Seth's Cravings: An Endless Series: Book 2 (29 page)

     He pushed forward against my hand and I let him,
because even as I knew how unmanageable it could become I craved his taste…his
touch. His soft lips brushed mine, just briefly, and then disappeared as he
moved back. A little disappointed by the chaste kiss, I gazed at him in
aggravated confusion.

     A teasing smile played upon his mouth, but his eyes
were hawkish. “That was nice, but way too short, and I think we should test our
resolve just a little more thoroughly.” Cupping my nape he lowered his mouth a
second time.

     This time the kiss was more insistent as his tongue slipped
inside to explore, drawing my bottom lip into his mouth to nibble and suck on it.
I whimpered clutching at the arm holding my nape as my other hand gripped the
part of his shirt that covered his abdomen, pulling him closer. Seconds later
he broke away and we stared at each other breathing heavily.  

     “There…we can kiss without it getting out of hand.”
Seth stated roughly, eyes burning.

     I gave a nod of concurrence knowing that in another
second I would have been wrapping my legs around his waist and hanging on him
like a proverbial limpet. However, he didn’t need to know that…I didn’t even
want to acknowledge it to myself. The man had some kind of hold on me to where
he obliterated all cognizant thought.

     With one last peck on my mouth Seth shut the door. Striding
around the front of the truck he climbed in the driver’s seat and started the
engine. “What’s the address?” He asked starting up his GPS on the dash. I gave
it to him and he punched it in.

     “How did you first start going to these games?” Seth
asked backing out of the parking spot.

     Buckling my seatbelt I tried relaxing back in my seat
acting like I wasn’t one throbbing hormone. “At the beginning of summer I was eating
lunch at this deli with one of my coworker’s and I overheard this conversation
between two college guys. They were talking about a poker game they’d been to
the night before and the money they’d lost…and they were laughing about it.” I
shook my head at the memory. “At first I thought they were laughing about a
small amount of money, but than one guy said he’d lost a thousand and I about
choked on my sandwich. What stunned me even more was that the guy said he was
going to have to make another call to his parents and get an additional
thousand put in his account to last him until he received his monthly allowance
of three thousand. It was a bit of a wake up call for a working girl trying to
support her two siblings.”

     Seth shook his head as well. “There are quite a few
guys like that roaming the school grounds. Landon’s probably one of them. He
get’s an outrageous allowance; although, I don’t think he’s ever asked his
parents to cover what he loses, but than he’s never lost like he has with you.”
Seth added with a grin.

     Of course I had to grin at that as well. “What about
you, do you get an outrageous allowance?” I asked curiously. It was a personal
question but Seth had gotten all kinds of personal with me, so I figured it was
fair.  

     Seth laughed. “No way, my dad is old school. I have to
work for every penny I spend. That’s not to say he isn’t generous. He did buy
me this truck, and he takes care of all my necessities for college, but for
everything else I use the money I make working for him during the summer.”

     I felt a twinge of guilt for the first time since
starting this whole thing. “So I was taking your hard earned cash during our
poker games?”

     He looked my way searchingly as though sensing my guilt.
“Yeah, but it was my choice to play. I like cards and since I’m not much of a
partier or conversationalist that’s what I do at these parties. Normally, I’m
able to keep a middle ground; lose some here, win some there, but with you it
didn’t work out that way.” He grinned like there were no hard feelings.

     I returned the grin, but mostly because of his comment
about being a weak conversationalist. I didn’t notice any weaknesses in his
conversational skills. “Is that why I didn’t see you around much with Landon,
and why you looked so disgruntled at seeing me that last time?”

     His mouth twisted. “You saw that did you? Well, I
definitely couldn’t keep losing my money to you, but that’s not why I was so
disgruntled.” He gripped the steering wheel tightly and I noticed that his
hands were really quite beautiful in their own way; large, manly, and strong.
“I already told you it bothered me watching everyone flirt with you, and I
wasn’t looking forward to sitting through another night of it. And while I
still feel that way, I will try to temper my mood because I understand why
you’re doing it.”

     Not knowing quite what to say to that I went simple.
“Uh, thanks, I appreciate that.” 

     He chuckled. “So, you heard these guys talking, but how
did you find your first game?”

     Pleased we were back on topic and away from feelings I
jumped back into the story. “One of them was talking about another game that
weekend and relayed the information to his friend on the where and when. I
don’t know what made me write down the information because I didn’t have a plan
at the time. The next couple of days that conversation seemed stuck in my head.
I’ve been worried about meeting Luka and Issy’s needs, and about how I’m going
to pay for their college, and these guys were just throwing their money away.
So I showed up at the house and asked in my most accented voice if they had
room for one more. Everyone thought it was a hoot at first, but they soon
realized that I was a serious player.”

     I chuckled suddenly and Seth looked at me inquisitively.
“What?”

     “I think a few of them think I’m a
Bratva
princess, so that’s another reason you don’t have to worry about me.”

     He frowned. “Why wouldn’t I have to worry?”

     “Because even these self-indulgent, rich playboys know
not to mess with the mob, and as long as there is a chance that I might be
connected they won’t go too far with their suggestions or actions.”

     He shook his head in incredulity. “Did you tell them
this?”

     “No…well, I told one guy, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t
tell anyone else.” I said with a vengeful smile.

     His eyes light with understanding. “You told ‘Dale the
Asshole’ that you were.”

     
Ha
, loved the moniker. “
Da
, I felt I
needed to put a greater fear in him besides me. I told him that if I found out
he was touching any other girls like he had with me I was going to sic my
father on him. It would also most likely keep him from coming after me or
spouting lies about what happened.”

     Seth grinned. “Diabolical.”

     “I am, so remember that.” I affirmed austerely.

