Painful, page 8
Kiera’s lips pursed into an adorable frown that made me want to kiss her. “You’re not interested in…playing with me?” Her question made me want to do a lot more than kiss her, but…all in due time.
Giving her a devilish grin, I shook my head and said, “Oh, I intend to play with you.” Her eyes widened, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Grabbing her hand, I pulled her into the kitchen. “Just not in the way that you’re thinking.” I helped her sit down, then kissed her cheek. “At least, not yet anyway,” I whispered in her ear.
Curiosity was clear on her face as she shook her head at me. Leaving her there to wonder, I began searching my kitchen for what we needed: cards. Unfortunately, I had no idea where they were, so I started searching every drawer. A surprising amount of crap had accumulated over the years, but I didn’t let that deter me. This was happening. I hummed as I worked, and snuck glances at Kiera, intently watching me. Just when I could tell that she was about to ask me what I was looking for, I spotted the familiar white and blue box in the very back of a drawer. “Ah-ha!” I knew I’d had some.
Twisting to Kiera, I showed her what I had in my hand. “Playing cards?” she asked. Her surprised expression morphed into an amused smile. “Are we playing pinochle all afternoon?”
Her question amused me, but I had to tease her a little bit for her game choice. “Pinochle? Are we sixty?” Opening the cards, I started shuffling them as I sat down across from her. “No, we’re playing poker.”
Kiera’s face compressed into a frown. “I’m really not that good at poker.”
My grin grew as I watched her study the cards in my hands. “Well, that is actually perfect, because we’re playing strip poker.”
Her eyes flashed to mine, and the green in them seemed to radiate terror. She shot to her feet, clearly not on board with my little idea. I grabbed her hand before she could completely escape. “Come on, it will be fun.” I gave her a suggestive wriggle of my eyebrows. “I promise.”
Her cheeks were flushed with color—an appealing shade that reminded me of how she looked right after we had sex. It kind of made me want to skip this part and just get right to it, but this wasn’t just about sex. This was about her being comfortable, with me, with her sexuality, with her own skin. And also, it was about us having fun together outside of the bedroom. And then it was about sex, because I definitely wanted to make love to her tonight.
She sat down slowly, reluctantly. “Kellan…I don’t know…”
Leaning back in my chair, I studied her body. Why couldn’t she see what I saw? The curves of her hips and thighs showcased by her jeans, her flat stomach highlighted by her tight layers of shirts, the swell of her breasts, the long stretch of skin of her neck, begging to be kissed, her full, soft lips, her sultry hazel eyes…whether she was dressed or not, she was seducing me just by sitting there, staring at me. She was utter perfection, clothed or naked, and she didn’t need to be embarrassed by this.
“Have you ever played?” I asked, feeling like I already knew her answer.
With a sigh, she shrugged. “No.”
I resumed shuffling the cards with a grin on my face. “Good. Then it will be a new experience for you. And I like giving you new experiences.” I fully intended to be the one she was with as she filled her bucket list.
The pink tone in her cheeks swept down her neck as her eyes suddenly focused on my lips. It was suddenly very difficult to keep shuffling the cards…to not pull her into my arms and sweep her upstairs. But no, this would be good for her. She should know how breathtaking she was, how insatiable she made me.
She tucked her hair behind her ears, then nervously pointed at my windows. “What about…your neighbors?”
“What about them?” I asked with a shrug. I didn’t care if they saw me, and if they saw Kiera, well, it would probably be the best night of their lives. On second thought…
Pulling her gaze from me, she quietly said, “I don’t want them looking…at me.”
Happy that she was actually considering this, and agreeing with her about the neighbors, I got up and pulled down the blinds on all of the windows. When I sat back down, I raised an eyebrow at her. “Better?” I asked.
She nodded, but she still looked like she might bolt at any moment. She also looked mystified as to why she hadn’t yet. With a laugh, I told her, “Would it make you feel any better if I told you that I’m not very good at this either? I’m generally the first one naked.” I laughed even more as I thought about all the times I’d ended up in my birthday suit with a group of nearly fully-dressed people. I wasn’t sure if that was because I was extraordinarily bad, or because people liked to gang up on me.
