Thrust (14 page)

Thinking about Kyan only seems to make my head hurt at the moment. I want nothing more than to ask him to hang out with me, but I’m afraid he’ll say no and remind me of the fact that we can never be anything more. The thought causes my chest to ache and I fill up with anxiety.

“He might not be.”

“Huh?” I look up from my phone that I didn’t even realize I was now holding.

Tori grins and points to my phone. “Send him a text. It’s not going to hurt to ask. Then go to your room and change out of that work attire crap and throw on something cute and flirty.”

I watch Tori as she rushes to her room and flicks on the light. I can stand here and drown in my self-pity all night
or
I can just say screw it, ask Kyan to come out with us, and forget all about my sister and her stupid invitation.

“Screw this,” I mutter while pulling up Kyan’s number and sending him a text. I drop my phone down onto the table and hurry to my room to change.

After throwing on a black and silver tunic and a pair of gray leggings, I slip into what I call my
rock girl
boots and pull my hair into a sloppy bun above my right shoulder.

I feel a nervous knot form in my stomach as I walk back into the living room and reach for my phone. My heart jumps when I see two text messages from Kyan. Taking a deep breath, I pull up the messages and read them.

Kyan: I can leave work now and meet you.

Kyan: Where are we going? I’m grabbing my things and walking out the door now.

Oh my God
. . .

My heart does this stupid little dance as I quickly text him back. I feel as if my fingers can’t move fast enough and I find myself mentally yelling at my fingers to work.

Me: You really didn’t have to leave work for me, only if you’re free. No pressure. We’ll be at Bare.

My phone vibrates immediately with his response.

Kyan: Oh, I’d definitely rather be spending time with you instead of in this stupid office. See you soon.

I’m ashamed that Tori walks out and catches me with this stupid, silly grin on my face. I know I look ridiculously happy, because she’s got her head tilted and she’s clapping happily like a two year old.

“Looks like Kyan wasn’t busy after all. Imagine that.” She looks me over, checking out my
going out
attire before nodding in approval and whistling. “Now that looks hot. This is the Calla that I like to see. The fun one that isn’t always worrying about everyone else and what they think.” She glances down at my boots. “I seriously might have to borrow that outfit sometime.” She throws her hands on her hips and smirks while pushing out her breasts. “You likie?”

She’s wearing a pair of black skinny jeans and a white off-the-shoulder shirt that says:
Objects in shirt are bigger than they appear.

I laugh as I reach for my purse. “Yup. That shirt is totally you.” I shove my phone into my purse and loop my arm through hers. “Looks like we’re going to
Club
Bare.
Kyan is leaving work to meet us there.”

She turns to me and lifts her eyebrows. “Leaving work, huh? Yeah, someone just wants to be fuck buddies my ass.”

I push her with my hip. “We’re
just
having fun. I’m sure he was about to leave work anyways. Now shut up and let’s go before I change my mind.”

CLUB BARE
IS PACKED WHEN we arrive, but we somehow manage to snag up a table and cover it with all of our crap. The only way to keep a table in a place like this it to make it as blatantly clear as possible that it’s taken. I guess the same could go for your woman as well. The only way to keep her in a place like this is to make it clear that she’s with you.

That is exactly what Brad is doing right now. Tori is standing in front of the table and Brad is so far up her ass that I almost believe he’s literally up there.

“What do you want to drink? You can stay here and watch our table while Brad and I go get the drinks.” Tori is reaching in her purse for her wallet when Kyan’s voice sounds next to my ear.

“Am I first to claim you tonight?” I feel his lips brush my ear as he smiles against it. “I had to be sure to beat all the other assholes to you.”

I nod my head and laugh as I turn my head to look up at him. “You’re definitely first, Mr. Wilder. Lucky you, I guess.”

He steps around the table and I about die on the spot when my eyes land on what he’s wearing. I notice Tori clearly checking him out too, as if Brad doesn’t even exist at the moment.

His thick legs are being hugged by a pair of form fitting, black trousers and his broad chest is covered in a white dress shirt, rolled up to the elbows, with a black vest. His tie hangs loosely around his neck and his hair looks as if he’s just finished having the best fuck of his life. In other words, he looks
dangerously irresistible.
I can guarantee that every female mouth dropped on his way over to this table and they’re busy wiping the drool from their damn chins right now.

He smiles at Tori and says hello before introducing himself to Brad. He leans into Brad’s shoulder with all the confidence in the world and says something before turning back to us. “So what will it be, ladies?”

Tori raises a brow and twists her face up in thought before settling on a beer, as well as the rest of us, and before we know it Kyan has one of the waitresses over taking our orders and smiling at Kyan as if she’s the happiest girl in the world.

Back up, hussy . . .

Tori smiles at Kyan and her eyes follow him all the way to his seat. “So . . .” She pulls out her own chair and takes a seat, as so does Brad. “Were you done working for the day?”

Kyan thanks the waitress and grabs for one of the beers, while loosening his tie some more. “Nah. I’m never really done with work.”

“I see.” Tori grins at me like an idiot, so I quickly kick her leg and change the subject.

We spend the first hour or so just hanging out at our table, drinking and talking, and I have to admit that Chrissy’s invitation is the last thing on my mind tonight. That invitation can kiss my ass. Time is flying by and everyone is getting along as if we’ve done this a hundred times before. It’s comfortable. I haven’t had this kind of fun out with friends in what seems like forever.

It seems that a lot of people here know who Kyan is and treats him with so much respect that I can’t help but to smile as I watch him interact with others that randomly stop by to say hi. He’s so different than most men. He doesn’t have to
try.
People just naturally like and respect him and he doesn’t seem to let that go to his head. It makes me happy to just be around him.

