A Whole New Crowd (11 page)

“Powerful?”

He understood. That knowledge settled deep in me, and I nodded. “Yeah.”

He was still watching me, seeing inside of me. “And Lanser?”

I wasn’t confused anymore. I knew who he meant. “Jace was family because I was with Brian. That was all. He was tied to his brother and his dad because of blood, but if he could live without them, he would.” That meant without me too. I had never accepted that truth, but I had known it. It’d been there, one of those truths I ignored. “He leads the Panthers, and he’s involved with that world. He wants me out.”

“Are you out?”

He wasn’t asking for my benefit. The need for him had been there between us from the beginning, and it had grown until I couldn’t handle it. I knew why he was asking, but instead of answering his question, I said, “This is uncomfortable.”

The air shifted once more. It was the first time this thing between us was being addressed.

His nostrils flared and his eyes darkened. He couldn’t hide his feelings for me either. Then he smirked. “I know.”

I was relieved first and then the floodgates opened. All the desire and sexual tension that had been banked down was let loose. I almost stood from my chair for him, but grasped onto the table to keep myself still. I blinked back tears from the sudden desire. It was powerful and almost blinding.

My voice had grown raw. “I’m tired of dancing around this.”

“So stop.”

“It’s you too.”

He leaned forward, his hands slid closer to me on the table, and I stared at them. I wanted to feel them run over me. I wanted to feel his arms around me. Fuck. I wanted him, all of him.

The need for him was growing stronger and stronger. I was starting not to care about staying in my chair. “I won’t change,” I rasped out.

“Neither will I.”

We were both assholes. That had been established.

The ache was throbbing in me. My chest was moving up and down. I was damn near panting for him. A part of my brain was yelling at me to remain calm. I couldn’t give in. When I did, nothing good could happened. This guy, this self-proclaimed asshole, would hurt me. The writing was on the wall, and if I went to him, I knew what I was signing up for.

I didn’t care.

I cared to taste him. I cared to have him inside of me. My hands started to push up from the chair. I felt my body following, and a part of my brain went away. A primal need had taken over. He stood too and walked towards me. I stopped, waiting for him to round the table, and then he was in front of me. I couldn’t look up. His chest was rising in in sync with mine. I lifted my hand to his chest and felt his heart racing.

“Taryn.” His voice was a sensual whisper to me, like a caress.

I looked up.

His eyes were a dark amber and he moved another step closer. The table was pressed behind me. I couldn’t move, and he leaned down to me, his lips coming towards me. I licked mine, waiting for his, and then his hand shocked me. He touched my hip and lifted me so I was on the table.

I gasped, but he swept down. His lips were on mine and the fire took over me. I became alive in that moment.

I pushed away. “I have to say this now or I might not follow through with it later.”

His hand curved into the back of my head and he leaned forward.

I held firm, turning away. “I mean it.”

“That’s fine,” he soothed me and brought me back. His lips rested on mine. He didn’t apply pressure and my god, I wanted him too. No. I pulled away again, but he caught me. He didn’t let me go far. “What is it, Taryn?”

Even the way he said my name. It was almost impossible to think clearly.

“Taryn.”

“Right.” He was like a drug. “I won’t have sex with you.”

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the side of my mouth.

Oh fuck. “I mean it.” I tried to sound firm.

“Stay the night anyway.”

I couldn’t. I’d be straddling him in the middle of the night. “No.”

“Please.” He kissed the other side of my mouth, and I closed my eyes. It was such a soft graze, but I trembled. He was adding fuel to the fire with each touch, each tease. I was blind with lust. It was like a blanket that had folded over me, and I was beginning to not give a damn about what would happen when the blanket completely swallowed me.

His hand spread out over my thigh and his thumb dipped down, rubbing the seam of my jeans. It was so close to where I wanted it and I squirmed. Just an inch further and he would be right there. My legs spread, just a tiny bit, and I felt him grin against my lips. He knew what spell he was weaving over me. Then he said the magic words, “I won’t let you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

My heart leapt up and was held suspended.

