Jayded (11 page)

“
I think that was definitely a smart move. So, that
’
s your plan? Where do you think you
’
ll end up?
”
she asks.

“
Boy, you
’
re asking some tough questions.
”
I feel put on the spot a little, but it
’
s nice to talk real for a moment. The girls I usually bring back here don
’
t want to do any sort of talking unless we
’
re in bed.

I watch her face drop.
“
Oh, I
’
m sorry. I didn
’
t mean to pry
—”

I put my hand on her thigh and immediately I begin to tingle at my fingertips, all the way up my arm.
“
No, it
’
s fine,
”
I tell her, chuckling, trying to ignore the invasion of energy that
’
s now swarming my body. I remove my hand, but it
’
s still tingling. Things are now stirred awake by just that one touch.
“
I
’
ve thought about New York, but I think it just might be too fast-paced for me. I love the idea of the warmth of the South. Rochester
’
s weather is just out of control.
”

“
I
’
m understanding exactly what you mean,
”
she says, shaking her head.

I grab my beer and lean back into the couch.
“
I guess it will come to me, eventually. In time, I will figure it out. I
’
m young.
”

“
Yes. That you are,
”
she agrees.
“
In woman years, I
’
m old. I should be married and on my way to having kids now.
”

“
And is that something you want? To be married and have kids?
”
I
’
m not so sure why I
’
m interested in hearing the answer to this question, because usually when a girl brings this topic up, I avoid it or run. With Max, I
’
m intrigued.

“
I think every girl my age thinks about it at least once or twice in their lives. I
’
m just too preoccupied with my business to dwell over it. I
’
m a workaholic. That equals bad girlfriend, wife, and mother material. If it happens, it happens,
”
she says with a shrug.

I can
’
t help but wonder if she
’
s really okay with that. I guess the good thing is it seems as though she
’
s not looking for anything serious, which is fine by me. I
’
m down with being friends with benefits.

“
Well, to be honest, I feel the same way. So, why don
’
t we cheers to a life of freedom and no boundaries,
”
I say, holding up my beer. She laughs and we clink our bottles together.

We sit in silence for a moment. Not an awkward silence, but an intense silence. The energy in the room has shifted again, and it
’
s buzzing loudly around us. I see the recognition on her face, and I know that she can feel it too. My lips are aching to touch hers and my hands are itching to feel her. I have to rub my head with my hands just to keep them occupied and keep them from wandering over to her side of the couch.

I see her fiddle with her fingers as though she is doing the same. She
’
s so beautiful in all the right ways. I no longer want to just fuck her. I want to caress her. I want to learn everything about her. I want to take my time on each and every part of her. And just by the look she is giving me right now, I can only imagine she may be feeling the same.

I
’
m new at this. I never had a deep urge for all that other stuff until right now, with her. Usually, I am the guy who says all the right things just to get into a girl
’
s pants. And maybe my brother is right about my past behavior, but I
’
m not so sure Max would even let that fly
—
she
’
s different. Yes, more mature than what I usually go for, but it has absolutely nothing to do with age.

“
Are you hungry?
”
I ask, trying to concentrate on something other than what
’
s running through my mind right now.

She flings her head back.
“
Ugh! Starving. I thought you would
never
ask.
”

I laugh.
“
Good, because I can cook a mean steak.
”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Max

Kyle hops up from the couch like a little kid. It
’
s cute and endearing that he wants to cook for me. He continues to surprise me by the minute. Most guys his age would have jumped all over the chance to start a make-out session on the couch just now. The last couple of minutes were pretty intense. The more I try to tell myself to stay away, the more of him I want.

God, I don
’
t even know why I am entertaining the idea of doing anything with him. I
’
m going to be partnering up with his parents, for goodness sake! What would they think if they found out we were sexually involved? Would they tell me to leave? I have years on their son; would they blame me as the coercer? Or do they know of his past as his brother knows? There are just so many scenarios that could make this union go into left field.

Junior did warn me about this very thing. But to be honest, I am an adult and if anything were to go further than a friendship, it wouldn
’
t be all on Kyle
—
I know what I
’
m doing.

I take a seat at the kitchen table. I shake my head to myself from the thoughts that have been entering my mind. I can
’
t seem to control them, and the way Kyle works that kitchen is sexy as hell. He
’
s sure not helping any. He looks like a man on a mission who knows exactly what he is doing. And he
’
s cutting up vegetables with such precision that I can
’
t help but wonder what those hands could do to me.

