Savin' Me (19 page)

Erik gave Kevin a shove, then let go of his
shirt and turned away. Leave it to these two assholes, the two guys
who were supposed to be his closest friends, to break out the
knives and slice him open.

Shit, he needed to go make a few enemies.
Maybe they’d be less vicious than his supposed friends.

Chapter Twelve

Kat leaned in close to the mirror and gently…
very, very gently… swiped a generous portion of moisturizer over
her sunburned cheeks, nose, and forehead. The bass from the music
downstairs reverberated off the bathroom walls, and the noise from
the crowd grew louder with each passing moment.

Erik had warned her that, while Friday nights
were reserved as the guys’ night to howl and included only his
closest friends, Saturday nights were a free-for-all. And from the
sounds leaching through the floor, he hadn’t exaggerated.

She straightened and studied her reflection.
A splash of foundation would be helpful, but the thought of
touching her skin again, with anything other than aloe vera, made
her cringe. She shook her head and muttered, “How could you
possibly have forgotten sunscreen?”

After talking with her granddad, running as
far and fast as possible had been the only thing on her mind. When
she returned, Steve met her on the beach with a bottle of water and
a clear you-don’t-want-to-go-up-there expression on his face. She
didn’t know what happened, but the body language between Erik and
Kevin had been tense all day. And though she didn’t have any way to
confirm it, she suspected it had something to do with her.

Erik showed up a few minutes behind Steve,
carrying a hot-pink boogie board. They spent the rest of the
afternoon on the beach, swimming, playing volleyball, and just
hanging out. Although tension was running high between Kevin and
Erik, things with her and Erik had been great, so she agreed to
stay another night.

She knew their issues hadn’t miraculously
solved themselves, and she worried how things would be once they
went back to Riverside. But she enjoyed herself tremendously
throughout the day and planned to do the same this evening. Real
life would intrude soon enough.

She slipped into a simple sundress, pulled
her hair up into a loose knot, stepped into sandals, then headed
downstairs. As she neared the bottom of the steps, she used the
height advantage of the stairs to see over the large crowd and
scanned the room, searching for Erik… And found him.

“I’ll be damned,” she muttered, while
crossing her arms over her chest. “At least this one’s not
blonde.”

***

Large crowd. Thumping music. Flowing drinks.
A typical Saturday night, and Erik was in his element.

So why did it feel like a noose was tied
around his neck and no matter how deep a breath he took, he
couldn’t get enough air? Normally, he fed off the vibrating energy
of the crowd. But not tonight. Tonight, he’d rather be in a quiet
place with Kat, alone.

As he searched the crowd for her, the fine
hairs on the back of his neck prickled with unease and a puddle of
dread settled in the pit of his stomach. A heavy, spicy fragrance
settled around him, and he closed his eyes while muttering a curse.
He didn’t need to turn around to know Lizbeth was closing in on him
from behind. The scent was as bold and memorable as the woman who
wore it. Brassy and audacious, her presence could be felt before
she was visible.

He hadn’t seen her in two years and didn't
know she was back in town. Town being Riverside. He couldn’t
imagine how she knew about this house, or who had invited her. But
then again, Lizbeth knew everything and did whatever she wanted.
And she sure didn’t need an invitation to show up at a party.

Warm breath licked the back of his neck.
“Hey, sugar.” The husky purr proved his intuition correct. “You
look good enough to eat.”

Two years ago… hell, fourteen months ago…
those words from her mouth would have been the starting gun to a
night of nonstop sex. Now, he had no desire to mix and mingle
anything with Lizbeth.

He turned his head slightly while shifting
his body out of striking distance. His best bet was to cut this
short and find Kat as soon as possible. The last thing he wanted
was another misunderstanding like the one at The Office. “Hey,
Lizbeth, good to see you.” He glanced around, making it obvious he
was looking for someone. “If you’ll excuse me—”

Her arm snaked around his waist, preventing
his escape. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

While he continued to search for Kat, Lizbeth
sidled closer and wrapped her body around his. She was tall and
slender, and at one time, he’d considered the fit of her body
against his to be a good thing. She wrapped her long fingers around
his neck, leaned in, and nibbled at his earlobe.

