My Sweet Demise (Demise #1) (10 page)

By closing time I’m even more beat than last night. I stuff my tips, significantly less than last night, in my purse and ignore the other girls as they take shots to end their night. I feel like my night is barely starting as I try and rouse Kent.

“Get up,” I plead as I shake his shoulders.

“Where am I?”

My tone is dry as I decide to try a different tactic. “I want you, Kent. Get up.”

“Oh yeah?” he rumbles, his voice deep from sleep and alcohol. “Let me get my pants off.”

“Wait. Take them off in the car.”

At the prospect of sex he is suddenly pliant and willing. I take his hand and lead him out through the kitchen and the back of the bar. When we get outside the air thankfully cools my face and body. I guide Kent to the passenger side and push him against my car. As I do, his arms wrap around me and he pulls me against his long, hard body. My hands are splayed across his chest.

I look up into his intoxicated dark eyes just as his mouth comes for my lips. At the last minute I turn my face to the side. His lips lazily kiss my cheek and my temple, and finally his teeth trap my earlobe. I despise the shiver that races down my spine. His hands grip me so close I can feel his erection. It’s the first time I’ve ever been this close to a man and his apparent satisfaction.

“Raina,” he whispers, trailing kisses down my jaw. “I want your mouth.”

He wants my mouth.

“Give it to me,” he orders, kissing my chin.

“No.” I extract myself from his arms and shake off the tingles his touch instilled. I open the passenger door and point. “Get in.”

He strangely obliges. I huff in surprise and close his door, walking around to get in the driver’s seat. Once buckled in, I roll his window down.

“If you puke, do it outside.”

“You lied. You don’t want me.”

I chuckle uneasily at his accusation. “How drunk are you still?”

“Pretty drunk.”

“Then I don’t feel bad. I had to get you in the car.” I stop at a red light and stare at him slumped in the passenger seat. “It’s not my fault you’re so predictable.”

“Are you being smart?”

“I can’t help it if I’m a genius.”

“That smart mouth is seriously going to get you in trouble. I’m not feeling noble right now. I’ll punish you good and hard.”

“I keep hearing about this punishment but I haven’t seen it at all. Somehow I think you’re bluffing.”

He reaches over and touches his knuckles to the back of my cheek, dragging them gently down my face as his eyes regard me softly. “That’s because I doesn’t want to punish you the way I do all the rest.”

If the light wasn’t green I would have leaned into his touch. I thank the green light. As it is I swallow hard and drive slower than the surrounding traffic. “Why not?”

“Why what?” he mumbles, falling asleep again. His hand drops away from my face to his chest.

“Don’t fall back asleep. Talk to me.”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s talk,” I beg, but it’s too late. He’s already gone.

When we get to the apartment I have to struggle to get him awake. I lean over in the passenger seat and whisper in his ear. “Kent, wake up.”

“Huh?”

“I thought you wanted to kiss me?”

He cracks an eye open, and when he sees it’s me, he grins widely. “Raina. I’ve wanted to kiss you since I answered the door and you were standing there pleading with me. You were so sweet and innocent. You had no idea who you were moving in with.”

It’s like he knocked the air out of me, but I don’t have time to think about his words. Plus he’s drunk. He doesn’t even know where he is. “Well, here’s your chance. Let’s go upstairs. To the couch,” I add, hoping that will get him going.

“No fucking way. You deserve better than the couch.”

Damn right I do. Not all his common sense is gone. “Come.” I pull on his arm until he’s out of the car.

It’s a precarious dance to get him up the stairs, get his keys out of my pocket without dropping him, and open the door. Once inside the apartment, I know I can’t make it all the way to his bedroom. I push his chest so that he falls down on the couch and then I close the door.

“Sleep,” I order unnecessarily.

He’s already snoring.

I don’t have it in me to change. I’m so tired I could sleep standing up. My last ounce of energy is spent crawling into bed. The second my face hits the pillow I fade out.

I awake many hours later. Last night comes to me like a bad movie I starred in. I groan and cover my face. Who was the drunk one again?
Get your shit and your hormones together!
I roll out of bed and grab my towel to shower. I smell like grease and beer.

Kent comes out of the bathroom as I’m reaching for the door. He has a towel wrapped around his waist and water clings to his abs. My mouth dries as I get a good look at his body. And I’m looking good, because I can’t help it. He’s so hot it’s unfair.

“Excuse me,” I mumble, red faced. How much of last night does he remember?

“Mhm,” he mumbles in return. “All yours.”

I slip into the bathroom and wash away the scarlet burning my cheeks. The shower is still hot from him, and I can smell his heated skin like a memory. I inhale deeply as I wash my face and let the breath out as soon as I realize what I’m doing. His spicy sent is undeniably appetizing. What is this attraction? Because let’s face it, there is something about Kent that buzzes and lives like a pulse. It’s alive between us. But just because something feels new and exciting doesn’t mean it has a right to. Not for the first time I remind myself of my handsome, irresponsible addict father. He cheated on Mom all the time. He went out and didn’t come home, and he dragged Mom down with him. If you let them men will drag you down with them, because they can’t fail alone. Their failures aren’t dignified unless they take someone with them.

I refused to let Kent turn me into another one of his failures.

He’s sitting at the kitchen table nursing a mug of coffee when I come in. He drinks it slowly, as if everything hurts. He looks up at me and quickly looks away.

He remembers. I’m hot all over again as I crack open a cold soda. I down it and let the bubbles burn my nose, peeking at him like a fiend. All he has on is a pair of black cargo shorts, and his muscular back and chest are exposed and subject to my ogling. His gold hair is adorably mussed. Every sip he takes he cringes.

“Hurting?” I guess.

