Twisted Minds (17 page)

Amanda seemed torn as she stared after him, like she really didn’t want to follow him. I couldn’t blame her. Though he wasn’t a total jerk like Greg, he was well on his way to being one someday.

Then I paused.

Fuck—how did people see me? Was I just perceived as one of these jerks? That thought had never occurred to me before, mainly because I never cared much about what people thought of me. But when I put myself beside them, I was the same as they were.

Wealthy, confident, good looking—shit, did thinking of myself in that way make me a total asshole? I didn’t want to be like those guys, I wanted to be better than them. With the absence of my money and looks, I wasn’t like Finn. I wasn’t like Kira. I was Cass.

Reflection—that’s why I didn’t do it, but without reflecting on the person I had become, I was just as bad as the guys I judged. Having money didn’t make me better; it made me my parents.

Finally, Amanda decided to force herself to be in Buddy’s presence and stalked after him, leaving Kira and I alone. Finn and Cass were too busy canoodling to pay much attention to us as we wandered over to a food truck.

“Do you like funnel cake?” she asked me, as we stopped in front of the truck and I read the large display board.

Funnel cakes with powdered sugar - $5

“No, it’s just sugar and carbs with more sugar and carbs,” I answered truthfully.

“Oh, is the entitled, rich boy too good to eat sugar and carbs? Will it ruin your perfect abs?” Kira’s tone was snarky as she folded her arms across her chest, tucking the panda against it.

A smirk colored my mouth as I matched her stance. “Oh, you think I have perfect abs? Have you secretly been spying on me?”

“You’re the only one around here who likes to spy on people.” Appearing unfazed, she stuck her nose in the air. “Besides, you didn’t seem too worried about sugar and carbs when you were licking batter off my body yesterday.”

Whoa.

Not sure how to respond, I simply stared at her as she handed me the panda and approached the guy at the truck window. She spoke to him in a soft tone and he grinned and waved her off as though she’d said something ridiculous. Then he disappeared, leaving her to wait for her order.

The guy reappeared at the window a few seconds later and reached over to give her an open Styrofoam box with a large funnel cake inside. She thanked him and came over to me again.

As Kira neared me, I saw how much powdered sugar was covering the funnel cake—it was a health freak’s worst nightmare. But it was the sly smile on Kira’s face that was more fascinating to me.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, placing a hand on her hip. “You look like you’ve never heard a woman talk dirty before.”

My mouth felt like cotton as I tried to think of something witty to say back. Nothing came to mind.

“Oh, let me guess.” She tapped a finger against her cheek as though she was considering something. “You’ve heard women talk dirty in all kinds of positions.”

Drawing closer to her, I shook my head. “Not like you.”

Even though I couldn’t see it, I felt a strange force winding around us, as though our bodies were subconsciously connected to each other. She could feel it too—I saw it in the widening of her eyes and the hitching of her breath.

Kira cleared her throat and thrust the box at me. “Try some.”

Making a face, I tucked the panda under my arm and broke off a small piece of the funnel cake and reluctantly put it in my mouth. The crispy texture of the funnel cake with the generous amount of sugar was overwhelming at first, but as I watched Kira chewing on her own piece of funnel cake, her face lit up, and I allowed myself to enjoy it.

Sure, it was really sweet and definitely not something I would eat every day, but it really was delicious. My chest squeezed tight at the pleased look on Kira’s face as I reached for more.

The crispy batter, the sweetness that coated my fingers, the smear of sugar on Kira’s face, the way the sun hit the gold in her hair—everything about standing here with her made my heart soar.

Even an ordinary moment could create an extraordinary memory. This was one of those moments.

Nineteen

Finally

The perfect moment was rudely disrupted by the voice of one blond douchebag.

“Well, don’t you move on quick, Kira?”

The peaceful expression on Kira’s face fell away as we turned in unison. Greg and his cronies stood several feet away from us, shooting us what they probably thought were looks of intimidation. One dude actually cracked his knuckles for dramatic effect.

Threatened was the last thing I felt, though Kira flattened herself against me as though their presence bothered her. The need to protect her surged through me again, and I stepped in front of her, facing Greg and his thugs as bravado swirled within me.

“I guess breaking your nose the first time wasn’t good enough.” I sneered at him. “Do you need another reminder?”

Greg’s face turned a little pale, but he stepped forward confidently, with his buddies following after him in perfect synchronization. I wondered if these pussies had gone to a dance recital to learn that.

“You’re actually the one I’m here for.” He gave me a sneer which he must have thought appeared scary. To me, it looked like he had a blockage in his bowels. “You’re about to get fucked up, city boy.”

“I’m terrified.” I clutched my hands together and pretended to shake.

Greg’s expression darkened and he didn’t give me an opportunity to react before he swung at me.

Even though I tried to avoid it, his fist connected with the side of my face rather painfully. I staggered back a little, wincing as my face throbbed. Two of his friends walked around to my side and held me back as Greg swung back again; this time he got me right in the stomach. I doubled over, gasping in pain and dropped to my knees.

