“What’s sexy?”
“Sexy is about curves and edges, lips that beckon, and legs that call to be opened.”
“Oh?” Her voice wavered. I was having an effect on her, and I couldn’t have been happier. Was I losing it? Had the time in the cave driven me insane?
“Yes.”
“My legs call to be opened?”
“Yes.” I rested a hand on her bare leg, right below the edge of shorts. Her skin was warm and soft, and I wanted to explore more of it.
“Like this?” She opened her legs slightly, and I wished she’d been wearing a skirt.
“Yeah, you don’t want to sleep with me, remember?” I forced my eyes up to her face.
She stood. “You’re weaker than I thought.”
“I’m not weak.” I tried to compose myself. I couldn’t let this girl get to me. Anytime would be bad, but especially not then. My best friend, the king, was in trouble, and I was the only one who could save him. I had to save him.
“You are, but there’s no time for that.”
“Exactly. You’re the one who started the stupid conversation.”
“You didn’t think it was a stupid conversation a few minutes ago.”
“Just drop it.” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“Fine. What’s the plan?”
I took a seat. “We meet up with Owen, and check out the island.”
“Owen?”
“Yeah, he’s Levi’s chief advisor.”
“And I’m guessing he’s ridiculously young and inexperienced too?”
“We’ve been training for our jobs for years.” For nearly our whole lives in my case at least. There was never a question that I was going to be in security, it was just whether Levi would trust me to be in charge. It had only been a few months, and I’d let all hell break lose. Maybe I hadn’t been the right choice.
“I’m sure you have.”
“Look, can you just stop?” I was beating myself up enough. I didn’t need her adding to it.
“Stop what?” She put a hand on her hip.
“Trying to piss me off. I get that it’s the only way you know how to deal with people.”
“Oh yeah?” She walked over to the bar and poured herself a shot of whiskey into a glass.
“What are you doing?” Was she for real?
“Getting something to drink. What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Now? We’re going to a potential fight. Do you really think drinking is a smart move?”
“Trust me.” She took a long sip of the brown liquid. “I’ll be better after this.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I need a drink.” She took another sip.
“I’ll take one too.” I walked over to the bar.
She filled a glass. “I thought drinking was a bad idea.”
My fingers grazed hers as I picked up my glass. I couldn’t ignore the spark that ran between us, but I wanted to. I needed to. “Alcohol doesn’t really affect me, but if you’re having one, I might as well have one too.”
“Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor. I really don’t care what you do.”
“Sure you do.”
“I don’t. I’m only with you because you need my help.”
I slammed my glass down with more force than I intended. The glass shattered sending whiskey spilling out all over the bar top. “What is it with you? What do I have to do to get you to stop making everything a fight?”
“Stop being an asshole.”
“Me? I’m the asshole?” I ran a hand through my hair. “If this goes back to Casey again, I’m going to be pissed.”
“It has nothing to do with Casey.” She hopped up onto the bar.
“Then what does it have to do with?” I did my best to calm down. I had to stop letting Vera get to me.
“I don’t know.”
I laughed. “You don’t?”
“No. I just hate the way you make me feel.”
“How do I make you feel?” I took a step toward her. “It can’t be what being near you does to me.”
“You mean you don’t simultaneously want to punch me and fuck me?”
I coughed. Could she actually read my mind or something? “No, that actually sums it up about right.”
“Then just kiss me already. Get it over with.”
“Kiss you? Are you kidding?”
“No.”
“I already told you I’m not sleeping with you.”
“Then just shut up.” She yanked on my shirt pulling me toward her. Her lips were on mine before I could process it. My lips responded immediately, greedily sucking on her bottom lip before pushing my way into her mouth.
She moaned, eagerly letting me in. My tongue tangled with hers, as I explored every corner of her mouth. Before my hands could do their own exploration she broke the kiss. “So much better.” She hopped down from the bar.
“Excuse me?” I was still spinning from the kiss. Had she really stopped that suddenly?
“Ok, let’s talk about the plan.”
“Now?” I asked with disbelief. “After that?”
“You could say thank you.”
“Thank you?”
“For easing the tension. It was thick enough to cut with a knife, but I preferred your tongue.”
“So that’s it? You just did that to ease sexual tension?”
“What did you think I was doing?”
“Giving in to your desires.” My eyes devoured her. Her tank top had pulled up when we were kissing, exposing even more smooth skin I wanted to touch.
“You mean our desires. There’s nothing one sided here.”
I glanced down at the bulge still obvious in my pants. “You’ve got that right.”
“You’re not a bad kisser.”
“Not bad?” I raised an eyebrow.
“I’d say you’re a seven.”
“A seven? I’m a ten. I’m a ten at everything involving sex.” I had no confidence issues in that department. No matter how pissed girls got at me, they never complained about the sex.
“But that wasn’t sex. Your dick wasn’t involved. I’m sure you rely on it to earn you points.”
“I don’t just rely on my dick.”
“Oh yeah? Well your tongue seems a little bit out of practice. Not using it much?”
“I use it plenty.”