Chapter Five – Roxy

Kyle stops a foot away from me. “You what?”

“You heard what I said.” I put my hands on my hips and stare at him. “Getting a date with Mia to prove an unnecessary point to me? Nice one.”

“Who said it was to prove a point to you?”

“Well it definitely isn’t because you like her. You never spoke to her in school.”

“How do you know that?”

I raise an eyebrow. “She was in half your classes, and I walked past her with Lucy one time complaining about how you’re “so hot” but you’d barely said a word to her since you were in fifth grade. Then, another time, she was practically peeing her panties because you’d said “thank you” when she lent you a pen.”

He grins and shoves his hands in his pockets. “Really?”

“Ugh! You are so “that” guy!” I throw myself onto the sofa.

“That happened though, yeah?”

I grab a cushion and chuck it in his direction. “You’re only going out with her because you wanted to show your charm off, and I get it. Point made.”

Kyle sits on the sofa next to me and pushes the cushion into my face. I smack at his arm and hug the cushion.

“Say it,” he says through a grin.

“What?”

“Say, “Kyle has epic powers of seduction and could charm the panties off a nun.””

My lips twitch. “Are you for real?”

“Say it.” He mock frowns. “And I’ll cancel the date with Mia.”

Damn him. “I don’t give a shit if you go on a date with Bimbo Barbie.”

“Ooh, touchy. I don’t believe you, by the way.”

I don’t believe me either.

“Whatever.”

He slides across the sofa and runs a finger along my arm. A shudder goes through me at the tickling sensation and I shake him off.

“Go away,” I mutter. “I’m not saying it.”

A grin spread across his face, that one that gives me jelly-knees, and before I can do anything he grabs my sides. I shriek as his fingers move against me, tickling me. I fall backward, half-laughing and beg him to stop.

“Kyle, Kyle… Kyle!” I yell through my giggles as I slide right down the sofa.

“Say it,” he demands through his own laughter.

A little yapping bark rings out through the room and I get a face-full of terrier.

“Scamp!” I cry, turning my face into the pillow. “Get off, you stupid dog!”

“Hey, don’t talk about my dude that way.” Kyle tickles me again, and Scamp yaps a few more times. He jumps off me when I scream and kick my legs at Kyle.

“Stop,” I beg, my stomach hurting. It’s tense from laughing and being tickles, and I need to catch my breath.

“Say it,” Kyle repeats again.

“You sound like a broken record,” I mumble and turn my face toward him. And realize he’s lying on top of me, his hands at my sides, and his face just inches from mine. The tension in my stomach spreads through my body and changes into something more than just laughter tension. It becomes thicker and stronger, zinging between and wrapping around us both.

I can feel all of his weight on me. I can feel each muscle and the rise and fall of his chest against my side. His breath is warm across my neck, and my skin prickles every time he takes a breath.

“Say it,” he whispers again. “Say I’m a seduction god and I’ll get off you.”

The temptation not to say anything is almost too much, but my brain is smarter than my body, and my mouth forms the words.

“I, Roxy Hughes, accept and understand that Kyle Daniels is a god of epic seduction, capable of charming the iron-clad panties off a whole nunnery.” They roll off my tongue, and he grins again, his eyes creasing at the corners. They sparkle, full of mischief and happiness, and they taunt me. They taunt me and make me want more. So much more.

For the record, my own panties might be kind of charmed right now.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell. His fingers move across the keys quickly before he puts it back into his pocket. “Done. “Date” cancelled.”

“You cancelled it by text? You jerk.” My lips twitch and I’m all too aware of the fact he hasn’t got off me yet.

“Easier to ignore when she asks me everything but the size of my dick.” He winks.

“Typical guy.” I roll my eyes and push at his chest. “Get off me, idiot.”

“I see you’re back to the bitch-talk.” He sits up slowly, his eyes focused on mine.

“Yep. It’s the only way to deal with guys who text girls to cancel on them.” I struggle to keep my smile to myself as I stand, pausing to scratch Scamp behind the ears.

“Where are you going?”

“Uh, home?” I raise an eyebrow. “Mission accomplished here.”

As in, I got you to cancel your date with Bimbo Barbie and not look like a jealous asshole in the process.

“Uh, no you’re not.” Kyle reaches up, grabs my hand, and tugs me back onto the sofa. I fall back, my legs landing on his lap. He puts his hands on them, holding me in place.

“Why not?” My lips twist.

“You made me cancel my date. Now you have to entertain me for the rest of the day.”

I could take that thought so many ways.

