Chapter 30
Thomas
Chapter Thirty
I took a step with the black knight before turning around the chess board and hovering above it, trying to figure out my next move. Kevin impatiently groaned on the couch where he laid on his back for the past several hours while I played.
“Do you usually play against yourself?” he asked, pushing himself up to his elbows. “Because I’m pretty sure I could find a study about this being a psychopathic behavior.”
I spared him a glance. “It was hard to find worthy opponents besides myself, so I stopped trying.” I moved my queen ahead.
“That’s a very—well, a very you thing to say, actually.” Kevin sat up.
I tuned him out. In my opinion, we already talked about everything I wanted to. I asked him about that Wilbur guy, just in case I needed a punching bag. Sadly, it turned out he moved away a few years ago, but I didn’t cross out the possibility of looking him up one day. Besides that, I told him about the article we read, and we agreed to search his father’s home office when he wasn’t home. Kevin told me he used to take files home to work overtime, so there was a possibility we would find Lizzie’s there.
Given that Kevin was still here, watching me play chess against myself, it didn’t take a genius to know that there was something else he wanted to talk about. Every half an hour he let out a long breath, trying to get my attention, and sometimes he even formed a letter before sinking back into the couch and closing his mouth. I knew it was about my brother, but I had no intention of getting into their business. So, every half an hour I ignored him.
It must have been past midnight now. Kinsley and Connor were still upstairs, and I was starting to get frustrated, so when Kevin opened his mouth again, I leaned back in the armchair and lifted my eyes at him.
His first reaction was pure shock, but then he straightened and cleared his throat. “I really like him. Like-like him.” I tilted my head, nodding.
So far, so good. I tried to look invested in what he had to say, but I didn’t think it was actually showing on my face, as I could have counted a few dozen things I would have loved to do instead of this. Kinsley was the first on the list, but I pushed that thought away into a dark pit in my mind.
“I don’t have any bad intentions, and he’s an?—”
Ah, so it was about this.
“You don’t need my permission to date my brother,” I cut in.
“Don’t I?” he asked, and I arched my brow. “I think Connor thinks differently.” He crossed his legs, resting his ankle on his knee.
“You don’t need my permission,” I repeated. “He’s an adult and he’s capable of making his own decisions.”
Kevin furrowed his eyebrows. “That sounded bad.” He smoothed over his tattooed arm, and I turned my eyes toward the ceiling. “Do you think I’m a bad decision?” he asked, and I sighed.
To be honest, I was starting to.
“Look, we are good, all right? Just don’t hurt him. And next time, try to fuck him without getting caught,” I added. I didn’t have a problem with doing it in public places, but I would never, ever get caught. I was never caught.
“Okay?” Kevin played with his bracelet before he got to his feet. “Thanks, I guess. I will call you tomorrow, I need to check my father’s schedule to know when he’s not home.”
I leaned over the chessboard. For a moment he didn’t move, and I guessed he was waiting for a thank-you from me, but I saw him getting it with my brother, so that was something he could wait for. After a moment, I heard him walk toward the front door and I sighed. I made the last move of the game and looked up.
“You can stay the night.” I played with the king between my fingers. “If Connor would like it,” I added and motioned toward the staircase with my head.
I saw him hesitate, biting into the inside of his cheek before he nodded and hurried upstairs.
I flexed my hand and then relaxed it, putting the chess piece back down on the board. The urge I had pushed down inside of me while I played suddenly came back to me, taking over my bones like a bad disease. I leaned back in the armchair, letting my head drop backward. My lips parted as Kinsley’s smooth skin became visible in front of my mind’s eyes. I could hear her moans clearly in my ears, and I flexed my hands again, my cock twitching. She was lying in my bed wearing one of my T-shirts, and I let out a frustrated breath. She didn’t even have to be naked to make me swoon. She had so much power over me. Fuck, it turned me on. I leaned forward again and rearranged the chess pieces. I heard one of the stairs creak, but I didn’t pay too much attention to it.
“Long night,” a voice called from the stairs, and my blood ignited as I made the first step with a pawn.
“You should already be asleep.” I tried to keep my voice cool and my eyes on the board, even though I had already lost all my interest in playing.
At least chess.
“Do I have a bedtime now?” Kinsley asked, coming closer. “Because then I demand a bedtime story,” she added, sitting down on the couch next to me and reaching for one of the chess pieces.
As she passed me, her strawberry-vanilla scent reached my nostrils, and I bit into my tongue to keep in a groan. She moved the piece between her fingers before placing it down onto the board and lifting a challenging brow at me. I didn’t take my eyes off her as I made my move before swallowing hard and leaning back in the chair with a smirk.
“If with bedtime stories you mean those smutty books you read, I’m in,” I answered.
Kinsley’s eyes widened, and her hand froze above the board. “I do not—” she cut herself off, seeing the bored expression on my face. “How do you know about those?” she hissed, crossing her arms over her chest.
My own eyes widened, too, as I noticed the tiny thing she wore as pajamas. The thought of ripping it off her consumed my mind, and I almost forgot to answer her.
“You leave your Kindle everywhere,” I said, leaving out the fact that I also followed her updates on social media about what she read.
“I do not,” she replied, and I made a face. “Okay, maybe I do, but still, you read them. You opened my Kindle and read my smutty books,” she accused, in complete shock.
I sighed. “Of course I read them. I would read anything you had if it meant I could get to know a small part of you better.” I stood up and walked over to the kitchen. I needed to cool myself down. If we kept talking about smut while she wore that thing, I?—
“You can’t just drop something cheesy like that and leave.” Kinsley hurried after me.
I lifted a brow in a Watch me way while grabbing a glass of water and turning toward the stairs. I was on a mission to get away from this woman before I did something reckless. My gaze wandered to the kitchen island, and my mouth watered. I was so fucked. Kinsley put her palm over my chest, right above my racing heart, and I froze. She looked into my eyes while her other hand played with the bow that kept her top together.
“So, which one was your favorite?” she breathed, chewing on her bottom lip. My eyes focused on her swollen lips.
“None of them,” I replied, and she frowned. “I kept thinking I could do so much better than those guys.” Kinsley let out a short laugh. “Yeah?”
I lifted a brow at her. “Do you want me to believe that our last time didn’t convince you?” My voice was low as I stepped closer to her. She tilted her head to the side, revealing the delicate skin on her neck.
“Actually, I think I need to refresh the memory.” I exhaled a light laugh and hooked a finger into the bow on her top, pulling it open.