Kiera seemed shocked by my admission. “You’ve played?” From the grimace on her face the second after she asked, she’d instantly realized it was kind of a dumb question. She knew my past; she knew I didn’t used to say no very often—if a girl had wanted to play with me…all she’d had to do was ask. And Kiera also knew that I frequently hung out with Griffin. And let’s just say, thanks to Griff, none of the D-Bags were strangers to strip poker. And yes, the guys were all aware that I couldn’t play for shit. They thought it was hilarious to get me naked. Assholes.
I didn’t think Kiera would want to hear about that, though, so I only nodded and smiled. I explained the modified rules I wanted to play with as I dealt the cards. “This is old-fashioned, no frills, no wilds, 5-card draw strip poker. The bet is always one piece of clothing, but it’s your choice what you take off. You can fold if you’ve got crap, but only during the first round. Once you agree to the next round by taking more cards or sticking with what you’ve got, well, then you’re stuck ‘til the end, and you’re either getting lucky, or you’re getting naked.” I winked at her, and she sighed.
“Okay…let’s do this,” she muttered, her voice a little sullen as she picked up her cards.
I picked up my stack then looked over at her. “How many cards do you want? Or are you folding?”
She chewed on her lip in a distracting way as she thought, and one hand idly stroked the guitar necklace I’d given her. I was so glad she still wore it. Even though the night I’d given it to her had been…torturous, it meant the world to me when I saw it around her neck. Like somehow, I was around her neck, hanging over her heart. “No, I’m in…I’ll take two,” she said, setting down a couple of her cards.
Glee made me smile. She was playing. “Two, huh? Interesting…” I gave her two more cards from the deck, and she scooped them up with a frown. Resisting a laugh, I glanced at my own cards. Jack shit. Figures. Half the reason why I sucked at this game was the fact that I had absolutely zero luck when it came to getting the cards I needed.
I knew I should fold, since Kiera probably had three of a kind, but I felt…lucky. And besides, I wanted Kiera to have a good time, and I had a feeling she’d appreciate the game more if I was the one quickly losing clothes. I set down three cards, then picked up three more. Still jack shit. Goddamn it. This game hated me. Not showing my disappointment, I smiled at Kiera. “Whatcha got, beautiful?”
A brief smile touched her lips as she set down her cards. “Three sixes. You?”
Giving her a seductive grin, I laid down my cards one at a time. “Abso…lutely…nothing.”
Kiera laughed, and her eyes sparkled with amusement. Good. I wanted her to enjoy this, and because I wanted her to enjoy this, I took off my shirt first, instead of something small, like one of my socks. Her eyes widened when my abs came into view. Then she giggled. “Okay, maybe this game isn’t so bad.”
As the afternoon shifted into evening, Kiera relaxed even more. Of course, it helped that she had been wearing a ridiculous amount of clothes to begin with and was still mostly dressed—layering was the bane of my existence in this game. I was down to just my boxers, but she still had on her bra, underwear, and a short-sleeved T-shirt. Getting rid of that T-shirt was my newfound mission in life.
Kiera fidgeted with her necklace while she frowned at her cards. She either had nothing, or she wasn’t sure what to do with what she had. Once again, I had crap. But at least this time it was a pair of crap, and I might be able to do something with that. If I was reading her nerves correctly, then she had an even worse hand than I did. But even if I lost, I’d win—with no clothes left, we could quit the game and move this distraction-party upstairs. God, I loved win-win situations.
Like she could feel me watching her, Kiera glanced up at me. The uncertainty on her face was adorable, and I couldn’t resist teasing her. “Nervous?” I asked, pointedly looking at the necklace she was sliding back and forth across the chain.
She instantly dropped it. Then, with a smooth smile that stole my breath, she told me, “No. You?”
The way her eyes ran over my body, subtlety highlighting the fact that this was an all-or-nothing moment for me, made me want to reach over and pull her into my arms. Did we really need to play this game all the way to its conclusion? Or had I distracted her enough? But God…I was so close to that T-shirt. If I could get her to play whatever she had right now…it was mine, I was sure of it.
