Insatiable (The Edge of Darkness, #1)(10)
Dez winks at me with a smirk, pulling himself onto the counter. Before I can search for Tylar to console her, Dez glances over my shoulder. “You want another beer, Kade?”
I freeze.
He must nod, because his friend reaches out a bottle towards my shoulder. A warmth radiates against my back as Kade takes the drink, knuckles all bloodied and cut open. I hold my breath, trying to ignore my treacherous hormones as heat coils at my spine.
I can smell him, the spice of his aftershave and the shampoo he uses on his hair. It’s intoxicating, memories flooding me of my fingers wrapped in his waves, the scent of his pillow, the sound of his laugh when I sing terribly.
Still standing closely behind me, he only hums, and the deep rumble goes straight from my chest to between my legs, tingling all the way down like fireworks.
My cheeks are most likely red. I haven’t been this close to him in such a long time. The alcohol is numbing my common sense, because my body should not be reacting this way.
Does he feel the same way I do right now? Is he itching to grab me and drag me into an unoccupied room? Probably not, since he hates my guts .
Dez glances at a tall, leggy redhead walking in and tilts his head at her. “Did you not fuck her last night?”
I walk away before I can hear Kade’s response.
“I could look at you all day, do you know that?”
“Stop being romantic, Kade – I might get the wrong idea.”
A low laugh, and… “Just another thing you taught me, Freckles. Don’t go home tonight. Stay with me.”
I nod, and he presses me to the mattress, nudging my legs apart…
No.
I refuse to go back to that memory, the moment I knew what he meant to me.
At that point, he was everything.
And I lost him.
4
STACEY
When I eventually stop dancing and sit down next to my friends, I can breathe. They gossip, play Never Have I Ever, where I completely dodge most questions when they discuss our firsts, then take the remaining shots set out on the table.
I’m not sure why Kade has suddenly started making an appearance. For the past two years, I’ve only seen him a handful of times.
And I’m either met with silence, glares, derisive snorts or passing comments muttered under his breath that he doesn’t think I can hear.
He’s changed so much from the timid boy who couldn’t understand basic emotions, who needed to be shown that it’s okay to feel, who got nervous when he had no idea what he was doing in the bedroom to this version.
By the time the crowd starts to disperse, it’s four in the morning. Lu’s in bed, leaving Ty, myself and a few others to play more drinking games.
We’re all pretty drunk, happy, laughing while taking shots to prolong our buzz – until Kade, Dez and Base walk into the sitting area, two girls under Base’s arms.
Tylar, sitting beside me cross-legged, won’t even glance at them as she pours another drink and asks who’s next.
“We’re playing drinking games,” someone says. “Wanna join?”
Tylar blurts, “No,” at the same time Dez says, “Sure.”
We all shift on the sofas to make room, and the large coffee table between us fills with everyone’s drinks.
“I think we should spice up these little games though,” Base adds, sitting down and dragging both girls onto his lap. “Depending on how adventurous you all are.”
Kade drops onto the couch opposite me, and to my absolute horror, one of the girls on Base’s lap moves over to him. He pauses for a second, giving her a confused look, before a tattooed hand grasps at her hip. I gulp deeply, trying to ignore my jealousy.
I have no right to feel this way.
“You’re talking about How Much Can You Handle, aren’t you?” Tylar asks, frowning when they all nod. “You’re aware that Stacey and I are here? Lu will freak. ”
“Just no one touch Kade, and she won’t kill us.” Dez nudges his friend, but I don’t look at him to see his reaction as I study my nails. “Base can pair up with Stacey. You said you wanted to fuck her, didn’t you?” he asks his friend.
Oh man.
Base shakes his head. “You’re a dick.”
Kade shifts on the couch, lighting a cigarette and tossing the clipper onto the coffee table between us.
“If Tylar accepts, then she can have me,” Dez says, winking. “You game?”
She nods slowly, her cheeks blushing with the alcohol. “I’m game.”
“If you can handle me.” He smirks, slapping his friend on the chest. “And Kade already has Abbie, so there won’t be a riot from the twin dragged from the pits of hell.”
“Stop saying that shit,” Base says. “She’s not that bad.”
“But she’s Satan’s twin? We all agreed.”
“If you want me, then stop talking about my best friend like that,” Tylar says, crossing her leg over her knee and quirking a brow.
I can see from the edge of my sight that Abbie’s hand is high on Kade’s lap. He’s paying zero attention as he takes a draw of his smoke and blows it between us, a cloud coming straight for my face.
She’s pretty. Her body is perfect – wavy brown hair, a nice rack, with long, smooth legs that dangle over his lap. Her dress is tight, accentuating every curve.