Kira was screaming. There were panicked voices around me. All I could see was the grass and Greg’s tree trunk legs. Fuck, he was a big guy. Last time in the bar, I’d had the element of surprise. There was no way I could beat a guy with his build in a fair fight.

This time he struck out with his leg, his foot connecting excruciatingly with the side of my face.

“Fuck you,” I spat, trying to breathe through it.

“Big talk coming from a guy on his knees,” Greg mocked me, causing his friends to break into taunting laughter that reminded me of a pack of hyenas.

Steeling myself, I waited for the next blow—but it never came. There were angry shouts; I recognized Finn’s voice. There were a blur of voices all around me.

Soft, urgent hands pulled me to my feet as my face thumped in time to my pounding heart. My eyes dragged upwards and I found Kira beside me, her fingers digging into my arm.

Finn had caught on to the situation that had transpired and was now shoving Greg squarely in the chest as Buddy backed him up. Jackson was a few feet behind them, hypnotized as he watched them.

Cass appeared bored as she stood across from me at the forefront of the circle. When we exchanged glances, she winked at me. I resisted the urge to throttle her.

A pair of security guards turned up just then to break up the fight. I recognized the stockier one as the door guy from
The Place
. I guess this town had a small pool of security to choose from.

As security shoved Greg and his cronies away, Finn turned to me in concern. “You need to get cleaned up. Get some ice on that.”

It finally occurred to me that my face probably looked like hell. I could already feel the swelling on my cheek, and even though the throbbing was mild now, there was still a layer of pain in my body.

My clothes were covered in dirt, which was my main concern at this point. And Theresa had only just done my laundry. Fuck Greg.

“I’ll take him home,” Kira volunteered, although she didn’t seem happy as she said this.

“You sure?” Finn asked, his eyes drifting over to Cass who was staring at him impatiently.

She nodded. “Yeah, I’ll drop him off and come right back.”

“Okay, thanks.” Finn glanced over at me again. “Do you wanna press charges against that asshole?”

“Nah, that’s not my style,” I managed to say, trying to ignore my aching cheek. “Besides, he could’ve pressed charges against me for punching him in the face. I think big Greg was just trying to get an ego boost today, that’s all.”

“Alright,” Finn said with a nod. “Take it easy, okay? We’ll be home late.”

“Sure.”

Kira began moving through the crowd at a ridiculously fast pace. I had no idea why she was in such a hurry, but I didn’t question her. When we reached the parking lot, she unlocked her car and we got inside.

“Hey, thanks for driving me back to your house,” I finally said, trying to make small talk with her.

Her blue eyes were stern as she regarded me, but she didn’t respond. Instead, she started the engine and pulled out of there like a girl possessed. The drive back was painfully quiet. Kira was tense the entire time, and I couldn’t deduce why she was acting like this.

When she pulled into the driveway, I was glad to be out of the stifling car. Kira was silent as she unlocked the front door and stormed in without a backward glance.

I followed after her gingerly, still wondering what she was so mad about. The answer came a few seconds later when she threw her keys at the table in the entrance hall, missing it entirely. They bounced off of it and hit the floor with a clatter.

She turned on me before I had barely shut the door behind me. I had seen plenty of women mad at me before, but usually it was because I had failed to call them back, or because I ushered them out of my apartment at an ungodly hour of the morning.

But Kira—she was mad for reasons I couldn’t quite fathom.

Her chest was heaving with each breath, her face turning a shade of deep pink that I often associated with how angry she became when I had gotten to her.

“You.” She pointed at me rather vehemently, and I recoiled as though her single finger was lethal. “You are a complete moron. What would possess you to do something so moronic?”

“Huh?”

“Why did you have to stand up for me?” she demanded.

I stared at her in confusion, trying to decipher a deeper meaning behind her words. She was mad at me for jumping to her defense? Was she being serious? I had protected her, and she was pissed at me about it? Was this one of those female mysteries that I would never decipher?

Joe was right—it didn’t matter how much time you spent with a woman, it was always impossible to figure them out.

From the way Kira’s nostrils flared, I could tell my response had done nothing to abate her anger. In fact, my confusion seemed to make her even madder.

“Greg and his friends could have taken you out easily.” She let out an irritated sound. “You didn’t need to put yourself on the line like that to defend me. You should’ve let it go. You could’ve gotten seriously hurt.”

I let her words sink in.

Kira’s face, her tone all indicated she was mad at me, but there was underlying concern in the way she spoke. It finally hit me—she was worried about me.

“Why do you care so much?” I asked, taking a measured step towards her. “I thought you hated me. You said the things that happened yesterday were a mistake.”

She stiffened at that, her eyes following my every movement closely. “You know why.” She tossed her head, letting her hair spill around her shoulders like a golden fountain. “You mean a lot to my brother, to my parents.”

Kira’s unsteady tone wasn’t fooling me, but before I had a chance to question her further, she spun around and headed up the stairs.