Biting my lip, I shook my head. “Nope. In fact, I don’t even need any more cards. How about you?” Come on, Kiera…let’s see what bra you’re wearing today…
I could see her struggling to not react to my confident comment, could see her trying to figure out what I had, or if I even had anything. I had to wonder if she’d gamble with what she had—like I wanted her to—or if she’d play smart and ask for more cards…even if that would hint at what was in her hand. Either response was fine with me, I just liked to watch her squirm. I even gave her a smug smile, goading her to set down her cards right now.
Surprisingly, it worked. Voice confident, she told me, “Nope, I’m good.”
I wet my bottom lip with my tongue, then dragged my teeth over it. For some reason, that move seemed to turn girls on, and Kiera was no exception. Her eyes were glued to my mouth as I started laying down my cards. “Yeah, I know,” I told her, responding to her statement. She was definitely good…in all the right ways.
Kiera laid down her cards without looking at my hand. Her eyes remained fixed on my lips. I briefly considered leaning over and kissing her, but curiosity compelled me to look at her cards. When I saw that she had a pair too, but it was slightly lower than mine, I couldn’t contain a quiet laugh. Yes…victory.
My laughter snapped Kiera out of her daze, and her cheeks flushed as she looked at her undeniable defeat. “Crap,” she muttered. Then she looked up at me with pleading, puppy dog eyes. “Really?” she asked.
If she thought being adorable was going to get her out of this, she was dead wrong. I’d been waiting all day for a little bra action. Laughing at the look on her face, I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest. I wasn’t budging on this. “Deal’s a deal, Kiera.”
“How did you ever talk me into this?” she murmured, sounding for all the world like she regretted every decision she’d made tonight. I just kept staring at her chest, waiting for the goods.
Her fingers slowly, reluctantly, lifted the fabric over her head. She was breathing heavier, and her chest lifted and lowered in an erotic way. I just wanted to touch her. It was exquisite torture to sit there, still, while more and more of her skin was revealed. I’d seen a lot of women strip before, but there was something about the way Kiera did it—the innocence, how oblivious she was to her beauty—she was by far more seductive to me than a trained professional. I could watch Kiera undress all day.
Once her shirt was gone, her pretty, little white bra on display, I couldn’t help but imagine the flesh hiding behind it. Images of her body flashed through my mind, and I could practically feel her soft skin, could nearly taste it. Lifting my eyes to her face, I playfully told her, “I love this game.”
She laughed, so hopefully she was more amused than embarrassed. Getting her uncomfortable wasn’t my goal. Kiera playfully tossed her shirt at me, being a good sport. I immediately inhaled it, flooding my mind with her scent. And that was when something I’d been expecting happened—the doorbell rang.
Kiera instantly lunged for her shirt, like she was going to put it back on. No way, this is my trophy. Standing up, I took a step away from her. I set it on the counter with a bright smile. “Oh, good—food’s here,” I told her.
She seemed mystified by that. And mortified. She crossed her arms and legs like the person at the door could somehow see her. “What food? What are you talking about?”
I understood her confusion—I’d called in an order when she’d been occupied—but her reaction was interesting. And unnecessary. She was heating up with embarrassment even though nothing had changed; it was still just the two of us in here. She didn’t need to feel any differently than she did five seconds ago. I didn’t. Of course, I didn’t really care if someone saw me naked. It was just skin.
Shrugging, I told her, “I thought you might be getting hungry, so I ordered some pizza on your last bathroom break.”
I twisted to leave the kitchen, and she shouted my name. When I looked back at her, she flung her hands at my body. My nearly naked body. I figured she wanted me to put some clothes on, but the pizza guy was probably gonna leave if I took much longer. Plus, I loved the way she’d been looking at me tonight…and I couldn’t resist playing with her.
“Oh…right,” I said, then I headed for my jeans. Picking my wallet out of the pocket, I told her, “I should probably pay them, huh?”
She sputtered incoherently, still gesturing wildly at my body. It was really hard not to laugh. Leaning down, I gave her a kiss, then I jauntily made my way to the front door. The laugh I’d been holding escaped me when I opened it.
A bored looking woman with dark spikey hair was idly playing with a piece of gum in her mouth. She froze when she saw me, a long strand of the gum extended from her lips. Her wide eyes slowly scanned my body.
“Hey,” I said. “Sorry about the wait. Thanks for not leaving.”