“Alright,” Tori says while grabbing Brad’s hand. “This is a lot of fun and all, but I need to move. I’m too young to just sit here.” She giggles as Brad pulls her into his arms and bites her neck. “We’ll be out on the dance floor. You two don’t have too much fun.”

Kyan tilts his head at me and grins before taking a swig of his beer and setting it back down. “Come on.” He grabs my hand and starts pulling me out into the crowd. Luckily I’m on my third beer, so I’m feeling a bit loose and am starting to not worry about all the sets of eyes that seem to keep following us around.

Kyan pretends to not notice all the girls gawking at him, but it has definitely caught my attention.

“You dance?” I question as he slips an arm around my waist and pulls me against him.

He slowly grinds his hips to the music in such a seductive way that a breath escapes me. I seriously had no idea that he could move his body like that.

He leans into my ear and laughs against it. “Surprised? Don’t let the suit fool you.” Moving behind me, he runs his hand up my arm and pulls it around his neck, while grinding his hips against my ass. I feel his lips against my ear again. “It’s been a while, but I
never
forget how to move my body.”

Oh God . . .

I feel my body moving in rhythm with his as if we’ve done this a million times before. One of his arms is around my neck and the other around my waist as we move to the slow beat, his body controlling mine. It feels too much like the bedroom and I instantly feel the heat rush through my body at the memories.

His hand runs up my neck until my head is tilted back and his lips are running across my face. They trace my hairline, nose, and cheeks, but never stop on my lips. Still, just the feel of his breath so close to mine gets my heart racing.

We dance for a while until he notices that I’m out of breath. Obviously I’m not in as good of shape as him and I started to break a sweat at least twenty minutes ago.

“Sorry,” I say while fighting to catch my breath. “I don’t dance much.”

He runs his hand under my hair, along the back of my neck and smiles. “Don’t be.” Lacing his fingers through mine, he pulls me through the crowd and over to stand next to the bar. He leans in so I can hear him. “I haven’t done this in a while, but being here with you makes me forget about all the fucked up stress of work. I finally remember what it’s like to relax and enjoy myself.”

He picks my chin up and runs his thumb over my bottom lip. “I’m happy you invited me out tonight. I desperately needed this.”

I find myself smiling against his thumb. “Well I’m glad you came.” I lean beside him against the bar. “I didn’t think you’d come. I figured you’d be too busy working.”

He waves over a bartender and orders us a couple beers. I seriously have no idea where Tori and Brad are, and for once I could care less. Usually when I go out with Tori I hate when I can’t find her, even when I am with someone else. Right now . . . I’m perfectly fine just having Kyan close by.

Tossing down some cash, he grabs both beer bottles in his right hand before grabbing my hand with his free one.

I see him glance back at me and smile when he notices an open pool table. Pulling me behind him, he grabs up an empty table and sets our drinks down.

“You down for another game?” He raises a brow. “Maybe this time I won’t have to carry you home?”

I push his chest a few times and laugh at my stupid behavior that first night. I was hoping the end of that night was just some kind of weird dream.

“I’m down.” I watch him as he watches me. “What?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” I step closer to him and grab his tie, bringing my lips close to his. He looks down at my lips before bringing his eyes up to meet mine. The pained look in them has me clearing my throat and releasing his tie. I grab for my cue stick and smile as if that moment never happened. The last thing I want to do is make him feel uncomfortable.

“You break this time.” I stand back and cross my arms. “I’m pretty sure since I’m sober this time that I’ll be kicking your ass.” I lean over the table and grin at him as he concentrates on breaking. “I promise not to tell too many people.”

He looks up at me and keeps his eyes there while breaking. I’m surprised to see how good of a shot he still made. It was a nice, solid hit.

“Show off,” I mutter.

I stand back and watch as he continuously hits solid after solid into the pockets until he’s down to just one ball. Then, he misses on purpose.

“Really!” I shriek. I slap the end of the pool table and grab for my beer. “You tricked me our first night. You didn’t play nearly that good.”

He gives me a sexy grin as I set my beer down and prepare for my shot. “I didn’t want to scare you away and blow my chances of another game with you.”

“Liar,” I say.

“I’m dead serious.” He leans over me and runs his lips up my neck just as I’m about to take a shot. My hand loses grip and I hear him laugh in my ear. “Oops.”

I playfully elbow him in the stomach, causing him to back up an inch. “That’s cheating. Now back off, big guy. I’m not giving up so easily.”

We both laugh and I can’t stop looking at him. He’s so damn beautiful. That smile . . . how did I miss that it’s the most beautiful smile in the world? I could seriously just stand here all night and watch his mouth and not have a single care in the world. That definitely gives me a reason as to why I should have a care in the world.

No attachments . . . Just for fun.

I have to keep repeating this to myself through the rest of the game. I lost count of how many times I had to mentally voice it to myself.

Tori and Brad appear toward the end of the second game, watching as Kyan takes his shot. Tori takes one look at the pool table before giving me a look hinting that I’m pathetic. Maybe I needed a few more beers to play better. I swear I was better last time, but I’m wrong. Kyan was playing me and it worked. He’s a pro at everything he does. It makes me want to bite him.

I raise my stick to Tori as she’s about to open her mouth. “Don’t even say it.”

She shrugs her shoulders. “I wasn’t going to say anything about how badly you’re losing.” She shrugs again. “Really.”

Kyan wins yet another game, so I set my cue stick down and poke him in the ribs. “You’re lucky you’re so damn cute. I usually don’t take losing so lightly.”

He grabs me by the waist and picks me up off the ground, kissing the top of my head, before setting me back down. “I’m going to pay the tab so we can get going.” He grabs the empty beer bottles and walks through the crowd.