He brushed his lips across mine again. It was tantalizing and he said again, “I promise. Stay the night. We won’t have sex.”

I tried to joke. “Some good old fashioned humping?” The corner of my lip curved up in a grin, but brushed against his from the movement. We both paused at the caress. A whimper left me. I wanted him so damn much.

“Just stay.”

I found myself nodding without realizing that I had given in. The night was going to be torture, but I wanted to be in his arms. I wanted to sleep in them and that was the real reason I said yes. Then I stopped thinking. I didn’t want to question where that need came from and I opened my lips.

It was all he needed. He took command.

I woke when Tray got up and padded into the bathroom. The shower was turned on and I groaned. Images of us flooded me. On the table. In his bed. He had carried me up the stairs. Oh god. I was beginning to want him all over again. Then my phone beeped and I lifted it. Four calls from Mandy, one from home. Holy shit. I bolted upright. That meant Austin had called me.

Something was wrong.

Calling Mandy, I braced myself when I heard her panicked voice. “Oh my god. Where have you been? Where’d you go last night?”

“I’m at Tray’s.” Bomb dropped.

She didn’t care. “Get your ass home. Mom and Dad are showing up in an hour.”

“Fuck.”

Mandy hung up.

Just then the shower cut off and Tray came back to the room. A towel was around his lean hips. I jerked away. I would be reaching for that towel in two seconds if I let myself go where my body was screaming to go and had been screaming the entire night. I shifted and tried to force that need to feel him inside me away. True to his word, Tray stopped us every time we got close. I had yelled at him a few times, but he chuckled, ducked my fists, and started to kiss me again. I would end up clinging to him seconds later.

“What?” He reached for his pants.

“My parents are heading home.” Fuck my life. A night filled with torture, pent-up sexual tension, and now the parents. When had this become my life?

“Alright.” He grabbed the rest of his clothes and dressed in front of me. Then he grinned. “You planning on teleporting? Is that how you do your cat burglar/thievery stuff? It would explain a lot.”

“Shut up.”

He laughed. “We gotta get over to Dylan’s to pick up your car.”

I’d forgotten about my car. I was still reeling, thinking of the illegal acts I committed since my adoptive parents had been out of town. If they knew what I had been doing, they’d give me back or never let me leave the house again.

Tray sat beside me and nudged me with his leg. “Is this about last night?”

I shook my head. “I’m not used to having parents.”

He laughed and then rolled over so he was above me. He braced himself up with his arms on either side of me. “If it’s any consolation, Mandy’s parents don’t give a shit.”

I laughed. “Yeah, right. Thanks for trying.”

“No, they don’t. For real.” He dipped down and pressed a kiss to my lips. Dear god. My hand found his cheek. As he pulled away, I tugged him back down. Each nibble from him was a morsel to my starving hormones. Then I heard what he said and pulled away. “Wait. What do you mean?”

He pressed another kiss, this one chaste, before sitting up. “I thought it was a joke when I heard they adopted a girl. They’re never home. Mandy’s dad is a doctor, but he hardly practices. Then I saw you.” He looked at me wolfishly and made a show of scanning me up and down. “I got a different idea. Maybe Kevin wanted to adopt you for a different reason.”

I hit him. “Are you kidding me?”

“No.” He laughed, pretending to rub at his arm. “I’m not, not about Mandy’s parents. They’re not real nurturing parents. Mandy’s fucked in the head because of them.”

“What do you mean by that?”

He gazed at me in disbelief. “She’s high-strung.”

Yeah? I lifted an eyebrow.

“She’s got some perfect complex. That’s all from her parents.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t have to. Go home and watch how fake they are.”

I couldn’t argue that. They were fake. They acted like they were perfect with no problems, no worries, and there was some truth in what he was saying. Still. I shook my head. “Why did they adopt me?”

“Exactly. When do you turn eighteen?”

Two months. I frowned. “They must care about me. Why would they bring a teenager into the house if they didn’t?” I glanced at the bed, remembering what we had done. Parents cared about that, right? My fosters hadn’t. They cared if I broke curfew, but that had been it.

