Thrust (2 page)

“Here you are, Ms. Adventurous. Enjoy.” Dane winks before looking beside me at the sexy man that is now placing a gym bag down by his feet. “A draft tonight, Kyan?”

“Absofuckinglutely.” He smiles at me, keeping his eyes on mine as he continues to speak to Dane. He has such a powerful gaze that I find my eyes locked tight with his amber ones. “Make it two.”

“Sure thing, man.” He slaps the bar and walks away to fetch two beers.

Pulling my eyes away, I reach out faster than I’ve ever moved in my life and reach for the blue drink. Kyan—I guess his name is—carefully watches me as I down half of it without stopping for a breath. When you feel like a fool . . . you drink. Fast. Very fast.

“You’re new here, Ms. Adventurous.” He raises an eyebrow, watching me as I finally pull away from my drink that tastes just like juice. So much for being adventurous. “Is that your real name or just due to that really strong drink you’ve got there?”

Focusing on his gorgeous, carefree smile, I start to relax and feel more at ease. “It’s due to my drink, though sadly it doesn’t live up to it.” I feel my eyes wandering over his body again, taking in his tattooed, muscular arm. His right arm is covered in a sleeve of tattoos, while the other one looks to be clean and firm. He must workout really hard at that gym. “My name is Calla.”

He digs his teeth into his bottom lip and blindly scoots one of the beers in front of me and one in front of him as Dane drops them off. “Calla,” he says smoothly. “That’s a sexy name. I could definitely get used to moaning that out.”

Oh my . . . what!
My heart begins to beat rapidly while trying to pry my eyes away from his sexy as sin mouth. How are his lips so full and smooth? Would I get in trouble for licking them?
Yes, Calla! Really?
“Is that some kind of pick up line?” I ask, somewhat hoping that it is.

He takes a swig of his beer, looking at me over the rim. When he pulls his beer away, a sexy grin is taking over his mouth. “Nah, I’ve never said that before. Just stating the truth.”

Now I’m the one pulling my bottom lip into my mouth. Turning away, I reach for the beer in front of me. “Is this supposed to be my adventure?”

He stands up. “Sure. If you can keep up with me.”

I sit here for a second, smiling like an idiot as he walks over to one of the empty pool tables and starts setting it up.

Looks like I’ll be playing pool. It’s been a little while, but I have faith that I’m still pretty decent. My dad took me to bars a lot on the weekends while he watched football with his buddies. It was a fun childhood. Oh the memories!

I take out some cash and call Dane over so I can pay for my drink. Dane takes one look at me and shakes his head before nodding over in Kyan’s direction. “Keep it. Kyan will be pissed if he knows you paid.”

I glance over my shoulder to see Kyan looking over at us. He’s watching to see if Dane is going to take my money. “Alright. Well let me at least give you a tip. I won’t take no for an answer.” Dropping a ten dollar bill on the bar, I quickly turn and walk away before Dane can try to give it back. Kyan may not let me pay for drinks, but tipping is something that I
always
do.

Setting my glass down on the nearby table, I pull my small leather jacket off and drape it over a chair. “Does this mean I get to outdrink you and outplay you in pool tonight? It’s a good thing I don’t work tomorrow.”

That earns a small snicker from Kyan as he rubs the blue chalk on the end of a cue stick before holding it out for me. “Are you trying to challenge me, Ms. . . . ?” He raises an eyebrow in question.

“Reynolds,” I say with confidence. “And yes. I’ve just spent my whole day moving into this amazing building with my lazy best friend that barely lifted a finger the entire time. I’m feeling pretty damn powerful right now.”

Taking a drink of his beer, he grabs for his own cue stick now and rubs some chalk on the tip. Getting prepared, he sets his stick down and runs his hands through the thickness of his brown hair, before picking up his stick again. “Good thing neither one of us will have far to go after this.” He pulls the triangle off the balls before motioning for me to break. “I’ve had a long night at the gym so I’ll be drinking quite a few of these.”

I let out an amused laugh while walking around the table. “You don’t scare me, big guy.” I pat his chest as I walk by. “Oh wow.”

“Wow what?”

I look up from leaning over the table. “I’ve just never felt such a firm chest before. That’s all. You must work
really
hard in the gym. I’m wanting to look into a gym myself.”

“I do.” He flashes a confident smile. “And that’s perfect, because there’s a gym down the road.
Wilder Fitness.
They have the best personal trainers.” His voice and body language oozes straight up sexiness and confidence whenever he speaks. I really don’t blame him. He has the right to be.

“Alright. I’ll look into that in the morning. As long as I don’t decide to sleep all day.” I take my shot and smile as two solids sink into a pocket. “Sweet. I’m solids.” I smile up at him, proudly.

One hour later and we’re both onto our seventh beer. He actually thought I was kidding when I said I was going to keep up with him, but I definitely wasn’t. He’s already asked me about five times to take a break and have some water, afraid that I’ll get sick.

I was raised by a man. A single man. I was raised tough and I don’t back down. That’s why I can be so damn stubborn.

“Nope.” I lean over the table, but can’t get close enough to the cue ball. “I’m good,” I laugh, feeling a bit silly from my buzz. “I got this.” I struggle on my tippy toes.

Out of nowhere, I feel his hands grip my hips and push me up onto the pool table. “Here,” he says in my ear, causing my breath to quicken from his closeness. “Let me help you beat me.” His arm wraps around my waist to keep me steady as I aim my stick and shoot. Too bad his closeness was more of a distraction than help.

