Only, the instant I regain control, she snatches it right from my grasp again. All it takes is her removing her hand from my back, to then wedge it between our bodies. We’re both damn-near vibrating with the most intense energy I’ve ever felt.
I sense where she’s going with this, and when my waistband is pulled away from where it rides low at the base of my stomach, an alarm sounds off inside my head. It’s the reason I decide now’s a good time to warn her who she’s dealing with.
“Easy, Southside,” I groan, lifting my head to speak the words against her neck. “You’re dangerously close to crossing the point of no return.”
She ignores the first warning and rests her full lips against my collarbone before sucking there, driving me absolutely insane.
“If you aren’t fucking sure,” I speak up again, “Stop while you still—"
She shuts me the hell up by pushing her soft hand down the front of my boxers, unapologetically gripping my cock like she owns the damn thing. My chest moves against hers as I breathe deep. Then, my eyes fall shut.
This damn girl has me right where she wants me.
At her mercy.
Her hand works up and down my length and all the back and forth between us has built up to this. I’m tired of tiptoeing around what we’re both really after, so I make up my mind to propel us to the next level. I reach beneath her skirt to grab her hip, and with one rough motion the seam of her panties starts to rip. Only, I don’t get very far, because out of nowhere, we’re engulfed in bright light.
Southside gasps and is quick to cover herself, pushing her straps back in place in record time. I, on the other hand, am not thinking about any of that shit. All I want to know is who the fuck just interrupted?
“Thought you’d like to know it’s time for the Monster Mix.”
I recognize Parker’s voice. Even if it isn’t all chipper like usual.
She doesn’t leave right away, instead keeping that light focused on me and Southside while we fix ourselves. If history is any indication, Parker’s going to cry herself to sleep about what she just walked in on, and I can expect a phone call about 3 a.m., when she’ll feel the need to tell me what a good catch she is and how I’ll miss her long before she’ll miss me.
Blah fucking blah …
All bullshit.
Southside hops down from the tomb, brushing dust off the back of her costume, and I can’t wrap my head around her leaving.
“We aren’t finished here. What’re you doing?”
She glances down to where I’ve just taken her wrist, then she passes a look toward Parker.
Before she even answers, I realize she’s about to use that as an excuse to bail. “Kind of feels like we’re done,” she reasons.
I don’t get another chance to plead my case, because she rushes off after that. I’m right behind her, grabbing my headpiece before pushing past Parker. She doesn’t miss the death-stare I shoot her. It’s the next best thing to actually being able to punch her, which I would’ve done without question if she were a dude.
Southside is moving slowly, and I can’t help but to wonder if it’s because she’s hoping I’ll catch up. Parker’s lingering somewhere behind us, probably sulking, but I find it all too easy to forget about her these days.
An uncertain glance flashes up at me before Southside speaks. “What’s the … Monster Mix, or whatever?” she asks.
We’re walking in step now and it feels a lot like I want to touch her, hold her hand or some weak shit like that.
I kill the urge because I’m not that guy. Never have been. Might castrate myself if I ever become that guy.
“… Uh, it’s sort of a Monster Bash tradition,” I finally answer. “It’s just a drink concoction Marcus makes up. He puts it in this big, gaudy chalice and we all take a sip, drinking to the occasion.”
And we’re probably drinking to cold sores and mono, too, which is why my brothers and I have a standing rule where we drink first.
She smooths her costume again and this is where it gets weird. All because we somehow fell into the first normal conversation we’ve ever held with one another. It’s jarring because that’s not us. We don’t do coffee dates or walks in the park with our twin puppies. We’re sharp points, rough edges, and nasty insults.
And, apparently, we’re a little bit of her touching my dick and me kissing her tits, too, but … I guess that fits.
Sort of.
Glancing her way, she looks at least as uncomfortable as I do, but it breaks up some of the tension when Parker shoves her way between us, charging toward the crowd.
“Move it, assholes,” she hisses.
I hold in a laugh, because I know I shouldn’t find humor in Parker’s frustration, and I guess I’ve gotten used to hiding what a sick fuck I am. But when I peer over at Southside again, she doesn’t even bother trying to pretend. She’s smiling big, maybe because she knows getting caught with me has just destroyed Parker on the inside.
Southside’s a little crazy, and I might be a little obsessed with that side of her.
The distance between us has grown as we draw closer to the others. I slow down and she speeds up, until it isn’t even obvious we came from the same place. Only we know the truth.
I unashamedly scan every face for hers when she disappears among the others, but I find her quickly. She’s laughing and chatting it up with Rodriguez and a small group near the beer pong table.
Watching her, I brush my thumb over my bottom lip and I’m aware of the missed opportunity. Aware I’m getting deeper in this by the second.
Pull back, Golden. You know who she really is.
“Where’d you