At that instant his gaze landed on Kat,
standing on the stairs, seemingly stunned and frozen in place. His
breath stalled while his heart took a flying leap, as if trying to
reach her on its own. He knew his eyes were screaming, “This isn’t
what it looks like.” But Kat either didn’t get the message or
didn’t believe it. Disappointment flashed in her eyes, then she let
her arms fall to her side and moved off the steps and out of
sight.

“Shit, Lizbeth. Stop.” He pulled his head
away and unwrapped her fingers from his neck.

She leaned back and formed those full, glossy
lips into a frowny pout. “You’re normally much happier to see
me.”

He turned to face her fully, making sure she
knew he was serious and not just playing hard to get. “That was
before.”

It took her almost a full minute before she
let go of his hand and stepped back. “You’re serious.” Her eyes
were large and reflected an uncharacteristic vulnerability as she
searched his face for answers. “Before what?”

Before Kat. Hell, everything in his life
seemed to be relegated to one of two segments: Before Kat. After
Kat.

He didn’t want to say, “I’ve met someone,”
because that implied he was in a relationship. However, having no
interest in Lizbeth had everything to do with Kat. If it weren’t
for her, he’d have Lizbeth in one of the guest rooms, half
undressed. Actually, he probably wouldn’t bother undressing her.
He’d just slide her obscenely short skirt up two inches, lay her
over the dresser, and go at it.

Now, the thought made him nauseous.

Rather than trying to explain any of it, he
shook his head and said, “Sorry. I’ve gotta go.”

He considered pointing her in Kevin’s
direction, but decided to leave well enough alone. Anxious to find
Kat, he left a stunned and bewildered Lizbeth standing there
alone.

***

Kat found Steve on the deck, leaning against
the deck railing, nursing a bottle of Southern Comfort. She stepped
up next to him, took the bottle from his hand, and helped herself
to a generous swig. She took a moment to enjoy the comforting heat
flowing down her throat, then licked the residue from her lips and
smiled. “Thanks. Sorry to help myself, but it was an
emergency.”

Steve laughed, then shifted his gaze beyond
her, just as her body started to hum like a tuning fork—an
infallible indication Erik was nearby.

His hand pressed tentatively against the
small of her back, and his voice was unsteady as he murmured,
“Hey,” in her ear.

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as
she registered the hesitancy of his touch and recalled the panic
she’d seen in his eyes. Seeing the redhead wrapped around him had
hurt, but only because it reminded her of whom and what he was. It
had been enough to send her in search of fresh air and liquid
solace. But she recognized the come-on as being one-sided, and
realized Erik wasn’t interested in the redhead’s offerings. At
least not tonight.

She turned into him and held up Steve’s
bottle. “Want a swig?”

Obviously relieved she hadn’t smacked him in
the side of the head with the bottle, his shoulders sagged and he
exhaled sharply. “No thanks. I’ll grab a beer.”

After grabbing a beer from the cooler, he
wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave Steve a
get
lost
look. “I need to talk to Kat.”

Steve nodded and shifted his weight to the
other foot. “Okay.”

Erik’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as
irritation rippled off him.

Even though she hadn’t offered an explanation
for swooping in and stealing his bottle, Steve had to have
suspected Erik of doing something to upset her. Erik’s nervous
behavior confirmed Steve’s suspicions, and she appreciated his
concern for her.

She laughed and gave him a hug. “It’s okay,
Steve. I promise I won’t hurt him.”

Steve chucked her on the chin. “I could care
less about him.” He shot Erik a warning look, then took his bottle
and ambled off toward the French doors.

Erik opened his mouth to speak, but she cut
him off. “You don’t owe me any explanations. I’ve heard all about
your lifestyle. I know you don’t do relationships. I know you don’t
date women more than a couple of times. I understand this”—she
motioned between them—“is only for a weekend.”

“Christ. There you go again,” Erik yelled,
throwing his hand in the air in frustration. “Making decisions for
me.”

She’d never heard Erik upset before and,
based on the shocked expressions of those standing nearby, it
wasn’t a common occurrence.

