Naughty or Nice - Alexis Winter Page 0,5
up with someone would anger me, but it’s not for the reasons she thinks. She thinks I’m just looking out for her. But really, I can’t stand to think of another man touching her. She’s mine and always has been.
“Deal,” she agrees, and I release her arm.
That seems like so long ago. I feel like I’m a completely different person now. In a way, I guess I am. I’m no longer a college student who is desperately working to get a degree to get a job to support myself. Back then, I knew that there would be no help for me, so I made sure I put forth the effort I needed to do what I needed to do. Now, I’m set. I did the work, I got the degree, I landed the job, I got the life I wanted. But something is missing. It’s her. She’s always been by my side before. These last few years of living separately haven’t been easy. I find myself constantly thinking of her, trying to replace her in some way. All the women I date somehow seem to remind me of her—I know, it’s fucked up and my therapist would agree. Things could have been so much different if I wasn’t so damn stupid. But I pushed her away that night, the night of the party.
I never should have made that deal with her. Now she’s wasted and even though she’s holding up her end of the bargain, that doesn’t mean that the guys haven’t stopped coming up to her. Jealously is eating me alive as I watch her talk with guy after guy.
Her long cinnamon-brown hair is in bouncy curls and her green eyes that can light up a room are bloodshot. She’s happy and smiling, laughing at all the stupid shit these guys are saying, and here I am, drunk, alone, and jealous.
Tired of throwing my own pity party, I get up and walk up to her. “Are you ready to go? It’s getting late and I think we’re both pretty hammered.”
Her green eyes, that remind me so much of glowing emeralds, land on mine. Her thick, glistening lips turn up in a smile. “Well, I am having a lot of fun with your friends here, but I think I could have just as much fun with you alone at your place.”
I get the double meaning there and it makes my dick twitch with excitement, even though I would never allow it. “Alright, sweetheart. Let’s get out of here then.” I hold out my arm and she laces hers through it. I lead us out of the party and out of the house. Luckily, the party isn’t a far walk from my place so we pass by my car and instead opt to walk for a safer option.
The night is warm for being early fall and the leaves on the trees are falling and bunch up on the sides of the sidewalk. Every few steps, I hear the crunch under our feet, and it reminds me of raking the leaves together as kids, only to jump in them.
“Thanks for showing me a good time,” she says, stealing me from my thoughts.
I smile. “Well, you didn’t give me much of a choice, now did you?” I smirk in her direction.
She laughs and shrugs one shoulder. “You could’ve said no.”
“I did say no; you just argued until you got your way.”
Her smile widens but her feet stop moving. “Hey, I didn’t say I’d give up. You just give up too easy.”
I laugh. “Well, it’s kind of hard when you beg and bat your lashes at me like that.”
She wets her lips and the action draws my eyes to them. I quickly look back up and meet her intense gaze. The green only seems to be lighting up the darkness. “You know, I’m not a child anymore. I can take care of myself, right?”
I shake my head slightly. “No, you’re not a little girl anymore, but that doesn’t mean that I’ll ever stop protecting you.”
“Why do you feel the need to protect me? I know what I want and I’m prepared for the consequences.”
“You know what you want?” I ask, all amusement gone. She’s never been one to make up her mind. She’s always back and forth.
She nods. “I do know what I want, Carson, and I always have.” After that sentence leaves her lips, she presses them against mine.
At first, I’m shocked and I don’t know what to do. I mean, this is