     “I most definitely will.” He responded just as gravely.

     The GPS informed Seth to turn right at the next road which
was the street the party was on. The house was in a very affluent neighborhood,
and the vehicles that lined the driveway bore witness that all the people
attending the party were also from a similar neighborhood. Seth’s truck blended
in way better than my car. I normally parked on the street and as far away as
possible so no one associated me with my second hand car. I wasn’t embarrassed
by it, but it would lessen the mystique surrounding me.

     Seth parked and we made our way up to the house. “What
was this guys name again?” Seth asked.

     “Mike Tanner. He’s one of the top wrestler’s at UVA.”

     Seth’s expression was a mask if discontent. “I’ve heard
of him.”

     Bringing Seth wasn’t looking to be a good idea. “Mike’s
a pretty cool guy, and he doesn’t make any suggestive remarks to me.” I gave
him a teasing nudge in the arm.

     He cracked a small smile…for one second. I shook my
head and sighed inwardly. This evening looked to be a load of laughs, but then
it wouldn’t have been in any case. It was a working night for me.

     Upon reaching the door I walked right in. This was
another thing that stunned me about these people, or at least the offspring of
these people. They seemed to have no concept of home protection; they left the
doors unlocked for anyone to walk in. This house was as large as Landon’s beach
house and just as opulent, and while I was accustomed around the wealth after
months of visiting these types of houses, it still amazed me how they took
everything for granted.

     There were a few people in the foyer and more could be
heard throughout the house. I turned to Seth before we went any further. “We
never talked about what you were going to do once we got here.” He had given me
the impression that he was going to sit and watch me play, and while that
seemed excessively boring to me I found I didn’t like the idea of him roaming
freely with an abundance of single woman littered the house. 

     “I’m going to sit and watch.” He stated resolutely.

     My muscles relaxed slightly in relief, but I gave him a
nonplused look so he would think I didn’t care. “Okay.”

     Turning I made my way toward the gaming room that was at
the back of the house. Everyone we passed gave us a second look, and while I
generally received looks of interest, Seth was the one who garnered most this
time. He was just too large and striking to ignore. And I have to admit, I
didn’t like the looks of open appreciation many of the girls threw his way. 

     Walking into the rec room I noted that even though it
was early the other five players were already sitting at the table. There were
several other people in there as well to observe; males and females…scantly
clad, skanky, females.  

     My stomach clenched. I’d forgotten about them. Suddenly
this night seemed even less enjoyable than ever; particularly as every girl
there looked at Seth like he was fresh meat.

Chapter Eighteen

SETH

     This evening was going to be hell.

     I stood behind Nadia and surveyed the roomful of males
ogling her as if she was their dessert for the night…and they couldn’t wait to
dig in. Without conscious thought I adopted my most menacing stance, the one I
used in lacrosse to intimate the other players. Unfortunately, only about half
of them took note of it and adjusted their gawking. The other half had yet to
take their eyes off Nadia to even notice me.   

     I hadn’t been exaggerating when I said she looked
incredible. She always looked good, even when she was in old jeans, a work
shirt, hair up in a ponytail, but when she made herself up everything about her
just became amplified. And the way she held herself, all confidence with a touch
of haughty, it just begged a guy to grab hold.

     “Nadezhda.” My gaze zeroed in on the guy saying her
name. A big dude, though not as big as me, with light brown hair walked toward
her wearing an enthusiastic and welcoming smile. “I’m glad you could make it.”

     “I’m just glad you are still infwiting me.” Nadia
responded in her exaggerated accent.

     The way she slipped so easily into her role
disconcerted me. Did she really need to go to these lengths just to keep
getting invited back to these poker games?

     The guys gaze track back to me and he frowned. “You
look familiar.” His eyes suddenly lit with recognition. I might not be as well
known as Nic on the lacrosse field since he was one of the best midfielder’s in
the league, but as one of the best defensemen in the league people did still know
my name and face. “You’re on the lacrosse team…Seth Weston, right?”

     I gave him a nod. “Yeah.”

     He held out his hand with a smile. “Good to meet you,
man. I’m Mike Tanner. Can’t wait to see you guys play this year. You looking to
have another championship year?”

     Mike was a lacrosse fan…interesting. “We always go in
expecting another championship.” I stated emphatically. “I’m sure you do in
wrestling as well.”

     Mike laughed and looked gratified that I seemed to know
who he was. I didn’t really follow wresting but I did know the top player’s on many
of the university’s sports teams. I just hadn’t connected his name to the sport
when Nadia had first mentioned him.   

     “Yeah, that’s the only way to go into the season.” He
stated cheerfully. “I don’t think I’ve seen you at one of my party’s before.
What made you stop by?”

     “He came wiz me tonight, Mike.” Nadia stated.

     Mike looked from Nadia to me in surprise. “Oh...” His
tone dipped in disappointment and my jaw twitched. What a surprise…another
admirer. “Did you want in the game tonight?” Mike sounded like he was hoping I
only came for the game and not as a date.

     “No.” I rested my hand possessively on Nadia’s
shoulder. “I just came to watch.” She tensed faintly but didn’t contradict me.

     Mike’s disappointed expression deepened. “Uh…cool.
Well, there’s some beer over by the bar if you’re thirsty. Nadia, everyone’s
here so we can start the game.” With one more longing glance at Nadia, that had
my teeth grinding, he headed back to the table.

     Nadia stood there looking at me like she didn’t know
quite what to do next. Seeing her look so unsettled actually eased some of the
tension I was feeling. “Go ahead. I told you I’d be fine sitting in the
corner.”

     Her mouth twitched and then a wide beautiful smile
spread across her mouth. “Nobody sticks baby in the corner.” She said with a
chuckle.