face blanched. She got what I was saying. I practically rubbed my hands together, eager to get to work.