Holding Strong
Page 100
How surreal to be standing there with her in the gym, talking about a kiss, discussing sex that wouldn’t yet happen, while being insulted—and still wanting that damn kiss so bad he needed it more than his next breath.
Not sure he could stop at one kiss, he said, “I’ll be following you home.” She tried to refute that, but Stack bent and took her mouth in a frustratingly brief touch. “I am,” he insisted, while watching her lick her lips again.
Damn, but he wanted her soft pink tongue on him.
“You don’t know the whole story,” he explained gruffly, “but there’s a threat so I need to see you get home safe and sound.”
Rather than argue, she nodded. “I picked up on some of that, but didn’t want to pry.”
Amazing. No other woman he knew could have refrained from prying. “I’m sure you’ll hear it all eventually.” He didn’t want to go into it now. “But do me a favor and be extra careful, okay?”
“Okay.” She swallowed. “That kiss didn’t count.”
He loved the shaky way she said that. “No, it didn’t.”
“And I won’t let you kiss me at home. It’d be too easy for me to get carried away.”
He groaned. “You can’t tell me things like that, Vanity.”
Her smile teased before finally lifting into a grin. “A big, strong fighter like you can keep it under wraps.”
“But you can’t?”
Going serious, she sighed. “With you, I honestly don’t know.” She lifted both hands to his chest, stroked lightly and then leaned into him. Her head tipped back and her eyes grew heavy. “Now kiss me for real.”
Hell yeah. Hooking one arm around her narrow waist and sliding his other hand around her nape, he drew her in tighter, aligning their bodies in a smoldering way. He took her mouth exactly as he’d been thinking about taking it since the day he’d first laid eyes on her.
And damn, it was even better than he’d imagined.
“You two charging tickets for this porno show?”
Groaning, Vanity pulled away and glared at Armie. “That was so mean. And here I thought you were my friend.”
He teased her, saying, “C’mon, Vee. You know you don’t want to be a spectacle.”
Stack glanced around and realized Armie was right. Gage and Harper both grinned at them, two boys watched by the door, and Denver and Cherry were now glancing their way while also having what appeared to be a serious discussion.
Not that Stack cared who watched, but—
Sighing again, Vanity said, “I think it might’ve been worth it.” After that bit of sweet talk, she hugged up to his arm again. “I’m ready to leave if you are.”
“Seeing her home?” Armie asked without too much innuendo.
“He’s my personal protection while I’m in transit. Isn’t that sweet?”
“Downright syrupy,” Armie agreed. When Denver called him over, he said, “Carry on, kids,” before leaving them.
Stack hadn’t said a single word. Caught in the vise-like grip of red-hot lust, he wasn’t sure he could.
“After that kiss,” Vanity confided, “it’s going to be even harder to wait.”
Screw that. The wedding was too far off; he’d never make it. But warning her now would steal his advantage, so he just smiled at her.
And for once she looked more confused than he felt.
* * *
STREET LAMPS HAD already kicked on by the time they left the rec center. The heavy storms left a bite in the evening air. Not a single star showed in the black sky.
If he’d known Carver and his fucked-up brothers would show up so soon, he would have parked closer to the rec center in the lot normally reserved for guests, instead of on the street farther away.
Keeping Cherry close to his side, Denver glanced back and saw Armie leaning in the doorway. If it was just Denver leaving, Armie wouldn’t have bothered. Since he had Cherry with him, no one wanted to take a chance on an ambush that could leave her unprotected.
Even knowing Armie had his back, he checked out every shadow and movement along the busy street. The cool, damp breeze left goose bumps on Cherry’s arms. She’d tidied up and even though she wore Armie’s shirt inside out, she looked hot.
He figured she could wear a potato sack and he’d still want her because wanting her was about more than just her looks and her sex appeal.
Though she denied it, he could tell by her fast chatter she was nervous. She talked about everything from the rainstorm, to Leese at the rec center, to Vanity kissing Stack.
Not sure he could stop at one kiss, he said, “I’ll be following you home.” She tried to refute that, but Stack bent and took her mouth in a frustratingly brief touch. “I am,” he insisted, while watching her lick her lips again.
Damn, but he wanted her soft pink tongue on him.
“You don’t know the whole story,” he explained gruffly, “but there’s a threat so I need to see you get home safe and sound.”
Rather than argue, she nodded. “I picked up on some of that, but didn’t want to pry.”
Amazing. No other woman he knew could have refrained from prying. “I’m sure you’ll hear it all eventually.” He didn’t want to go into it now. “But do me a favor and be extra careful, okay?”
“Okay.” She swallowed. “That kiss didn’t count.”
He loved the shaky way she said that. “No, it didn’t.”
“And I won’t let you kiss me at home. It’d be too easy for me to get carried away.”
He groaned. “You can’t tell me things like that, Vanity.”
Her smile teased before finally lifting into a grin. “A big, strong fighter like you can keep it under wraps.”
“But you can’t?”
Going serious, she sighed. “With you, I honestly don’t know.” She lifted both hands to his chest, stroked lightly and then leaned into him. Her head tipped back and her eyes grew heavy. “Now kiss me for real.”
Hell yeah. Hooking one arm around her narrow waist and sliding his other hand around her nape, he drew her in tighter, aligning their bodies in a smoldering way. He took her mouth exactly as he’d been thinking about taking it since the day he’d first laid eyes on her.
And damn, it was even better than he’d imagined.
“You two charging tickets for this porno show?”
Groaning, Vanity pulled away and glared at Armie. “That was so mean. And here I thought you were my friend.”
He teased her, saying, “C’mon, Vee. You know you don’t want to be a spectacle.”
Stack glanced around and realized Armie was right. Gage and Harper both grinned at them, two boys watched by the door, and Denver and Cherry were now glancing their way while also having what appeared to be a serious discussion.
Not that Stack cared who watched, but—
Sighing again, Vanity said, “I think it might’ve been worth it.” After that bit of sweet talk, she hugged up to his arm again. “I’m ready to leave if you are.”
“Seeing her home?” Armie asked without too much innuendo.
“He’s my personal protection while I’m in transit. Isn’t that sweet?”
“Downright syrupy,” Armie agreed. When Denver called him over, he said, “Carry on, kids,” before leaving them.
Stack hadn’t said a single word. Caught in the vise-like grip of red-hot lust, he wasn’t sure he could.
“After that kiss,” Vanity confided, “it’s going to be even harder to wait.”
Screw that. The wedding was too far off; he’d never make it. But warning her now would steal his advantage, so he just smiled at her.
And for once she looked more confused than he felt.
* * *
STREET LAMPS HAD already kicked on by the time they left the rec center. The heavy storms left a bite in the evening air. Not a single star showed in the black sky.
If he’d known Carver and his fucked-up brothers would show up so soon, he would have parked closer to the rec center in the lot normally reserved for guests, instead of on the street farther away.
Keeping Cherry close to his side, Denver glanced back and saw Armie leaning in the doorway. If it was just Denver leaving, Armie wouldn’t have bothered. Since he had Cherry with him, no one wanted to take a chance on an ambush that could leave her unprotected.
Even knowing Armie had his back, he checked out every shadow and movement along the busy street. The cool, damp breeze left goose bumps on Cherry’s arms. She’d tidied up and even though she wore Armie’s shirt inside out, she looked hot.
He figured she could wear a potato sack and he’d still want her because wanting her was about more than just her looks and her sex appeal.
Though she denied it, he could tell by her fast chatter she was nervous. She talked about everything from the rainstorm, to Leese at the rec center, to Vanity kissing Stack.