She giggled as she shoved the gum back in her mouth. “Uh, no problem. You just get up or something?”
Grinning, I shook my head. “No. Playing a game.”
“Oh…” She chewed on her lip, and her thoughts were clear as day on her face. Can I play too? Another time, another place, I would have invited her in, and we would have done…all sorts of things together. But now, all I wanted from her was pizza. Sorry, not tonight. Not anymore.
She was still just staring at me, so I opened my wallet and pointed at the box in her hands. “How much do I owe you?”
Shaking her head, she laughed again, then rambled off a number. I doubled it. It never hurt to be generous, and thanks to my parents, I had enough money to be very nice to people. Odd that I actually had something to thank them for.
Her eyes got even wider as she took the cash, then her gaze drifted to my stomach, and she giggled again. “Thank you, and…uh, hold on a minute…” She dashed to her car, then came back with a rectangular box.
“What’s this?” I asked her.
She laughed, then sighed, then bit her lip. “Just…I had some…extra breadsticks. You can have them if you want.”
“Oh…well, thank you.”
“Yeah,” she said in a long exhale. Then she pointed to the tattoo on my chest. “That Kiera is a lucky girl.”
A secretive smile crept onto my face as I glanced at the wall hiding the kitchen. I wondered if Kiera was still sitting there, almost naked. I had a feeling she wasn’t, and that made me want to laugh. So cute. “No…I’m the lucky one. She’s…a gift.”
The girl’s face did this weird combination of a smile and a frown. Then she waved. “Enjoy your…game.”
My smile turned devilish. “Trust me, I will.”
She was still standing there when I started closing the door, and I heard one final sigh of longing, followed by a giggle, followed by the words, “Oh my God…”
Laughing to myself, I firmly shut and locked the door—I didn’t want her thinking she could sneak her way into the game. Then I walked back to the kitchen…where I discovered that my girl had indeed covered herself with my T-shirt. “Uh-uh, that’s cheating. You have to stay as naked as you were when I left.”
Rolling her eyes, she dropped my shirt. “Even when you’re flirting with the delivery girl?”
I set down the pizza box. “I wasn’t flirting.”
Kiera stood up from the table, not hiding her body from me at all. God, she looked good. If only she realized just how fucking sexy she was, no one would make her jealous. “You weren’t?” Coming up to me, she sat back on her hip and pointed at the rectangular box in my hand. “Then what’s that?”
Knowing it looked bad, I shrugged. “She had some extra breadsticks. She said we could have them if we wanted.”
She shook her head, her expression clearly saying, “I knew it.” But whatever she thought she knew was wrong. The flirting was one way, I was just being nice. There was a difference—one Kiera was going to have to get comfortable with, since I did, on occasion, need to be nice.
Laughing at the frustrated, resigned look on her face, I set down the box and wrapped my arms around Kiera’s waist. I pulled her tight, then brought my lips to her throat. Tasting her skin, I worked my way up to her ear. Her body stiffened in my arms, and I could feel her breathing pick up. I loved how much I affected her…how much she wanted me.
Shifting my focus, I brought my mouth over hers, a hairsbreadth from touching them. “I can’t help what women find appealing.” I ducked my hand into her underwear and cupped her ass. “But I only find you appealing.” You’re my everything.
My words, combined with my actions, pushed her over the edge, and she leaned forward to press her lips to mine. I indulged in the contact for a long moment, then I stepped away from her. She looked confused at first, until I grabbed her hand and twirled her away, then back to me. She laughed when she reconnected with my chest, and she had a huge grin on her face when I twirled her away again.
There was a time when I’d thought dancing with Kiera was better than sex. While I wasn’t sure if that was true—nothing could really top sex with Kiera—it didn’t diminish the fact that dancing with her was extremely enjoyable. For both of us. And as we danced and ate our pizza, Kiera seemed to forget that we were in our underwear. Or she stopped caring as I twirled her around, one of the two. And when she laughed and shook her ass in front of me, a move that almost got her swiftly carried upstairs, it became clear that she wasn’t nervous about school anymore. For one moment in time, she wasn’t nervous about anything, and being able to do that for her—give her that kind of peace—opened my heart to the point of pain. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for this girl.