“Now that’s not even right.” I end up hitting the side of the ball and screwing up my shot completely. “How is that even possible? I’m so good at pool. I swear.” I sit up straight on my knees and end up grabbing onto his arm as my head spins.

“Whoa.” He grips me tightly, moves the balls, and helps me lay down on the top of the pool table. “I think you’ve proved your point, Calla.”

Placing both of his arms on either sides of my waist, he leans close and smiles down at me as I begin to laugh.

“Alright . . . so I admit it, I’m not much of a drinker.” I hiccup, causing Kyan to smile and brush my hair out of my face. “I live the boring life of a wedding photographer. I don’t get out much. Don’t mind me.” I laugh again, unable to stop myself.

“Alright. Let’s get your beautiful ass to your apartment so you can sleep it off.” He leans in closer until our lips are almost brushing. “And by the way . . . you won.” He smirks. “I only had six beers. I was going to cut you off at this one.” Pulling me up, he picks me up and places me over his shoulder, wrapping his arm tightly beneath my ass. “Let’s go.”

My head spins when he stands up straight, causing me to reach out for something to hold onto. My breath hitches in my throat when I realize that it’s his muscular ass. It feels delicious through his workout pants and I feel myself grabbing on tighter.

I hear him let out a small growl as I squeeze it at the exact moment he starts walking me out of the bar and toward the front desk. Once we stop at the desk, he asks the young girl which room I live in.

I’m surprised that without hesitation she tells him. Shouldn’t she be asking some sort of questions or something? Good thing he’s not some maniac serial killer.

Wait . . .

I place my hands on his back and push up once we step into the elevator. “Are you a serial killer?”

He lets out an amused laugh before setting me down to my feet and pinning me against the wall to help me keep steady. He tilts his head. “No. Are you?”

“If I were?”

His eyes look down, stopping on my lips. “Then I’d be happy to die from the hands of the sexiest serial killer to walk this earth.”

The elevator dings, causing us both to look over.

He bites his bottom lip again before wrapping his arm around my waist and walking me to my door.

“Your key?”

I start to panic. “Oh crap! It’s in my wallet. I left it . . .”

He digs into his back pocket and pulls out my wallet. “I got you, babe.”

Looking at me, he reaches in my wallet for my key. Then he closes my wallet and unlocks the door.

Before I can think, he has me in his arms again as he pushes the door open and starts walking inside. Next thing I know, I’m lying on my bed.

I sit up and watch as he sets my wallet on my dresser. “How do you know this is my room?”

He flashes a dimpled smile. “Because the door was opened. You said you had a roommate so I assumed the closed one was hers.” He runs his hand through his hair. “Goodnight, Calla.”

Then, just like that, he turns and walks away, leaving me grinning like a maniac. My head spins again and that’s when I take it as my cue to shut up and sleep.

Kyan . . . the sexy guy with a gym bag and firm ass. Holy wet dreams . . .

CLOSING THE DOOR TO ROOM 629 behind me, I jog to the elevator when I notice Ryder holding it open for me.

“Hey, man.” He pokes his head out of the elevator and looks down the hall as I step inside. After a second, he pulls his head back in and allows the door to close. “Did you just come from those hot chicks’ apartment? The new ones?”

“Yeah,” I say stiffly, already knowing what he’s getting at. “And the blonde already has a boyfriend, so don’t even bother.”

The elevator comes to a stop and I walk out without another word. All Ryder is about is partying and sleeping with every chick that he finds to be hot in this building. I mean I’m down for some fun, but not with any and every girl I can find. There has to be something about her that’s worth more than one fuck.

I may not know Calla, but the hour I spent with her is enough for me to want more of her. I don’t do relationships, not anymore. I don’t have the time nor have I had the desire to be tied down to one girl, but to be honest, if she wanted me to pleasure her I definitely wouldn’t turn her away.

That tight little body of hers deserves every lick of pleasure that my tongue can give her. Being a bit of a bachelor, I’ve had the time and energy to learn a thing or two the normal guy wouldn’t be comfortable with giving a woman, or either just doesn’t know how.

Remembering that I left my gym bag at the bar, I stride down the hall, nodding to a few drunken women as they pass, eyeing me up.

Dane takes notice of me as soon as I enter the room and is quick to grab my bag and set it on the bar for me. “Here you go, boss man.” Giving me a curious look, he slides me a shot of whiskey. “Is Calla cool? She seemed a bit out of it when you carried her out of here.”

I give him a nod before grabbing my shot and tilting it back. “She’s good. Looks like she doesn’t get adventurous very often.”

“I’m sure that will change soon. Just wait until Hunter gets back.”

I pull out a twenty and throw it down for a tip. “Yeah, I’m sure Hunter will have his fun. He always does.”

Grabbing my bag, I slide it over my shoulder and stand here, letting my thoughts get the best of me. I steel my jaw and give Dane a tight nod. “I’m out, man.”

“See ya,” he says as I walk away.

I ride the elevator up to the 10
th
floor, the very top, and open the door to room 1020. It feels so good to walk into my apartment, and the first thing I do is fall back into my leather chair and close my eyes, enjoying the peace and quiet.

My plan earlier tonight was to just stop by the bar for one quick beer and come back up to my apartment. Once I saw her—Calla—I knew that plan would change.

Hell . . . even the back of her head had me enthralled and wanting to see more. The way her long, thick, blonde hair laid resting on her slim back made me think about what it would be like to tangle my hands in it. Then, when she turned around and I set sight on those big, emerald eyes, framed by a set of thick lashes and those shiny, plumps lips, my dick twitched.