“I’M TOO STUFFED to move,” I grumbled as we walked out of the pizza shop.
Kyle put his arm around me and chuckled. “I know the feeling. You up for a movie or do you want to walk the Strip?”
I looked down at my bag and smiled. “Let’s walk the Strip. There’s something I’ve been dying to do.”
Since we weren’t near the heart of Vegas, we jumped back on his bike. There were cars everywhere, but Kyle maneuvered us through the gaps and got us there in record time. Heart pounding, I blew out a shaky breath and got off the bike.
“You okay?” he asked.
I took off my helmet and handed it to him. He placed it in a duffle along with his own and slung the bag over his shoulder. “Yeah, just glad to be alive. You scared the shit out of me.”
He chuckled. “It was fun and you know it. Now what do you have in that bag of yours?”
Smiling, I pulled out the case in my bag and opened it up. “It’s something I haven’t used in years.” My camera stared back at me and my fingers itched to touch it. Taking a deep breath, I reached in and pulled it out. “I thought maybe it was time I tried again.”
He followed beside me as I took pictures of the lights and the iconic hotels, secretly taking pictures of him in the process. “So what brought this on?”
I turned my camera to him and took his picture. “You.”
“Me? How so?” Putting his arm around my shoulders, I let my camera rest on the strap around my neck so I could hold my arm around his waist.
“You’ve made me feel things again I never thought possible,” I admitted truthfully.
“Does this mean you’re not going to hide our relationship?”
We stopped in front of the Bellagio where the light show lit up the sky. It was beautiful and I’d always wanted to take pictures of it. Kyle leaned against the rail and I took another picture. “I’m here with you aren’t I? I’m not hiding anything.” I walked up to him and held up the camera. “Now smile. I want a picture of us.” I snapped the picture and it turned out perfect with the fountain lights as the backdrop. What made it even better was Kyle’s seductive smirk.
“So if Tyler asks you what’s going on, you’ll tell him? What about Jameson and all your friends back home? You’ll see them all next weekend.”
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I held him tight. “That might be kind of hard since I don’t know what’s going on. We haven’t exactly talked about it.”
Holding me around the waist, he pulled me in close. “You’re right. But I think it’s kind of obvious what I want.”
“And what is that?” I asked, lifting up on my toes to meet him face to face.
He looked into my eyes and brushed his thumb across my lips. “You. And I don’t want you ashamed of the way you feel about me.”
I kissed his thumb and leaned my head in his hand. “I’m not ashamed, Kyle. I’m just worried my friends will think I’m a traitor.” He nodded, taking a deep breath and releasing it. “But that’s where you’re going to remedy that. If you can get their forgiveness, then it won’t matter anymore.”
“And what if I can’t? What then?” he countered.
Before answering, I closed my lips over his and spoke against them. “That’s not going to happen. I have faith in you. Now all you have to do is have faith in yourself.”
Nodding once, he kissed me again and took my hand. We strolled down the sidewalk toward the parking garage where his bike was parked. “It’s getting late. Are you ready to go home?” He looked down at me and I shook my head, biting my lip.
“I am ready to go, but it’s not to my house.”
His hand tensed and he stopped mid-step. “If we do this, it’s only going to make me want you more.”
“And there’s nothing wrong with that. Let’s go.”
My heart pounded faster than the speed he took to get home. He spoke the truth when he said he lived in the next neighborhood over. I was nervous and scared to death, but completely sure that I wanted to spend the night with him. Kyle Andrews wasn’t your typical guy next door, he was the one your mother would warn you about. In this case, it would be the whole world warning me.
“You weren’t kidding about being neighbors, were you?” I said as I got off his bike.
Chuckling, he took off his helmet. “What, did you not believe me?”
“No, I believed you. I just didn’t think you’d be this close.” I looked up at his house and sighed. “And your house is a lot larger than mine.”
He helped me with the strap on my helmet and slid it off my head. “Come on. I’ll show you around.” He pressed a code to get into his garage and there sat his damaged truck and an old convertible Ford Mustang that looked brand new.
“I can see why you chose not to drive that to the gym,” I said.
“Exactly. I don’t care what happens to my truck or bike, but I do care about that one. Pax helped me rebuild it years ago.”
I slid my fingers over the pristine white top and peeked inside. “It’s beautiful. You’ve taken good care of it.”
“Thanks,” he said, setting our helmets down on one of his many shelves. He had about five of them, all covered in various awards and trophies.
“That’s a lot of trophies you have up there.”
He shrugged, not even acknowledging them. “Yeah, but they don’t mean shit to me. That’s why they stay out here.” Turning on his heel, he started for the door but stopped when I didn’t follow. He sighed and faced me.
“Why do you say that?”
Clenching his jaw, he glanced over at the wall, his gaze tormented. “Because what you see there isn’t real. I didn’t earn those trophies. The ones I did earn are inside.”
He turned and waited on me to join him at the door. I squeezed his arm in passing and he shut the door behind us. With his hand on the small of my back, he led me into his living room where a glass case stood, emanating a soft glow into the darkened room. Inside were three wrestling trophies, all from high school.
