This Love of Mine (Raine Series #1) (7 page)

I put my
cigarette out on the patch of grass next to me, trying to make as little noise
as possible. I had been hiding out this long and I didn't want to scare her, so
I just kept quiet and listened to her rambling on and on. I couldn't make out
much, but I think I got the gist of what she was saying. She was definitely mad
at someone because I had never heard so many curse words come out of such a
sweet looking mouth. The only name I caught in all of her ranting was Wren, whoever
the hell that was.

I was
just about to get up and head back home, when my cell started ringing in my
pocket. I let a string of curse words fly out of my mouth that would make my
dead momma blush, as I frantically searched for the damn thing. As soon as I
got it out of my pocket, I quickly hit the side button to stop the ringing.
When the sound finished echoing off of the vast open land, I held my breath
waiting to see if she was going to say anything. After a few minutes and no
response, I thought it safe to start heading back, but then her voice stopped
me dead in my tracks.

"You
know you don't have to hide in the dark to be around me. I won't bite. Well,
not unless you ask
real
nice." A
small giggle followed her putting-it-out-there sentence and I just stood there
in shock.

My mind
was telling me to answer, to say anything, but for some reason my lips refused
to move. I took a few steps in the direction of my grandparent's house, when
she spoke again.

"That's
okay, I don't need you, just like I don't need them."

I heard
her let out a loud sigh and I instantly felt like a prick. Once again, against
my better judgment and my grandfather's warning, I did something I knew I
shouldn't, but I just couldn't help myself any longer. I walked right over to
where she was laying down, and stood directly above her. I looked down at her
beautiful face in awe. It all seemed a little wrong, given the fact she was
just barely seventeen, but I was drawn to her.

Her eyes
were closed as I traced every facet of her face with my eyes, committing it to
memory. Suddenly electric blue was staring back at me, unfazed by my close
proximity to her. She slowly blinked and I caught a glimpse of her tongue dart
out and wet her full bottom lip. My pants tightened and I knew I was in some
serious trouble if this pretty little thing stayed around much longer.

"Can
I help you,
Madison
?" The
sarcastic emphasis she put on my name made me burst out in laughter. "What
is so funny?" She shouted as I continued to laugh.

"I'm
s..or..ry." I stuttered through my laughter. I put up my finger for her to
give me a second, as I tried to catch my breath and calm down my laughter that
was apparently starting to piss her off. "You really don't like me do
ya?" I croaked out.

"Well
whatever would've given' ya that idea, cowboy?" She sneered.

"Oh
I don't know, how about that from the minute you laid eyes on me, you have done
nothin' but give me dirty looks. Or, how about the fact that you wouldn't even
say more than one word to me?" I sat down next to where she was lying
unmoving. It was obvious that she wasn't going to be moving anytime soon.
"Honestly, I should've known that a pretty, little princess wouldn't want
to speak to me anyway. I didn't really think she was a princess, but her
reaction to the word, was worth it.

My last
sentence must've really gotten to her, because she was sittin' up right quicker
than shit.

"I'm
sorry and who the hell do you think you are, judging me when you have no
fuckin' clue about anything about me." Her words were coming out a bit
slurred and I could almost bet by the amount of smoking she was doing, that she
was on something. "And why are you just staring at me like that?"

I swear
if she were standing, she would be tapping her little foot against the ground,
with her hands on her hips. The vision of this made me want to laugh even more,
but I held it in as to not further piss this little firecracker off.

"Well,
are you even going to give me enough respect to answer me?"

I wasn't
quite sure how I was looking at her, but I figured I should apologize to calm
her down, if anything. "I'm sorry if I offended you in any way sweetheart.
That wasn't my intention. I was honestly heading back to the house, when your
voice caught me off guard. I thought I was still alone out here." That was
a lie obviously, but she didn't need to know that.

"I'm
sorry too. I'm just a little tightly wound at the moment."

I
watched as she struggled to cross her legs in front of herself, but this time
there was no laughing. I could tell she was in a lot of pain, so I just sat
back on my arms, legs crossed in front of me with my head back.

We sat
in silence for what felt like hours, but in all actuality, was about ten
minutes. I only know because I kept checking my watch. I finally came to the
distinct conclusion that the conversation was probably over, so I sat forward
brushing my hands off on my jeans. Just as I was about to get up and head to
bed, she spoke. What came out of her mouth next, was nothing I expected to hear
from this amazingly beautiful girl, or any girl for that matter.

Kayla

The second
the words came out of my mouth, I instantly regretted saying them. I had no
intentions to ever let anyone know, but something strong came over me, possibly
the Vicodin. When I saw him get up to leave, for whatever reason I just didn't
want to see him go. I could feel my body reacting to him and although it scared
the ever livin' hell out of me, I couldn't just let him walk away and take the
chance that I may never see him again.

I had
the sudden urge to bare my soul and body to him, maybe too early for the
latter, but still it was true. I stared up at his expressionless face, waiting
for him to say something, anything, but when he didn't I was disappointed.
Maybe my grandparents were right in their warning of Madison.
 
But always staying true to myself, I
threw caution to the wind. Apparently, that wasn't the best idea it would seem.

"Come
again?" His voice was soft and soothing, which only intensified my
yearning to be closer to him.

He sat
back down next to me, never releasing eye contact. I was suddenly rendered
speechless, as a sea of sparkling green was staring right into my eyes. When I
opened my mouth to utter those words one more time, my mouth closed tightly and
I contemplating telling him I was only lying. My eyes were still on him and I
was lost in his gaze, until he decided to speak again.

"You
know KJ, you can tell me anything. I know you don't know me all that well, but
I can be a real good listener if need be."