“Come on.” He softened and tapped my hand. “I’ll stop and get us some breakfast on the way to Dylan’s.”

“No.” I stood and grabbed my clothes, dressing in record time. “Let’s just get my car. I should be at the house when they show up.”

I bent down for my shoes and Tray groaned from behind me. “We could shower first. You should be clean. You want to shower?”

“We don’t have time.”

He chuckled. “I’ll drive fast.”

I started for the door. “You’re going to have to drive fast anyway. I don’t have long anymore. You know,” I winked at him as we went outside, “with all the talking just now.”

He laughed, and followed behind me to his SUV. After getting to Dylan’s house, he pulled next to my car. I got out, but Tray called after me.

“Yeah?” I turned back.

“Call me tonight. If you want to, I don’t know, come over and watch a movie or something.”

“Thought we were both assholes.”

He shrugged. “Assholes can watch movies too.”

“Okay.” I laughed. “I’ll call you later.” Then I stopped thinking and took off for home. When I got there, I was relieved—the parents weren’t home yet. Hurrying, I swept inside and up to my room where I grabbed my robe before heading into the bathroom. I could hear Mandy in her room on the phone.

After my shower, I went downstairs, and caught Austin poking around in the fridge, his lanky form wearing basketball shorts and a Rawley jersey.

“Hey, kid,” I spoke up, reaching around him, grabbing a yogurt.

He raked his eyes over my form. “Showering doesn’t hide your recent lay.”

“Excuse me?” I muttered, startled. The kid was in eighth grade.

“Mom and Dad are going to know.”

“Hey.” I shot a leg out and blocked his exit from the kitchen. “What the hell’s your problem?”

“Nothing. I’m just telling you—you look like you got laid last night, and showering isn’t going to hide it.”

I tipped my head to the side. “You get laid last night?”

He snorted. “I’m fourteen. Mom and Dad would skin me alive.”

Would they? I still played with him, seeing how uncomfortable he was. “So what’s her name?”

Austin scowled at me, shoved my leg off the counter, and walked out of the room with a plate of pizza. I heard him mutter as he went, “I don’t have a girlfriend.” A second later the television was turned on at full volume.

“When did you leave last night?” Mandy asked, coming down the stairs.

“When you and Dylan decided to start a make-out session at the table.”

“Everyone saw you and Tray leave together. Seriously. Jennica and Devon showed up with Grant at the party. Jen still has it for Tray and I guess they showed up just when you guys were taking off. I loved it!” she chatted happily, grabbing a Pop-Tart.

“Except it has nothing to do with you, Jennica, or Devon.” I jumped on top of the counter, swinging my legs, watching Mandy rush back and forth in the kitchen. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to make some food for when Mom and Dad get home. They should be here any minute.”

“So, you and Dylan,” I started. I figured this was the perfect time. She couldn’t scream or run off. “What’s going on with that?”

She shrugged and, if possible, started to busy herself even more. “I don’t know. Nothing. He’s Samuel’s cousin, and he’s hardly ever here in Rawley.”

“Where are his parents?”

“They live in Europe. He usually lives with his sister. He goes to a private school and is on break for the month. He’s going back in a couple weeks.”

“And Devon? What do you think Devon thinks about Dylan?”

She stopped and fixed me with a dark look. “Why do you care?”

“I don’t.” I told her the truth. “I’m trying to figure out the dynamics because no one seems surprised that you and Dylan are all touchy-feely.”

“Oh.” She shrugged. “Dylan makes out with whatever girl is single when he comes. If I get back with Devon, Dylan will be macking on a different girl next time. He doesn’t care.”

We heard car doors shut at that moment and Mandy froze, staring out the window for a moment. She muttered, “Yeah, well, a lot of things are messed up.” Then the door to the kitchen opened, and she fixed a bright smile on her face. “Welcome back, Mom!”

Shelly came in first. Like Mandy, she was petite with blonde hair, and today she wore Capri pants and a white, light-weight sweater with a floral tank top underneath. She was a soccer mom. She had called herself that the first time I met her with a bright smile and a cute pixie-like face. She hugged Mandy, letting go of the luggage behind her. The two of them looked so much alike, they could’ve been twins.