He stood in front of the case and smiled. “These are the ones I earned. I fought damn hard for each one of them.”
From behind, I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head on his back. “Can I ask you a question?” Placing his hands on mine, he nodded, his heart beating hard in his chest. “Why did you like to sabotage your opponents? Did you think you weren’t good enough to beat them?”
He placed a hand on the case, releasing a heavy sigh. “In high school, I was a god. I was a leader. I could have anything and everything I wanted. When I graduated and wanted to fight in the UFC, I thought I’d be able to kick everyone’s asses. I had a big head and it got squashed very quick and fast. I didn’t like it.”
Letting him go, I stood in front of him so I could see his face, but he wouldn’t look at me. “And that’s when you decided to take matters into your own hands.”
He nodded. “I liked being on top, feared. I knew the right people and I could get away with anything. It became a drug. I was addicted to winning and I had to make sure I did, no matter the cost. I didn’t care who I hurt.” Lowering his head, he snarled and walked away. “You must think I am one fucked up human being.”
“I did.” I grabbed his shoulder and turned him back around. “Look at me, Kyle.” Reluctantly, he did and I gazed up into his brown and green eyes with compassion. “You made mistakes. We all have. I have to say it’s been nice having you open up to me. It helps me understand you better.”
He snorted. “Believe me, who I used to be is the last person you want to get to know.”
“True, but it’s who made you who you are today. I don’t judge you for what you did, because frankly, I didn’t know you then. I’m kind of glad I didn’t.” I placed my hand over his heart. “But I do know who you are today. That’s the Kyle I want to be with.”
Lifting his hand, he ran his fingers through my hair. “I don’t scare you?”
“You do, but it’s not in the way you think. I’m not afraid you’ll hurt me, but I am afraid of the way you make me feel. It’s like I’m being pulled to you and the harder I fight it, the harder it is to resist. It grows stronger every day.”
“And now?” he questioned, closing the distance. “How does it feel when I touch you and kiss you?”
I looked up at him and smiled. “It all feels right.”
Sliding his hand out of my hair, he rested it on my neck and pulled me closer. I willingly complied and buried myself in his arms as he kissed me. His breathing picked up and so did mine. I couldn’t get enough of him. Picking me up in his arms, he carried me down the hallway and into a room, lit only by a light outside his window. The bed he dropped me on was soft and smelled exactly like him. I breathed in deep and moaned when he covered me with his body. Half of his face was cast in shadow, but it didn’t mask the raw, untamed need I saw in his eyes. I shivered and let out a shaky breath.
“There’s still time to back out,” he offered.
Shaking my head, I lifted his T-shirt off and ran my hands down his smooth chest. “No, this is what I want,” I whispered, sliding my hand over his groin and squeezing his cock through his jeans.
He thrust into my hand and grunted. “Jesus, what are you doing to me?” Sliding off the bed, he dropped his pants and boxers to the floor. I squealed when he grabbed my ankles and slid me down to the edge of the bed. He lifted my shirt over my head, and I unbuttoned my pants. He helped me slide them off, letting them fall to the floor.
My core tightened as he lowered me back on the bed and spread me wide. He gazed down at me, his eyes raw with need as he pushed my underwear over and slipped a finger inside. I gasped and arched my back, wanting to feel more than just his finger stretching me open.
“More,” I begged.
He pushed another finger inside and rested his body beside mine. With his other hand, he reached behind my back and unlatched my bra in one flick. Lifting it above my breasts, he lowered his mouth to my nipple and sucked. Moaning, I dug my nails into his back and closed my eyes. It felt good to be touched.
“I want you so fucking bad,” he growled. He rubbed my wetness around my opening with his fingers and slid my underwear down my legs. I sat up and tossed my bra to the floor before kicking my underwear off my ankles. Kyle chuckled and ran his fingers up the insides of my thighs before settling his body between them. “It’s been a while, love. I’m just warning you now.”
Biting my lip, I glanced down at his cock, all hard and glistening at the tip. He could probably rub himself against my clit for two seconds and I’d be done for. My body was hypersensitive and I loved it. He circled his cock against my opening and stopped. “Do I need to wear a condom?”
“Are you safe?” I asked. He nodded in reply. “Then no. I’m protected. I can’t get pregnant unless I want to be.” Alex tried his best to get me pregnant, but little did he know I was secretly on the pill. After everything happened I stayed on them out of habit. Taking a deep breath, I willed those memories to the back of my mind. All I wanted to concentrate on was me and Kyle.
His lips found mine and just like that, it was only us in his room and the feel of his body connecting to mine. He slid in gently, stretching me only a little bit at a time. “Tell me if I hurt you,” he murmured.
“You won’t,” I whispered back.
Rocking his body against mine, he kissed his way down my neck to the tips of my breasts. He sucked my nipple hard and squeezed the other one while pushing in deep. I screamed out in pleasure as my orgasm built. His body tightened and I knew he was about to lose control. Letting myself go, I cried out his name. Groaning, he gripped the edges of the pillow as I milked him to the quick. He shuddered and twitched. I could feel his heart pounding against my own.
“I hope you don’t plan on getting any sleep tonight,” he murmured in my ear. “Because I’m just getting started.”