I have to remember this is Kyle. This isn’t some guy at a party. This won’t ever go past flirting… Hell, it probably isn’t even flirting – just joking about – regardless of what my tingly spine and jelly knees say.

“Entertain you how?”

Scamp jumps onto my lap and curls into a ball. I smile and scratch the back of his head fondly.

“Stupid dog thinks he’s still a puppy,” Kyle mutters.

“I thought you said not to call him stupid.”

“He’s my dog. I can call him what I want.”

I dig my heels into his thigh and he grabs my foot. I grin. “Don’t be mean to Scampy.” The dog in question looks up at me and I bend my face to him. “Meanie, isn’t he. Yes he is,” I coo, rubbing his ears. Scamp pants.

“He has such a crush on you it’s disturbing,” Kyle pats his back.

“He has good taste,” I mutter. Unlike someone.

“Mmph,” he grumbles in return.

“Do you remember when you got Scamp?” I ask quietly.

A small laugh leave Kyle. “How could I forget? He was like six months or something, wasn’t he?”

“And had an intense attraction to me.”

“Not you. Your leg.” He pats my shin.

“Cam, I want a puppy too!” I had looked up from Scamp with wide eyes.

“Rox, we can’t get a puppy. The cat would kill it.”

“The cats gonna die soon. I don’t care.” I put the puppy down. “I want a dog.”

“Why are you asking me? I don’t decide.”

“So you can convince your mom, obviously.” Kyle rolled his eyes.

“Exactly.” I pouted. “Please, Cam!”

My brother sighed and tilted his head back to the sky. “Fourteen years old and still getting her way like she did when she was five. God sake, Roxy. I’ll ask Mom when we get home, alright?”

“Yay!” I clapped my hands and froze when I felt something on my leg. Scamp was against my leg, his front paws wrapped around it, humping for all he was worth. “Oh my god! What’s he doing?!” I shrieked, shaking my leg to get him off.

“Don’t…” Kyle shouted through laughter. “Move,” he tried again.

I looked at Cam. He was leaning against the wall and his hand held his stomach as he roared with laughter.

“Get him off! Cam! Get him off!”

Neither of them could move for laughing, and Scamp only got off when I shoved him off myself.

“Cam?” I said when they’d calmed down.

“Yeah, Roxy?”

“I don’t want a dog anymore.”

That was the moment. Even though I hated them both, that was the moment my fourteen year old heart developed a crush on the guy sitting next to me. Maybe it was the smile. Maybe it was look in his eyes when he glanced at me. Maybe it was the laughter.

Or maybe it was a combination of all those things that set hyperactive butterflies off in my stomach.

“You know, you should have got him off me.”

Kyle sighs happily. “I know, Rox. But it was so fucking funny. The look on your face…” He smirks. “You looked absolutely horrified.”

“Of course I did. My first experience to do with anything sexual belonged to my leg and your dog.”

“Hear that, boy?” he tugs on the dog’s ear. “You were right in there. Maybe you should have asked first though.”

“Right. Because I would have agreed to that.” I roll my eyes. “I hope he knows I haven’t forgiven him yet.”

Scamp lifts his head, sniffs at me, and jumps down. I raise my eyebrows when he stalks into the kitchen.

“Touchy,” I mutter.

“Spends too much time with Iz when she’s home,” Kyle offers.

We smile at each other, and I drop my eyes to my lap.

“I should go now.”

“Why? Have a hot date?” he raises his eyebrows.

“Oh yeah,” I reply dryly. “Because dating is what I do.”

“Ooh, touchy touchy.”

“Fuck you.” Amusement sneaks into my words, and I shove his arm. “No, I’m sure you have better things to do than spend your night with me.”

“You seem to have forgotten you cancelled my date—”

“Fake date.”

“Whatever. I don’t have anything to do. So get your ass into my kitchen, make me some popcorn, and watch a movie with me.”

Like we used to do when Cam was alive. It was their thing from about age seven – Friday nights at my house were movie nights. Of course, the movies evolved from Pokemon to Rocky and Die Hard, but it stayed routine.

Until I crashed it. I only did it to annoy them, but it was fun. So I started crashing every weekend until it became the norm. And I always, always made the popcorn.

I swallow as Kyle pulls me up and pushes me toward the kitchen. I pause by the doorframe and look at him over my shoulder.

“I don’t…” I take a deep breath. He needs this more than I don’t, and if it’ll make him happy, I’ll swallow back the lump in my throat and do it. I’m not the person I was, but I still feel the same way she did. I’d still do anything to put a smile on his face. “Okay. What are we watching?”

A slow grin breaks out on his face. “Oceans Eleven. Obviously.”

George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

The two people I can’t say no to.

Damn him.