Chapter 6
Thomas
Chapter Six
As soon as Kinsley disappeared into the house, I put down the cup in my hand and pushed myself away from the table. My focus was on the front door where I last saw her as I made my way through the crowd. After the disappointing discovery earlier today, I wanted nothing more than to lock myself into my room and think about my next step, but I promised these two I’d take them to Braxton’s party. Then, I saw Kinsley in her tiny white dress, and my wants changed quite quickly. Watching her move her hips to the rhythm of the music while those twerps pushed their bodies closer to hers was my own personal hell. Every move of hers felt like a dagger into my chest, and it was a sick twist that I liked it. I deserved it.
I opened the front door and surprise washed over me. The house was quiet. There was no one inside, at least not visible to my eyes. The only thing that was out of place was a board with an arrow and the word bathroom on it, pointing toward the second floor. I walked across the living room to the staircase, following where the board was directing the people who entered. When I reached the top of the stairs, a door opened, and Kinsley stepped out of it. She stopped as soon as she noticed me, her brown gaze turning from surprised to emotionless in a blink. But I could still see the emotions washing over her expression. She moved quickly, and I knew she would walk past me and hurry down the stairs, so I stepped into her way. She stopped abruptly, pressing her lips together.
“Do you mind?” she asked, lifting her gaze from my chest to my face.
“Not really.” I tilted my head to the side as a way of studying her, and she let out an annoyed breath, just as I suspected she would. Sometimes I just loved to irritate her. At least that was something.
She took a step back and crossed her arms in front of her chest, wrinkling her nose. “Have you been drinking?” A small smile tugged on my lips.
“Maybe.”
Before she could reply, which was obvious that she wanted to, I stepped closer to her until the gap between us closed and her back hit the wall. I knew I was doing something I wasn’t supposed to, but I could always blame it on the alcohol. For now, I just wanted those things to be a problem for tomorrow.
“Do you want to dance?” I asked, probably because of some kind of temporary brain damage…or maybe she just mesmerized me with her dance earlier.
“We are not on the dance floor.” Kinsley’s eyes flicked from me to the empty hallway.
“Even better,” I replied, hovering over her. I don’t like to share.
“You hate dancing,” she reminded me, raising a brow and straightening.
“Not with you.” For a split second her eyes widened, but then she played it cool with an eye roll. “Never with you, Sage,” I stated, and she broke eye contact again.
“Don’t call me that.” She frowned.
I knew I was close to crossing the invisible line, but I leaned even closer to her with a smile while a small part, the good part, of my brain was shouting at me to stop. “Ahh, but I like it. Such a fitting little name.” It really was. I started to call her Sage last year after she told me it meant wise in Ancient Greek.
“Stop playing, Thomas.” From the way her lips formed my name, the remaining blood disappeared from my brain. “How much did you have to drink?”
“I would say slightly more than you,” I lied. I only had one whiskey before I came after her, but gaslighting myself into being drunk meant I could let go of my responsibilities for a few hours. I could do what I really wanted to. But it didn’t mean I would really get myself drunk when I had to look after Connor and Kinsley. “But not by much, as I can smell the vodka on you,” I added, taking a deep breath, my eyes never leaving hers. Her cheeks blushed, but it was true. That, and maybe the promise I made to myself, were the only two things that stood between us and a bed. Something flashed in her eyes, and I swallowed hard. “But I’m not drunk if that’s what you are worried about.”
“Yes, you are,” she replied, trying to sneak out from under my arm.
“No, I’m not.” I wasn’t lying. I straightened, changing my features. “I’m not drunk, Sage,” I repeated.
“All right, I believe you.” She bit the inside of her cheek.
“It made me go crazy,” I explained, already knowing I would regret every following word once the sun came up. “You, dancing with those guys. It just—” I bit my tongue. She looked up at me with a frown, her eyes glistening in a way I hadn’t seen them in a long time as she waited for me to finish. “You made me go crazy,” I blurted out, my voice changing as I lowered myself to her eye level.
“That’s not funny, Thomas.” She tried to step away from me again, but this time, I put my hand up next to her head on the wall to block her way.
“Come on, Wise Girl, you have to know. You have to see,” I whispered, half of me not wanting to say more as I leaned down, brushing my lips against her cheek.
“The only thing I’m seeing is you being drunk and playing games, I’m going back to the party,” she said after a moment of silence when the only sound was our heavy breaths. She pushed against my chest, and I hesitated before I stepped back and let her hurry down the stairs.