She opened and closed her mouth a couple of
times, but kept coming up empty. She did keep making those
decisions, but out of self-preservation and fear that if she didn’t
constantly remind herself what to expect, she’d end up crushed.

He grabbed her hand and dragged her across
the deck, down the stairs, and out onto the beach. “I’m sorry for
yelling.” He ran a hand through his hair, something she noticed him
doing a lot when agitated, and said, “Will you walk with me?”

As they headed down the beach, away from the
house and crowd, Kat asked, “Who is she?”

“Lizbeth Sampson. I… dated her a few years
ago.”

Kat smiled at his attempted diplomacy. She
didn’t believe for a second he’d dated that woman. Screwed her
senseless, no doubt, but not dated.

“She moved away, and I didn’t know she was
back. I don’t even know how she knew about this house because I
haven’t seen her since I built it.” He attempted a laugh. “Such is
life in a small town. Even two hours away, everyone knows your
business.”

“Would you rather be with her?” It sounded
like a silly, girly question, but Kat wanted to get it out there,
clear the air, and move on. She also hoped Erik would answer her
honestly.

“Jesus Christ. No! That’s the problem. I
don’t want to be with anyone else. That doesn’t mean I haven’t. But
I constantly find myself comparing them to you… and every single
one has come up short.”

Hearing him talk about being with others
caused jealous greed to burn, and every muscle clenched
resentfully. She stopped, wrapped her arms around his neck, and
pulled him down for a scalding, branding kiss. She bit his lip,
marking him, making sure he knew he belonged to her, at least for
this weekend.

She felt like a possessed woman, wanting to
ensure she was never forgotten. She kissed a trail along the side
of his scruffy jaw, relishing the telltale signs she knew it would
leave on her face. Her fingers trembled as she unbuttoned his
shirt, then trailed kisses down his chest, following the patches of
skin revealed by the separating fabric.

A sigh escaped as she slipped the fabric from
his shoulders and admired the smooth expanse of exposed flesh. She
treasured the shiver that wracked his body as she licked, then
nipped one of his small, pebbled nipples.

It was dark, and they’d stopped on a deserted
section of beach. Taking advantage of the seclusion, she dropped to
her knees and kissed a trail along his stomach as low as his
clothing would allow. His shorts were tied with a drawstring, and
in a matter of seconds, she’d slid them and his boxers over his
hips, freed his cock, and had it wrapped in her hands.

His head dropped back and a hiss pushed
through his teeth as she licked and sucked on the engorged head.
Small, precisely placed flicks, licks, and swirls had his chest
heaving and his hips thrusting forward. She wrapped her lips over
the tip, sucking enough to tease, but not enough to satisfy.

He pushed his fingers through her hair, then
grasped a fistful, trying to move her head and manipulate the speed
and depth of her mouth.

Despite her greedy need to devour, she
stopped and rolled her gaze up to his. Her expression let him know
she was in charge, and he had no control over the speed or timing
of the eventual outcome.

Through the filtered light of the moon she
saw his eyes, full of heat and rampant desire. His jaw muscle
flexed as he clenched his teeth and dropped his hands, putting
himself in her control.

Fueled by his surrender, a deeper need
erupted within her. She resumed her ministrations, combining
efforts of hands, tongue, and lips. It didn’t take long before he
shuddered and ground out a warning. “You’d better stop. Now.”

She clamped her fist tightly around the base
and blew a gentle stream of air across his slick and heated flesh.
When she sensed the tide receding, she started back with the
sensual assault. She swirled her tongue along the most sensitive
spots, then slid down the length of him until he nudged the back of
her throat. Greedy and needy, she wanted all of him. She took a
deep breath, relaxed her throat muscles, and continued her descent
until her nose rested against his flesh and curls.

He tensed, then trembled. Struggling to hold
back, he groaned. “Shit, Kat. You’re killing me.”

She slowly withdrew and caught his gaze.
“What did you say about an ice cream cone? Something about a lick
here?” She licked underneath, from base to tip, and watched his jaw
flex. “And a nibble there.” She gently nipped the sensitive tip,
then soothed the sting with a swirl of her tongue. “Did you mention
sucking?”