Becky nodded inagreement despite herself. In her heart, she knew that she couldnever do what Gracie suggested but that didn’t mean that the ideawas so unappealing. If she were honest with herself, she might evenadmit to having a tiny crush on each of them. Their handsome facesplayed in her mind’s eye.
Suddenlyrecalling the hurt in Crispin’s eyes earlier, Becky shook her headfree of those lusty thoughts.
“Gracie, seriously, I think Crispin really cares aboutyou.”
“Oh, please, he’s just confused. Just because society tells youthat you need to be involved in a committed relationship doesn’tmean it’s right for everyone.”
“Are you sure? Because I honestly believe that he would reallylike you to be his girlfriend.”
“Well, fuck that shit,” Gracie scoffed, tossing her cigarettedown and crushing it with her boot. “He knows where I stand. I’venever given him any reason to believe that we would be anythingmore than fuck buddies.”
“I don’t know… he…”
Gracie rolledher eyes and cut her off. “Back to you now, Becky. Who’s the luckyguy then?”
“It’s not like that with us. We’re proper housemates, that’sall.”
“Yeah, right,” Gracie scoffed. “Not yet anyway. Mind you, Iwouldn’t keep them waiting too long. They might just kill eachother if you don’t put them out of their misery and pick one.You’ve already got them fighting over you.”
“You just said that you didn’t believe in monogamy,” Beckysaid, confused.
“I don’t, but those fuckers obviously do,” Gracie said, pushingup off the picnic table. “No point in beating a dead horse.” Theyboth startled when the band started up abruptly. “Well, on thatnote, I’m out of here. Later, Becky.”
“You’re leaving? Aren’t you going to say goodbye toCrispin?”
“Nah, you tell him for me. He’ll only make me feel guilty fornot wanting to watch him sing. Sometimes a girl needs her ownspace, you know what I mean?” Just like that, she was gone, downthe driveway before Becky could even respond. What a strangecharacter, Gracie was. In a sense, Becky admired her way ofthinking. Yet Becky’s loyalty to Crispin gave her reason to dislikeGracie’s easy dismissal of his feelings.
Chapter 33
Quite torn overwhether she should join the boys in the garage or go back into thehouse, Becky hesitated in the quickly fading twilight. Momentslater, her decision was made for her when Kelley poked hisblood-red framed head out from the garage door.
“Love, is that you out there?” he asked, squinting into thedusky light. “Becky, what have I told you about going out aloneafter dark!”
He stalkedtowards her with such purposeful intent that Becky instinctivelybacked away.
“Come here, you!” he barked with a hint of a smile on hisshadowy face. “It’s not me you need to fear.”
“I don’t fear you!” she said, tentatively holding her ground.“I’m angry at you.”
“Oh, really?” he asked mockingly, crouching slightly into aprowling stance like that of a cat with a mouse. “Should I beafraid then?”
Becky pursedher lips at him and shook her head at the suddenly playful Goth.“This isn’t funny. You scared me today.”
“Aw… I scared you?” he said with a voice dripping with humour,pitched higher than normal. Dropping the cat and mouse act, hestood with his hands on his waist and tilted his head. “How did Imanage that, oh fierce one?”
Becky frownedat him, confused by his peculiar mood. What gave him reason to beso lighthearted suddenly? He’d punched Keegan, glared at her as ifshe’d ruined his life, then stormed out of the house and drove offwithout so much as a backwards glance. Now here he was mocking her.She ought to just haul off and kick him in the shins!
Kell didn’tknow whether to laugh or cry at the sight of her ire. God, he lovedher. This he knew to be the ultimate truth. He’d tried to deny it,to put her out of his mind, but no matter how much physical andemotional distance he’d put between them, no matter how many timeshe’d counted the reasons why he was all wrong for her, the truth ofthe matter was that he indeed loved her, wanted her, yearned forher. He was lost to this itty bitty waif of a girl who dared toplace her trusting little soul into his undeserving hands.
The fact was,this mere squeak of a woman gave him a reason to exist. A purposeto get up every morning. It was hard to describe, this undeniablefeeling inside of him. It was not so much a wanting desire, but aneed, a deep-seated instinctive, primordial need to protect andlook after her. Damn it all to fuck, he was royally screwed!
“You need to stop running off like that!” she scolded him,hands on hips.
“Is that right?” he said, taking a calculated step towards her,hands in his pockets, fingers itching to take hold ofher.
“Yes.” She took a cautious step backwards.
“You, the boss of me, then?” he teased, backing her up againstthe picnic table.
“No…” she gasped breathlessly as he leaned in and with his verylarge hands around her waist, hoisted her up onto the table top.“It’s not like that.”
“What’s it like then, love?” he said, stepping in cozilybetween her knees. “Tell me…”
“Kelley…” She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders andsuddenly forgot what she was upset about. Up close like this, hewas as dreamy as a Goth boy could be. Handsome, beautiful anddeliciously scary all wrapped up in one gorgeouspackage.
He inclined hishandsome face, his ebony eyes softening. He gazed lazily at herlips. “Becky… you’re playing with fire.” His mouth twitched up intoa crooked smile. A half-second passed and then he was on her like agrizzly on honey. He kissed her hard and hungrily. He took her bysurprise, releasing all his pent up ardour on her lovely soft lips.He nipped with his teeth then soothed with his tongue. He’d swallowher whole if he could… keep her inside the warm fortress of hisheart forever. “Becky, Becky, Becky…”
As he’d donethe first time, he trailed hot wet kisses along her jawline, downher neck and found her earlobe. With his arms now encircled aroundher, one hand cradling her skull, the other tucked nicelyunderneath her coat, resting between her arm and her ribs, fingerscircling,