“
Hey, over there! Do you want some help?
”
I ask.

He
’
s now rubbing seasoning all over the steaks, concentrating extremely hard. The crease between his brows is adorable.
“
How about you grab us some more beers?
”

“
Coming right up!
”
I jump out of my seat and scoot behind him. Our shoulders rub as I pass him to get to the refrigerator. I feel him stiffen just as I do for a moment, and then he releases his muscles as I release mine. 

The electricity between us has just intensified. If this happens with just an accidental touch, I can
’
t imagine how our bodies would react if it was purposeful. I shiver at the thought, and then a warm heat glides over the most sensitive parts of me. Shit! Not good. I have to stay in control. Why can
’
t I stay in control?

I pop off the tops and leave his beer next to him on the counter. His hands are covered in seasoning and meat juice. I turn on the sink, and he washes his hands off.
“
Thanks,
”
he says. Our eyes lock again. It
’
s like time halts and the rest of the world disappears. We stay this way for a long time, both breathing heavily. Thoughts completely vanish. No questions; no concerns. All worries just slip out of my head. It
’
s just him and me. He slowly begins to lean in to me, and for one split moment, I let my heart lead. I almost follow through, but reality comes crashing back to me like a wrecking ball, and I chicken out.

I back up and step aside. I quickly recover by taking a sip of beer and walking to the table.
“
Are you going to grill those or broil them?
”
I ask him.

“
Most definitely grilling them.
”

I look around for a grill.
“
Where do you grill?
”
He takes the top off of the stove and points.
“
Ah, I see. Top of the line, huh?
”

“
Only the best,
”
he says.

I watch him prepare the vegetables with olive oil and salt and pepper, and then he puts them in the oven. He warms up the grill, places them on once it
’
s hot enough, and then turns to me. He smiles before taking a sip of his beer.

“
I
’
m really impressed, Kyle. How did you learn to do all of this?
”

He flips the steaks.
“
My mother. She
’
s the griller of the house. She kind of had to be. My dad always worked late. If we waited for him, we would have never ate,
”
he says with a laugh.

That saddens me; even though I know his father is a great man. I could only imagine how lonely Connie had to have been. Those evening hours are essential for families to connect and bond. I would know, because I lacked that my whole life.

“
And was your mother okay with that?
”
I ask, hoping I
’
m not prying too much.

He flips the steaks one more time and takes the vegetables out from the oven.
“
You know, I
’
m not so sure. When I was young, that never even crossed my mind that she could be unhappy. She always had a smile on her face. But then when I was about sixteen, I remember walking in their room without knocking, I needed some cash, and she was sitting on her bed crying
—
alone. My dad was at work.

“
She told me not to worry. She had just received some bad news. It wasn
’
t anything I should be concerned about. I think back to that night every now and then and wonder if I should have done more. I also wonder, now that I
’
m old enough to realize, if she was crying because she was unhappy.
”
He places the steaks and vegetables on plates and brings them over to the table for us.

“
Once my brother and I moved out, my mother took on my father
’
s hours. I
’
m guessing that
’
s the only way she could spend time with him,
”
he finishes.

I take a nice long whiff of the plate.
“
This looks amazing, Kyle.
”

“
Thanks.
”

We both take our first bites, and mine melts in my mouth.
“
Mmmm.
”
I close my eyes without thought and moan.
“
This is
so
good!
”
I open my eyes, and he
’
s staring at me with a cockeyed grin.

He shakes his head.
“
There you go again with your commercial skills.
”

I giggle.
“
Listen, if it
’
s any consolation, I think your parents adore each other. I also think couples need to go through hard times to appreciate their happy times. You were a kid; there was nothing you could have done. Look at them now. Those years molded them into who they are today.
”

He finishes chewing.
“
You
’
re pretty wise for your age.
”
I stop chewing.

Did he really just say that?
“
My age?
”
I sneer. I just couldn
’
t help the way that came out.

He chuckles and is cool as a cucumber.
“
Yes,
your
age. You
’
re young, and then there
’
s the fact that you haven
’
t been married yet. How do you have all these words of wisdom? It
’
s like you
’
re an old soul trapped in a new body.
”