"Why
did you just call me KJ?" I tried to remove all worry from my thoughts,
but he must've noticed my vulnerability.

"Oh...um,
my grandfather told me that's what people call you. I'm sorry sweetheart, I can
call you Kayla if that works better for ya." He slowly removed his
baseball cap from his head and pushed his fingers back through his thick hair.
It wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. It was cut similar to Justin
Beiber's old hairstyle, but shorter and he definitely made that look sexy. Man,
he was a beautiful specimen of man. God broke the mold when he created this
one, that's for sure. He slowly tugged his cap back on, just as I started to
realize that I was staring.

I
cleared my throat, not wanting him to know just how much I truly wanted him.
"Um, no KJ is fine. Most people don't call me that anymore that's
all." I lifted up my face to look at him again. Damn, this guy was hot.

"So,
you were about to tell me what you said." He winked and I grew wet.

"Oh
that. Sorry, I don't usually go around blurting out random things to people, especially
people I barely know." I grabbed a fresh smoke from my pack and as I
reached for my lighter, a bright orange flame flickered in front of my face. I
took the small opportunity to see him better in the light. His lips slowly
pulled up and into a wide smile, before the flame flickered and then went out.
I definitely wasn't disappointed with the turn of events thus far.

"Like
I said, I'm a great listener." He sat back on one of his hands and lit
himself a smoke.

"I
was stabbed." I wasn't quite sure what else to say, but it seemed like a
good starting point. Like I said, totally wasn't my plan to tell him or anyone.

"Well,
I guess that explains the limping. Hmm." His hat was once again off of his
head, but this time he threw it a ways away from him. His free hand was pushing
though the thick, soft, unruly hair again. I was starting to figure out that
this was somewhat of a nervous habit of his. I took note, and then turned
myself so I was facing him.

"Look,
I know we don't know each other all that well. Apparently we hung out a few
times when we were younger but I don't remember, just as I'm sure you don't
either. My life is messy, and when I say messy, I mean fucked up." I let
out a small laugh to help lighten the mood before I continued. "I won't
bore you will the details. It was a bad situation, that hopefully I have left
behind."

"What
if I said I wanted you to bore me with the details?" I could see the
smoldering look in his eyes and I backed up a tiny bit. I wasn't quite sure how
comfortable to feel around him, but it did feel like I had known him for years.
Speaking of years, I quietly made a mental note to remember to call Cami when I
got back in the house.

"I
don't open up to anyone, Madison. I have trust issues and a whole closet full
of ghosts. So...I can't guarantee that you will even like me, I mean care about
me, wait not that either. I mean, I can't be certain that what I tell you won't
have you running as far away from me as possible." I took in a deep
breath, exhaling loudly.

"I
have my fair share of ghosts, KJ. I'm pretty sure that whatever you tell me,
won't have me running for the hills, mountains, ocean or any other far off
place. Got me?" If I was in a different state of mind, I may have been put
off by the way he was speaking to me, but part of me liked it. A lot!

I took a
long drag from my almost gone cigarette; before I could muster up enough
courage to finish telling him what happened. "Maybe we could talk about
some things about ourselves first. Then maybe, I won't feel like I'm talkin' to
a complete stranger. Sound good?"

"Sure,
but just because I tell you my favorite color, doesn't mean we will be any less
strangers."

"Ah,
but that's where you're wrong. I think once I know a few key things, then I'd
say we were well on our way to being friends." He grinned up at me, and my
heart melted a bit. He was good. I'd give him that much, for now.
"So?"

"What?
You didn't ask me anything. How am I supposed to answer a non-existent question
sweetheart?

"Oh
sorry. Ok first question. What's your favorite time of day?" I knew it
sounded like a stupid question, but that actually says a lot about a person.

He let
out a chuckle and then became very serious, for my benefit I'm sure.

"Noon,
and you?

"Noon,
why?" He had already peaked my interest and we were only on our first
question.

"You
sure ya wanna waste one of your questions on that?"

I could
tell he was teasing me, just by the way he was smirking, but I seriously wanted
to know. "Yep, now spill cowboy."

"Well,
I don't know really. It always has been. I suppose in high school, it was
because that's when we all took lunch. But, now that I'm out of school, I think
it's because that's when I feel the most productive. Your turn." He
glanced over at me, but I quickly turned my attention back to the ground.

"I
would have to say sundown. The sky turns such a magnificent shade of orange,
red and yellow. It's almost hypnotizing to me. Okay, next question. How old are
you?"

I just
had to know, but his reply wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. In fact, I
believe it damn near almost broke my heart.

Madison

"I'm
twenty four." I tried to keep my face composed as I answered and by the
look on her face, I could tell she was disappointed. I was gonna let it go for
a bit, but she got real quiet and I didn't want to scare her off. "I'm
just teasin' sweetheart, I'm only eighteen." I let out a loud laugh and
the worry that was etched in her face slowly dissipated.

"Why
would you do that?" She squealed, as she play punched my leg.

When her
flesh touched my leg, electricity started flowing through me. There was
somethin' there, and I could tell she could feel it too. She let her hand
linger on my leg for a few seconds and my breath hitched in my throat. My eyes
landed on her small balled up hand and that's when I noticed the bruises that
wrapped around her wrists.

"KJ,
I know it ain't my business, but what happened here sweetheart?" I slid my
finger around the dark ring that looked like a bracelet, and she hastily jerked
away.

"Nothin',
now think of a better question."

I
couldn't tell if she was upset with me or not, but I didn't want to push her
away, so I continued on to my next question. "So how old are you pretty
girl?" I smiled briefly at her, hoping to put her back into a comfortable
place.