I did not fit in with them.

That feeling doubled as Shelly ran a loving hand down Mandy’s hair, smoothing it out, hugging her tight one last time before letting go. “Oh, honey. I’ve missed you so much.”

Mandy pulled back, then burst into tears. “Devon and I broke up.”

“Oh my god. Oh no.” Shelly glanced at me, graced me with a kind smile. “Taryn. It’s so good to see you too.” She held a hand out for me to squeeze and as I did, she turned back to Mandy. “What happened, darling?”

The story was then unfolded. They turned to go upstairs as one unit. Shelly reached for her luggage and Mandy took the other carry-on that was on the floor beside it. I heard Mandy say as they went up the stairs, “He cheated on me, Mom.”

“Oh no.” When they were at the top, “With who?”

“Jennica.”

“Her? I never liked her, you know.” Then they were in the master bedroom and the door shut. I couldn’t hear anymore.

“Taryn.”

I’d been gazing towards the stairs, but turned at Kevin’s voice. He was in the doorway. While Shelly was petite and cute, Kevin was tall and handsome. He was six feet, had broad shoulders, and a trim waist, and greying specks in his hair that gave him a refined appearance. When I took in his threads, I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I always was. Shelly dressed rich, so did he. His khaki golf pants and vest over his short-sleeve shirt were custom tailored. Even his shoes screamed they were expensive.

“Kevin.” I didn’t go to him. Mandy’s dad had always made me nervous. He never did anything. He’d always been polite and kind to me, but he wasn’t a loving man. I had never witnessed a hug between him and Shelly, or Mandy either as I thought about it.

“Dad!” Austin came barreling up from the basement. He threw himself at Kevin and a genuine laugh came from my adopted father as he hugged him back.

I had to correct myself. Kevin was loving with Austin. He hugged him tight again. “Oh, man.” Pulling back, he ruffled his hair. “Two weeks I’ve been gone and you shot up a good three inches. You’re getting as tall as me.”

The fourteen-year-old grinned from ear to ear, but he ducked away from his dad’s hand, then smoothed his hair back down. “Whatever, Dad. You’re back, right? You’re staying a while this time?”

“You know it.”

“I gotta show you my score on the game downstairs.”

“What were your stats for the basketball game last weekend?”

Austin stiffened, then shrugged. “They were okay.”

“Austin.”

“I missed my top by two points.”

Kevin shook his head, but still smiled at him. “It’s my fault. You and I need to throw the basketball around some more. We’ll do that tonight.”

Austin lit up. His eyes flooded with warmth and his smile stretched even wider. “That’d be great. Can I show you my score on the game now?”

“Sure.” Kevin laughed and draped an arm around Austin’s shoulders. The two went downstairs and continued talking about some game.

My phone buzzed and I pulled it out. It was a text message from Tray:
Afternoon party at my place if you and Mandy want to head over?

I replied:
You couldn’t have picked a better time. I’m on my way
.

He never asked about Mandy, and I never explained that she was busy with her family. As I headed out, I wasn’t even sure if they would notice I was gone. Then I frowned as Tray’s words came back to me.
They’re not real nurturing parents. I thought it was a joke when I heard they adopted a girl. They’re never home.

His words were still with me when I pulled up to his house, but I shook them off. I’d tackle that later.

The guys were downstairs with a football game on the screen. Beer bottles were everywhere and a pizza box was opened on the coffee table. Grant saw me first. “Hey, Taryn.”

Everyone else looked over and I waved, now feeling out of place. “Hi. I heard this was a party?”

Tray stood up and grinned. “Hey.” He took my hand and pulled me upstairs as he said, “It will be. People are starting to come over now. Leading me into the kitchen, he opened the fridge. “Want something to drink?”

“You’re always trying to get me drunk.” I meant it as a joke, but it came out as an accusation. I folded my arms over my chest. What was wrong with me?

“Trying to be a good host.”

I looked away.

“Hey.” He turned my face back to his. “What’s wrong?”