“Come on, I have to get you cleaned up.”

My adrenaline was kicking in and mingling with lust and irritation as I followed Kira. I grabbed her just as she made it to the entrance of the bathroom, stopping her in her tracks.

“You know why I did what I did.” I was trying to stay in control, but she always made me lose it. “Don’t put on your innocent act and pretend you don’t know why.”

Her blue eyes pierced into me like ice. “I’m not pretending anything!”

“Oh, yeah?” I pushed her back with a hand. “Well, then you’re a fucking liar.”

That set her off. She raised a hand to slap me, but I saw it coming. I was too fast for her. There was no way I was going to play games anymore. We both knew what we wanted.

Without evening thinking about what I was doing, I pushed her forcefully against the wall. She let out a groan, and fear flashed across her eyes. I knew she was less worried about me hurting her and more worried about giving in to me.

“Don’t pretend anymore, Kira,” I whispered, my breath hot against her cheek. “Stop telling yourself this is a mistake. Something that feels this right can’t be a mistake.”

I filled the gap between her legs, one of my hands wrapping around her tiny waist, the other making its way in between her thighs. She threw her head back, a moan escaping her mouth as my fingers sought out the slick, wetness between her legs.

Kira wound a leg around me, drawing me closer. I pushed my fingers in and out of her, eliciting a sharp gasp from her each time I made a motion. But I wasn’t going to let her come just yet.

“This is how wet you were for me yesterday,” I told her, my voice low in her ear. “Tell me why you’re so wet.”

“Because I want you, Nate,” she groaned, her breath hitching as she spoke.

“Are we a mistake?”

“No,” she moaned in response.

Our eyes met, and an inexplicable sensation passed through me. I needed her. My hands on her body, my lips on her skin. I needed her like I had never needed anything before.

“I’m gonna fuck you, Kira.” I told her, looking right into her eyes. “I’m gonna fuck you until you can’t take it anymore. And then I’m gonna let that sweet cum squirt all over my dick. Is that what you want?”

There was an intensity in her eyes as they met mine. “Yes, that’s what I want.”

That was all the confirmation I needed. I couldn’t wait any longer.

Effortlessly, I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. Her weight barely registered to me—it was like some unseen force was rippling through my body, creating a lust and energy I’d never experienced before.

With determined steps, I carried Kira to her room and threw her down on the bed. I’d wanted to fuck her on her bed since the moment I’d first seen her lying on it half naked.

Kira propped herself up on her elbows, as I kneeled down and spread her legs, desperately wanting to see between them again. My curiosity from earlier was rewarded—she was wearing the same lace panties I had first seen her in. I couldn’t believe my luck. They were soaked, dripping with her cum, as she waited for me to make a move.

Pushing my head deeper between her thighs, I moved her skirt up past her hips so I had better access. With a practiced efficiency, I used my teeth to pull down one side of her panties. Kira shifted her body around, allowing me to pull the other side of her panties down with my teeth. This time I let my teeth graze against her sensitive flesh, and she grew even wetter as a moan escaped her mouth.

With little effort, I pulled her panties down, leaving her pussy exposed to me. There was cum running down it that I swiped away with a tongue. I wanted to take her eager, pink flesh in my mouth again, but I had other plans for her.

As I straightened up, disappointment flashed across her face. Her lips were slightly parted, and her face was flushed as she gazed up at me. She was wondering why I hadn’t eaten her out again.

She received the answer in the next second as I pulled my shirt off and began unzipping my pants. Easing out of my clothes, I let my cock spring free. She gaped at it, and the look on her face made me even eager to be inside her.

“Take your clothes off.”

Kira hesitated, her eyes darting around her room as though she was reconsidering what we were about to do.

“Take your fucking clothes off, Kira.” I was done with her teasing; it was time to stop with the games. “If your clothes aren’t off in two seconds, I’m gonna do it for you.”

Lucky for her, she began to strip free of her clothing before I had to ask again. She did it slowly, in a teasing manner, taking her time. First, she pulled off her simple, spaghetti strap top, exposing the lacy cream bra I’d first spied on her from across the street.

Even though the swimsuits I’d seen her in were incredible, her tits in this bra were what really turned me on. There was nothing as attractive as a woman in sexy lingerie.

Kira stepped out of her skirt next, kicking it towards me. Then she took a step towards me until we were almost chest to chest. Her slender fingers began to fiddle with the front of the bra, and I looked at them closely, trying to figure out what she was doing.

Then it hit me, as she found the clasps at the front and unhooked them slowly—it was a front-clasp bra. The clasps came undone and Kira’s tits were set free in all their glory. I had seen them before, but each time it was like seeing them for the first time. Round, full, large, and perky. Her nipples taunted me, making me reach out and stroke one of them with a finger.

Kira released a sigh, and in one motion I swept forward and grabbed a handful of her breasts, kneading them with my own fingers. She pressed herself against me, throwing her head back a little, leaving her neck exposed.