9781618857958KissMeLikeYouMeanItLeveyNC (11 page)

“You
are most welcome. Next time, I promise to let you eat without upsetting you.”

Carlie
pulled out a small bag she’d asked him to tell Raul to keep in the backseat.
“Unzip me, please. Then close your eyes.” Before he could cover up she saw his
dick jerk. She pretended not to notice, presenting her back to him. He swept
her hair to the side and tugged down the zipper. As she felt his burning gaze
rake her back, she realized she was basically on his lap as she wiggled out of
her form fitting dress. She turned to pinch him. “I said to close them.”

“I
know.” He smirked. “Bad boys don’t listen, they do as they wish.”

Carlie
rolled her eyes and slid on the jean skirt. She ended on his lap to get the denim
material over her hips.

“Need
me to zip that?”

“
Perv
.” She slapped his grabby hands.

“Trying
to be a gentleman.”

“Sure,”
she mumbled while digging in the bag for her top. Pay dirt. She eased on the
pink shimmering fabric that molded to her breasts perfectly and tied the halter
style straps around her neck.

“Fuck,
you are one classy, sexy, babe, princess. Pink on you is my favorite color.”

She
slid off his lap, the bereft feeling left her stunned. After grabbing her stick
of gloss, she tuned him out while she fixed herself.

“I’ve
never wanted to be a wand of lip gloss more.” He moaned and she loved the
tortured sound.

“See
something you like?”

“Hell
yeah, I’m imagining what flavor that gloss is and how long
til
I lick every drop off your perfect lips.”

“My
aren’t we pretty sure of yourself.” She dropped the wand in her clutch and
scooted to her side of the car.

“Fleeing
to safety?”

She
scoffed. “As if, you wouldn’t move over here, Rico Suave, if you wanted.”

“I
don’t know what’s worse. Being compared to Rico Suave or the music video
playing in my head. How old are you again? That is some old school shit right
there.”

“Hazard
of living with musicians, ya’ll tend to know all genres and ages of music.” She
laughed and began singing the song. Jackson reached over and clamped a hand
over her mouth. Sneaky bastard wanted his hands on her. She licked his palm,
the effect was a low growl from his lips. He dropped his wet palm from her
mouth and hoisted her to his lap. As he crushed his lips to hers, she submitted
to his all-out siege on her senses. Carlie fisted her hands in his shirt and
straddled his lap. Hot and hard, his dick lurched underneath her barely there
panties.

“God,
I’ve never wanted to be balls deep so much.”

Carlie
moaned and wiggled her hips over him. She felt his finger slide over the edge
of her panties. Just a smidge more and he’d be in. She moved to encourage him.
“God, I want this—you—so bad.”

“I
promised, princess. I can’t give you what you want. I never break my word, at
least not to those who matter most. We can’t happen without it being cool.”

“Sir,
we’ve arrived.”

“Saved
again by the driver.”

Carlie
flushed red at being caught by Raul making out with Jackson.

“Ready,
princess?” He fixed himself. “Thanks, Raul.”

“It’s
what you pay for, sir.” Raul exited and opened the door for Carlie. She slid
out and pushed her skirt down. Jackson appeared next to her, and man, her mouth
watered for him, looking so handsome in his button down shirt and slacks. He
slung an arm around her shoulder and kissed her head as if it were the most
natural thing to do, and she loved it.

“You
are so gonna lose.”

“Try
again, tough guy. My brother has a bowling alley in his house. Remember?”

“Yeah,
but you’ve been gone.” He winked.

“Whatever.
I can’t wait to pick the song you must sing off key too. Karaoke here we come.”
She leaned into him as they walked up to the bowling alley.

Jackson
led her to the counter and paid in cash. “You’re going to need socks and shoes.
Size eight for her and a twelve for me.”

She
accepted the new socks from the attendant. The scent of deodorized community
shoes made her gag a little and frown.

“They’re
disinfected, princess. I know you’re a
germaphobe
,
but if I can stick my feet in them so can you.”

“I
can’t. Bowling shoes are ugly and germy. I’ll bowl barefoot.”

“I
guess our game is off. After all that bragging too.”

Carlie
laughed. The smell of pizza made her stomach rumble. She should’ve eaten more. Since
she’d fallen off the health kick wagon, that slice smelled like a piece of
heaven. Jackson tugged her hand.

“Earth
to Carlie.”

“Sorry.”

“Man,
you were looking at that guy like you’d fight him to death over a slice. If you
want one I’ll grab you one, I know you didn’t finish eating.”

“We
were dancing and I wasn’t so hungry after our talk. I’d like a slice if you
really don’t mind.”

“Mind?
Princess, by now you should know I’d almost do anything to make you happy. I’m gonna
grab a beer, want one?”

“Yeah,
a light.” They were waylaid by a group of boys arguing over whose turn it was
in the game room. Carlie laughed. “Man, no manners. Just run people over and
keep arguing. You and the guys were like that.”

“Hell,
princess, I do believe we still are.” He led her to their lane and sat. She
watched him unlace his dress shoes. She followed suit. After inspecting the
socks to make sure they were brand new, she bravely stuffed her feet into them.

“You
are something else.” Jackson shook his head.

“
Yo
, Jack, bro what the fuck is good with
ya
, son.”

“
Levion
fucking Adams, what has it been like a year?” He
stood and greeted his friend. Carlie waited to be introduced while they touched
knuckles and went in for one of those
bromance
hugs.

“Yeah,
‘bout that.” His friend,
Levion
, turned to her.
“Pretty lady, what’s your name?”

“Off
fucking limits.”

“Jackson,
where are your manners? I’m Carlie. It’s nice to meet you. Are you bowling?”