“Let’s cut to the chase. You’re acting weird. What did I say last night? I can’t remember anything after I ordered the fifth shot.”

“You don’t remember anything at all?”

He frowns deeply. “No. I can’t even remember getting home.”

My relief is tangible. “I drove you.”

“What did I tell you?” His eyes delve into me, searching for something.

He can’t remember what he told me about his ex-fiancée last night. If I let him know I’m out of here. “Nothing, I promise. Okay,” I relent, when he gives me a doubtful expression. “You made out with my cheek and grabbed my ass on the way up the stairs.”

He stares at me. “That’s all?”

“You need more? You nibbled on my earlobe.”

He still won’t stop watching me. “I don’t nibble. I bite.”

“Well, you nibbled on me, and by the sound of it you wanted more.”

“Did you?”

I look him right in the eye. “No.”

He looks relieved, but something in the back of his gaze tightens. “I’m sorry I crashed your job. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll throw you a party this weekend.”

I refrain from groaning. This boy doesn’t quit! The last thing I want is another party with more alcohol and Auburn Hair. “Sure, Kent. You want something to eat?”

“Soup. There’s this good pho place around the corner.”

The mention of food makes me yearn. “Your treat?” I check.

He finally cracks a small smile. “Sure, Raina. My treat.”

Right as I’m locking the apartment door he grabs my hand and turns me towards him. “Tell me the truth. What did I say to you last night?”

If I don’t say something he’ll know I’m lying. He clearly thinks he said something. “You told me I deserved better than the couch and that you wanted to kiss me. And you touched me like this.” I reach over and gently drag my knuckles down his handsome cheek.

He closes his eyes in dismay. “I said that?”

“You did.”

“Shit.” He opens his eyes and scratches his face where I touched him. “I was drunk…”

“I know. You also spilled beer all over your shirt and slept in the break room. I didn’t take anything you said or did seriously.”
Mostly.

“Damn it!” he roars. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I get like that. I want to forget.” He looks at me, narrowing his eyes. “Anyway, it won’t happen again. I’ll stay away from your job.”

“You don’t have to stay away.” Although I don’t mention how much that idea comforts me. Kent at work, Kent at home, and now Kent’s lips on my ear. Kent is everywhere. We need some distance. I sigh, because we’re going to lunch, and that is most certainly not distance.

When we get in my car I can see him trying to remember last night. He knows he said more. I reach over and turn the radio on, hoping some music will distract him as I drive to the Vietnamese restaurant around the corner. It is aggravatingly packed with bodies. Kent and I wait in the small air-conditioned space. I notice how girls pause and stare at him. He doesn’t appear to be aware today. He plays on his phone with his shoulders slouched.

I’m aware though.

Too aware.

I reach over tentatively and rub his back. He looks up, curious. “Stop beating yourself up about last night. It happens sometimes. At least you didn’t pass out drunk in your roommate’s bedroom.”

“You slept in James’s bed?” His expression changes. He looks horrified. “Did you two hook up?”

“No,” I assure him. “I accidentally fell asleep and he covered me up. That’s all.”

His dark eyes look like I smacked him. “Don’t play with me like that.”

“What’s the big deal?” I take my hand off his back and fold it on my lap. Otherwise I’ll keep rubbing, and rubbing…“James is a sweet guy.”

He doesn’t look any better. He sits back and rubs his face. “Stay away from him,” he says. “That’s the big deal.”

I recall his words from last night.
I’ve wanted to kiss you since I answered the door.
Is Kent jealous? I immediately dismiss the idea. That wouldn’t make any sense. We barely know each other. Plus he was drunk. “My point is we all do stupid things when we’re drunk. I forgive you for manhandling me in the parking lot.”

He groans. “Raina.”

“You were actually kind of gentle. I expected caveman out of you. Not gentle.”

He peeks at me. “I was?”

“Mhm. Although,” I start to say, but he reaches over and covers my mouth with his hand.

“Enough,” he orders gruffly, “I fucked up. I get it. Stop reminding me.”

I gently extract his fingers from around my mouth and hold on to his large hand, cradling it in my lap. “But you’re adorable when you’re embarrassed.”

He gapes at me. “Raina,” he warns again, this time softer. “I’m not even. I don’t do adorable.”

“You’re doing it right now.”

He huffs, even more embarrassed, impossibly even more attractive to me. “Is this punishment for last night?”

“No,” I answer, releasing his hand before I bring it to my lips. “This is.” I punch his shoulder. “I mean really, Kent?” I open my mouth to continue, relishing in the mixture of irritation and embarrassment on his face, but the waitress waves us over to our table.

“That’s us,” he says hoarsely, grabbing my elbow.

I have half a mind to tell him I can walk there myself, but the feeling of his fingers wrapped around my skin distracts me. We sink into our chairs opposite each other and open our menus. The delicious, rich smell of pho swirls around us, making me ravenous. I scan the menu, wanting everything on the list. I don’t think Kent would be able to afford it.

“Kent?”

“What?” he says, his tone nervous.

“You’re a full time student?”

He relaxes, pleased that I’m not bringing up last night. “Yes.”

“What are you studying?”

“Business. My dad owns an e-commerce company and in order for me to work for him we made a deal for me to take business in college. In exchange he pays my bills and tuition.”

“What company?”

He looks away. “Bid&Buy.com.”

I gasp so loud the tables around us glare. Kent does as well.

Bid&Buy is an internet company where sellers can post their merchandise online and buyers place bids on it until the auction time closes. It’s one of the largest up and coming ecommerce companies. There’s very little slack and getting ripped off is virtually impossible with Bid&Buy acting as the middle man. It saves people money and makes them money at the same time. That’s a combination for success in this world.

“Wow,” I whisper. “That’s incredibly disappointing.”