Chapter 7
Ican’t believe Averie convinced me to do six shots of tequila. At the time, it seemed like a good idea. Let loose and have fun. Something my controlling ex-husband would’ve never let me do.
For one, he’d never let me drink, never let me go to the bar with friends, and I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere on my own. Perhaps that’s the reason I drank at least a glass of whiskey a day—spite.
But sitting in Kit’s truck in the dark while tequila stirred in my belly is less fun. Confusing even with the thoughts that consume my mind while I’m wearing his flannel—the softest flannel I’ve ever worn, and it smells sexy as hell. He isn’t getting this shirt back anytime soon.
My thoughts race about everything that I overheard. Who was Dakota? Did Kit like me as Alaska suggested? Why did he kiss Alaska and then ignore her for six months?
I now understand why Alaska wasn’t my biggest fan. She liked him, and when we walked into the bar together, she categorized me as a threat. But I didn’t understand why Kit didn’t like her… or did he?
I glance at him with rosy cheeks, feeling heat everywhere from the amount of alcohol flowing through my veins.
His facial expression is cold and defeated, just as cold as the snow-covered road in front of us.
He admitted that he didn’t want me, words that crushed me as they broke from his mouth, but when Alaska said that he was scared…
I knew that feeling too. The fear of being afraid to move on and open up again. The fear of getting hurt.
It used to cripple me.
I think about placing my hand on his arm to warm him up. To ask him what’s wrong and find out the truth about how he feels while I trace the tattoos on his forearm that trail towards his bicep… damn, I really want to do that.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, pulling away my attention before I can make a move.
Averie:
How’s it going with Kit? Are you going to invite him in?? PS. I’m soooo drunk.
A soft snort escapes my lips. That thought has crossed my mind multiple times—even before my overconsumption of alcohol.
Sadie:
Shouldn’t you be convincing me to do the opposite?
Averie:
You like him. I will always be the friend who convinces you to go after what you want.
Maybe that’s what I like about Averie. She isn’t timid about her wants; she just acts. Like the moment she decided to approach me and become friends. Honestly, it’s what probably took her so far in life with her music career. No fear. And that’s the kind of person I need in my life.
“You had fun tonight, I’m guessing?” he deadpans, not even deeming me a glance.
“Yes,” I blush, but I don’t think he can see me clearly in the dark. “And, did you have fun tonight?”
He frowns. “Not even a little bit.”
Well, that’s a lie. “You smiled tonight. After we danced.”
“And?” He pins me with a rigid gaze.
A breath gets caught in my throat. “And well, it couldn’t have been all that bad since I actually saw you smile.”
“I have smiled before you know.” He adjusts his grip on the steering wheel.
“Yeah, but I’ll bet it’s been a while,” I say while texting Averie to ask if she has a safe ride home. She replies that she does, and also something about french fries and ice cream. I sigh in relief, focusing back on Kit.
“So, you like me,” I grin, saying it like it’s a fact.
“No, I don’t,” he denies it.
“Because I annoy you?” I challenge him, recalling what I’d overheard him say.
He glances at me. “Because of many reasons, Sadie.”
I shrug. “Well, that’s just fine. I don’t like you either, Cowboy,” I lie. But I think I’m starting to like him a bit too much.
My phone buzzes again, but I ignore it.
“You don’t?” he asks. Is he sad to hear that response?
“Nope.”
He flexes a hand on the steering wheel, keeping his eyes on the road. “Good then.”
But I don’t think he truly feels that way. He admitted to Alaska that I’m the most annoying person he’s ever met, but I don’t believe him. Maybe he doesn’t want to like me, but I’m sure that he does.
Something in him seems different since I found him outside the bar with Alaska.
Like a part of him decided to shut down.
I’m not sure how to get back to the Kit I was beginning to know and occasionally loathed, so I stay quiet for the rest of the ride home.
Listening to the radio playing softly as the snow continues to fall.
A million questions burn in my mind, but with every coherent thought comes clouded desire.
Because if I’m being honest with myself, what I really want to do is grab him in the dark, just to see how much he “doesn’t like me.”
Tequila 1. Sadie 0.
Kit catches me in his arms when I hop out of his shiny silver truck. Probably the cleanest truck I’ve ever been in, and considering his occupation, it’s surprising.
I smile and stagger out of his arms, heading towards my front door before I can do something stupid like ask him to help me out of my clothes, or scrub me down with soap in the shower with those firm, calloused hands.
“Goodnight, Cowboy,” I shout, almost slipping over from my distracted thoughts and the fact that my vision is slightly blurred.
It’s a struggle to put the key in the lock. I’m not even sure if it’s the house key or the car key at this point. About a minute later, I hear him come up behind me. His tall presence makes me smile.
“Give me the keys,” he sighs.
I do as he says, walking inside after he opens the door. Fox rushes up to me, and I bend down to give her kisses while Kit closes the door behind him.
I stand at the sound of the door clicking shut, realizing he’s in my house. He didn’t just open the door and leave.
He walked in.
I should be nervous. I should tell him to leave, but the six shots of tequila have my brain rattled, focused on one thing—my sexy neighbor Kit Harlow is in my house.
And let’s be honest, my middle name is reckless and impulsive. It’s what I do best, and one of the things my ex-husband never liked about me. He couldn’t control reckless, so that’s what I became.
“Did you change your mind about me?” I ask with a flirtatious smile, running my gaze over the length of his body. Heat builds in my core just looking at him.
“Water, and then I’m gone.” He strides towards the kitchen, filling up a glass before handing it to me moments later.
