Born Savages - Cora Brent Page 0,19
switch. Her arms are crossed and she watches him. Oscar has the feeling she is forming a series of opinions about him right then and there.
“New York,” he says, taking a step in her direction. “I was born in New York.” He looms over her, satisfied when she squirms. “And I’m not especially waif-like. Or little.”
“New York,” she repeats and Oscar can tell the news surprises her. “I didn’t know that.”
“Seems like it would have been easy enough to find out if you cared to look into it.”
She smiles again and damn if that devilish grin doesn’t do all kinds of crazy shit to him. “I guess I never cared, Oscar. Still, seems like the kind of thing you ought to know about your cousin.”
He leans into the wall just to the right of her, resisting the urge to touch a stray lock of dark hair that’s fallen into her eyes. “Usually my buddies call me Oz. And I’m not really your cousin, Ren.”
“That’s right, you’re not. Do you want to be?”
“Hell no.”
She nods. “Good.”
He can’t tell what she means by that. It isn’t a straight flirt. This girls isn’t full of all the games and plots that occupy other girls. Somehow he already knows this. He also knows that no matter what kind of strangeness has transpired in the last two days and no matter what this girl’s fucking last name is he wants to grab her and commit a series of dirty acts right here in the cramped living room.
Ren cocks her head and does a strange thing. She reaches out and tips his chin up. It isn’t sexy and isn’t supposed to be. It seems almost like a sorrowful gesture. Why the hell would Loren Savage feel sorry for him?
“Are you thirsty?” she asks, brushing past him and heading for the galley kitchen.
He follows her. “Depends. What kind of poison you offering?”
She flicks the tap and begins rinsing out a crystal wine glass. “Water. You want something stronger you’ll have to beg it off the boys or steal it from August. Actually if you ask him he’ll probably just give it to you.” She fills the glass and extends it. “We have water filtration even out here beyond civilization so you’re safe to drink from the tap if you don’t mind the dusty taste.”
Oscar accepts the glass, his hand briefly brushing against hers. The fine crystal was likely born to hold things more sophisticated than water. He takes a long drink and fills the glass again while Loren leans against the counter. Besides her flowing shirt she wears cutoff shorts and her tanned, bare legs end in scarred turquoise cowboy boots. Oscar finishes the lukewarm water and raises an eyebrow at her.
“No,” she says. She’s smiling again.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You’re thinking a few things though, Oscar.” She sighs and shakes her head, her wavy black hair falling forward and brushing over the tops of her breasts. “You boys, you amaze me. You never even try to hide it.”
“Didn’t know the Savages were telepathic.”
“We’re not. You’re just transparent.”
The accusation bugs him. It bugs him enough to mess with her a little. He stands toe to toe with her.
“What am I thinking about, Ren?”
She blushes and looks at her boots. “S-sex.” She stumbles over the word.
Oscar laughs out loud. He laughs so hard he nearly drops the glass. “With who?”
Now she’s flushing crimson. Her self-assurance evaporates and she shifts uncomfortably.
“Well, weren’t you?” she demands with irritation.
This is the most fun he’s had in days. He drops the laughter and assumes a look of utter solemnity. “Nope. Right hand to god it hasn’t crossed my mind. Not even for a second.”
She believes the lie. She bites her lip. “Dammit, I’m sorry.”
“I guess I can forgive you for your obscene assumptions.”
“Seriously, I’m sorry.”
Oscar is studying her. She crosses her arms over her breasts and refuses to look him in the eye now. He can’t picture her in the glittering world of the rich and famous, but then she doesn’t quite seem as if she belongs here in desert exile either. She might not completely belong anywhere.
Like me.
“How long have you been out here?” he asks. “I mean, I know you guys haven’t always lived out here. Mina said you used to live in a mansion in California.”
She answers slowly. “Fourteen months. The estate was foreclosed by the bank. An investor from China lives there now. I’m sure you know my dad’s career is long over and little by little he’s lost