decibels. The person just behind me complained loudly his phone just died with an eighty-five-percent battery.
I speared my salad.
“I didn’t think you needed to murder vegetables to eat them,” was the murmur by my ear.
A shiver went through me.
I turned my head and held my breath. He was close to me. Close enough I could see the gold and rusty flakes in the depths of Kane’s eyes. Smell his cologne. The nearness of him did something unholy and decadent to my pussy. I throbbed. In public.
The urge to kiss him was insane. I could see why when drunk I might have given in to the temptation. There was something about Kane. Something that drew me despite everything.
Desire churned and urged me to lean forward and kiss him. I wasn’t drunk this time. How would it feel? I doubted it would be the sweetness I got with Darryl. With Kane, wantonness drove me. As if I were drugged.
Or bespelled.
I jerked back. “You’re using magic on me.”
“I am talking to you.”
“You’re seducing me with your words,” I accused. “You did the same thing that night at the bar.”
“That night in the bar you were drunk.”
“My friends think you slipped me a mickey.”
“Drugged you?” He laughed. “That wasn’t me. You were showing signs of slurring before we ever spoke.”
“So you admit you knew I wasn’t myself yet took me outside and took advantage of me.”
“First of all, you asked me to take you outside for some fresh air.”
“Then you proceeded to maul me.”
“Maul you?” He sounded so surprised. “Do you really not remember your greedy hands all over my body? You were the one kissing me. My back was against the car because you had me pinned there.”
“Now I know you’re lying. I’m not aggressive like that.” I only had fuzzy memories of that night. Most of it reconstructed based on what Trish told me. She hated Kane, though. Would she have lied to get him in trouble?
“You took charge of that kiss. Was it any wonder I gave in?”
Staring at him, I did remember. I recalled my hands fisting his shirt as I leaned against him outside. My blood boiled, and I rode his thigh, humping it.
My memory had him cupping my face, holding me and saying, “Slow down.”
I didn’t want to slow down, though. I’d wanted him to do something about the ache in me.
Then Trish arrived and tore me away. I blinked at him. “You’re a good kisser.” The words fell out of my mouth, and I couldn’t take them back.
His lips curved, but rather than something arrogant, he said, “Did you think the attraction between us was one sided?”
Looking at him, I had a hard time believing he was that attracted to me. “I think you’re playing me.”
“To what end?”
“You want me to dump Darryl. To hurt him. Because you hate him.”
“Hate?” He shook his head as he leaned away to his own space. “It is more complicated than that.”
Had he just admitted he used me as part of a vendetta?
“I don’t want to see you anymore.”
“You won’t. Consider this our goodbye.” He slid off the stool and left.
I stared at my bowl of salad. A great big soggy hunk of sadness. My gaze strayed to the chocolate cake, thick with icing. I tossed money down and ran out of there.
17
My encounter with Kane frazzled me. Especially since I saw it in a different light. If Kane had never drugged me or assaulted me, then I’d been hating him for the wrong reasons.
Not that it mattered now. Even if I didn’t have Darryl, I still wouldn’t date Kane. He was crude and stubborn. For all that he’d saved me that one night in the woods, I still didn’t trust him.
And why was I even still thinking about it? Darryl was the man for me. A simple, hardworking guy who treated me with respect. Hopefully a little less respect tonight.
Once I got home I did my filial duty by checking on Geoff, who was planning a night of gaming with his online friends. Mother guilt hit me, and I offered to cancel my plans. He refused, whereupon I profusely apologized until he yelled at me to go get ready and stop trying to chicken out.
Me, a coward?
Damned right I was. My stomach had a stampeding herd of butterflies that made me want to throw up. Should a first date feel like morning sickness?
I wanted this. I couldn’t wait. I was just nervous. It would be fine. People went on dates