“Drink,” he shoves it towards me.
“I don’t like being told—”
“Just do it for fuck’s sake,” he interrupts.
I drink, but it tastes awful.
Several outfits I almost decided to wear are thrown around the living room.
If I’d known he was going to come into my house tonight, I would’ve cleaned up.
It looked as if a raccoon had snuck in and thrown around my fancy underwear.
“Are you going to watch me drink this whole thing?” He hasn’t stopped staring at me since he gave me the glass.
“If that’s what it takes,” he says, glancing at my mouth, and he lingers.
I lick my swollen lips in response.
Kit sighs with a rough exhale, deciding to sit on the leather couch a few feet away, awkwardly moving a red lacy bralette out of his way. “You know you have a decent-sized closet in your bedroom, right?”
“Yes, I know, but—wait.” My pulse spikes at his question. “How do you know that?”
“I’ve been in here before.”
“You what?” My heart races.
“I did maintenance on this place a year or so ago,” his eyes graze casually around the room.
My body relaxes at his response. “Oh. Right. You’re a man who fixes things.” I recall the fact that he fixed my front door because it irritated him.
“Something like that,” he scratches at the tidy scruff on his chin. “Our houses are actually pretty similar, for the most part,” he shrugs.
“Your house is twice the size of mine,” I deadpan. While the exteriors of our houses are similar, mine is a cute one-story, one-bedroom. Kit’s house is two stories, with at least three or four bedrooms. Pretty similar wasn’t even close to the mark.
The corner of his mouth tugs up. “True. At least that.”
I take a step towards him, ready to change this conversation into something more fun. “Maybe you could show me around yours sometime. Seeing as how it’s much bigger than mine.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Because the idea of me being in your house excites you?”
“Keep drinking,” he mutters as he runs a hand through his dark brown hair, removing his ballcap temporarily. “If you finish that in the next five minutes, we can be asleep before midnight,” he glances at his watch.
But sleep isn’t really a part of my plan.
There are things I need to know. Boundaries that need to be crossed to see where this man truly stands with me.
Dislike aside, I’m very attracted to him, and I know he’s attracted to me.
“Or,” I set down the glass, feeling a rush of confidence from the tequila burning inside me.
“We can not sleep.” I can think of several activities that would be much more fun.
A soft smile tugs at his lips. “Okay, Tequila.”
Tequila?
I smile and place my leg on the couch next to him, slowly pulling off a boot. “I’m serious, Cowboy.” He tracks the movement as I pull off the other. “I’m not tired yet.” I flip my hair over my shoulder and approach him.
Hopefully, walking in a straight line, but I’m confident that I’m zigzagging towards him. Badly wanting to step in between his strong legs, but he stops me before I get too far.
He stands, gently pushing me back. “I think that’s my cue to leave.” He points to the glass of water. “Finish that.”
My hands find his chest, stepping into his warm body.
The height disparity between us sends a thrill right through me.
“I’d like to finish this.” The feel of him hard and ready against me makes me smile.
“And I think you do too.” I gesture to his erection between us.
Something I noticed the minute he stood.
I wonder what I did to excite him. Heat rushes through me just thinking about it.
“We’re not having sex, Sadie,” he levels his eyes at me.
“Because why?”
“Because that would be taking advantage of you.”
Either I really am that drunk, or his answer doesn’t exactly sound like a no. My fingers drift along his chest. “Then let me take advantage of you.”
His eyes widen in surprise as my hands slide down his solid abs, towards his belt. I expect him to shove me away, but he lets me. Unable to take his eyes away from my hands on him. “Let me take you in my throat.” My mouth waters just thinking about it. “I want to.” And I really, really did.
Tequila 2. Sadie 0.
“You’ll choke on it, Tequila.”
I laugh, feeling his breath between us. “Good.”
He stares at my lips, and for a moment I think he’s going to kiss me, or shove me down, and God, I hope he does. The light dances around in his eyes, and when he leans in, I’m suddenly aware of the wetness between my thighs.
Fuck I want him bad.
My phone starts buzzing nonstop. The haze in his eyes clears back to rigid blue.
“Give me your phone,” he demands.
“Why?”
“I’m giving you my number,” he clarifies.
I pull my cheap burner phone out of my back pocket and hand it over, smiling at him like I won something.
He stares at it, face contorting in confusion as he flips it open. “How old is this phone?”
“Umm… I don’t know, maybe a year old?” Why is he asking? And why does it matter?
“I haven’t seen a phone like this in twenty years.”
A year ago, I purchased this phone at a gas station.
Just needing a basic device to get me by—a phone that my abusive ex couldn’t trace.
Sure, it’s crappy, but at least it’s blue.
My cheeks flush red. “Well, if you’re just going to make fun of me—” I reach for my phone, but he stops me, lifting his hand over his head where I can’t reach.
“Just need to remember how to use it,” he teases, and I see the faintest of smirks on his face. “Call me if you need anything,” he finishes after typing in his number, handing it back to me.
The grin that’s plastered on my face is practically glowing. There’s definitely something I need…
“But only if it’s urgent,” he adds with a scowl.
I frown, pouting my lips. Realizing I can’t feel them either.
He hands it back and moves past me, gently moving me out of his path. I’m still thinking about the feeling of his calloused hand grazing my hip when he opens the door, letting in a rush of cold air. “Goodnight, Tequila,” he smiles, heading out into the snow.
One night. Two smiles.
I’m probably going to wake up with a million regrets. But right now, I feel none. Only heat that I’m going to take care of before I wander over to his house and beg him to let me choke on it.