“Yeah,
over on lane five. Ya’ll should join us. Girls against guys.”

“Princess,
what do you say?”

“
Levion
, I say you’re on. I was going to wipe the floor with
Jackson, but now I can enlist your girlfriend’s help and wipe the floor with
you too.”

“Date,
not girlfriend,”
Levion
corrected her as a stunning
African American girl sashayed her way over.

“Hey,
beautiful.”
Levion
linked hands with his date. “This
is my boy Jackson and his girl. They’re going to join up with us and share
lanes. Meet
Auja
, my date.”

“Hi.
Jackson, you’re the one that plays for Crimson Rage, right?” She extended her
hand.

“The
one and only, thanks.
Auja
, nice meeting you.” He
accepted her hand. “This is Carlie and we’re complicated.”

“Aren’t
all relationships.”
Auja
walked over to the bowling
ball rack and picked out her ball, a deep purple one. “Girl, I hope you can
bowl, I suck at this. Pool is my game of choice.”

“Oh,
don’t tell me you need kiddy bumpers. I can’t win against Jackson with those.”
Carlie fretted over losing.

“I
said I was bad not hopeless.”
Auja
winked.

“I’ll
leave you to get acquainted while I grab your pizza and our beer.
Levion
,
ya
need one?”

“Nah,
bro. I’m good. I’m driving tonight.” Jackson kissed her head and walked off.

“Girl,
Jackson is so feeling you. Did you see his departing gaze on you? You could
burn hot with that. Man, he’s intense and I don’t even know him.”

“
Auja
, don’t go all
fangirl
on him
and embarrass me.”
Levion
moved over to the seats
with the electronic score board.

Carlie
watched
Levion
put their names in. “I don’t think he is,
Auja
. He just sends mixed signals. How long have you
known him,
Levion
?”

“Since
preschool. Our mothers were in the same society circle you could say.”

“Part
of the upper crust, huh. I feel like I’m in a grown up version of
Gossip Girl
. That show was insane. Do
you have an ascot?”

Auja
cracked up laughing. “If he did I’d leave him. Especially if he wore tacky
plaid pants.”

“Hey,
what’s his name…Chuck that’s it. The man had his own sense of fashion. He
carried it well, nothing wrong with that. Plus he was a badass lady killer. Say
what you will.” They broke into peals of laughter at
Levion’s
words.

“It’s
just hard seeing Jackson as one of those guys who is at the top of the social
circle.”

“He
hasn’t changed if that’s what you’re asking. He was the same dark brooding,
getting all the hot chicks bastard he is now.”

“Hey,
what are you telling her?” Jackson set a piping hot piece of pizza in front of
her and her beer.

“Oh,
that you were a bad boy even before I met you.” She curled the slice in half and
took a long bite. “
Mmmm
.” Hot cheese and pepperoni
melted in her mouth.

“Dude
she’s making love to that slice.
Auja
, what is with
you chicks and how you eat food?”

Auja
laughed. “Come on, lover boy, you’re up first.”

Carlie
polished off her food in a few bites. After the decant slice was in her belly,
she licked her fingers clean. When Jackson quirked a brow at her, she took a
sip of her beer. The sound of a ball traveling the length of the gutter drew a
hell yeah expression from her. She and
Auja
passed
knowing glances.

“Slipped
outta my fingers is all.”
Levion
attempted a second
run and only managed to knock one pin down. After his utter failure, he stalked
to his seat and slouched.
Auja
kissed his lips and
giggled.

“You’re
up, princess. Tell me, what do I win if you lose?”

“Nothing
since you promised my brother hands off.” She went to the ball rack, picked out
a pink one for herself and ignored the sounds of crashing balls, people
shouting and dancing stupid when getting a strike. In her element, she sauntered
past Jackson.

“Break
a leg, baby.”

“Hey,
hey no disrupting my game,” Carlie warned and did her signature skip, walk, aim
and release the ball on the middle arrow. Seconds ticked by until the pins
scattered and fell. The dancing strike graphic flashed across the screen. “How
do you like that, boys?” She high-fived
Auja
and
sucked down her beer, then swiped Jackson’s and took a sip. He gazed at her
with those smoldering grey orbs of his.

“I
got this,
Levion
. Go grab a few more beers for me.”
He tossed his friend a money clip full of cash and turned to yank a ball from
the rack.

“Do
your worst.”

“I
always do. Best remember that.” He winked and strode forward with that cocky
swagger she wanted to sock him for but couldn’t tear her gaze from. “I could
stare at his ass forever,” she whispered more to herself.

“Girl
who wouldn’t?”
Auja
joined in the stare-fest with
her.

Jackson
moved with precision. He even did the cross the leg behind pose that on other
people look totally cheesy, but he made it sexy, and he knocked down all the
pins. “Looks like you’re up against a pro.” He tapped the tip of her nose with
his finger as he passed by and dropped onto a seat.

“Hey,
we’re sorry to bother you but can we have your autograph please?” She saw the
flash of irritation in his eyes quickly blanketed and squeezed his thigh.

“Yeah,
He took the pieces of paper from the group of tweens and scrawled his
signature.”

“Thanks.
We know you’re on like a date. But don’t worry, we didn’t text anyone or tell
them you’re here.” They ran off.

“Crap,
bet that means the world knows where you are. You good? You don’t have any
protection here.”

“Yeah,
I’m good. I’ll be right back, babe.” Carlie watched him get up and walk over to
the desk. She saw him run a hand over the back of his neck and pull out his
credit card. She wondered what he was doing.

“My
turn.”
Auja
wiggled and did her own little walk, wound
and let go, knocking two pins down.

“Go
girl, you so got this in the bag. Remember to watch the arrows on the floor. Try
to keep the ball center when you release.”