Page 10 of Untamed
I’m guessing Joel is the latter because he regards me, again—this time it’s assessing. Like he’s trying to size me up. I’m taller than him, bigger, and quicker. I don’t know him, I’ve never fought him, but I can tell you right now I’d have him on his ass before he even decides he’s going to throw a punch.
“This is between me and Maesyn. Back off,” he hisses through clenched teeth.
I smile, stepping closer. We’re chest to chest now. He’s assessing me. “I know you know who I am. And I think it’s in your best interest to leave her alone.” My words are perfectly delivered, holding the right amount of venom needed to get this fucker’s attention. “Never fuck with someone who isn’t afraid of losing everything. You’ll loseeverytime.”
He wants to hit me. His fists clench, his jaw tightens, and he lets out a quick harsh breath between his teeth.
“He’s right,” the girl who’s been clinging to his side notes, urging Joel by her hands wrapped around his shoulders. “Just leave it alone.”
Joel doesn’t say any more. I think he wants to, but he’s here with another. He backs up, wraps his arm around a tall brunette, and I can’t make out her face, but just like everyone else, she appears to be judging this tiny spitfire of a girl who kicks over stereos and tells off shit-kickers.
“He ain’t worth it,” I mutter as he walks away, still reeling from the intensity of wanting a fight with that douche.
Maesyn looks over at me, nodding, unable to break eye contact with me.
“I know,” she says, her tone lighter. “He’s a piece of shit. You didn’t have to do that.”
I exhale a sigh, watching her beautiful face and the way the fire flickers in her irises. “I was raised with the understanding men don’t treat women with disrespect. You never lay a hand on a woman.”
Maesyn grins, sipping on her bourdon, eyes glazed over. “So youneverlay a hand on a woman?” She winks and then makes direct eye contact with my crotch. Her tongue peeks out and sweeps across her bottom lip.
Fuck. She’s bold.
I smirk back, lifting my bottle to my lips. “That’s different.”
“Oh, is it now?”
I lift a brow, and she bursts out laughing. I fuckinglovethe sound. “Don’t worry,” I say, turning to face her. “I’m gentle. Kind of.”
She cracks up, her laughter so goddamn adorable. “Where’s the fun in that?”
The corners of my mouth pull up as I watch her. My dick thickens and I know where this is heading. “I saidkind of.”
I can’t take my eyes off her. Not now. Maybe it’s the whiskey, but I can’t fucking stop my thoughts of her. She ignites my soul and dances in the flames. Staring at her mouth, the idea of her on her knees in front of me as I make her lips open wider with the head of my cock is all I can think about. She looks like she’d be down for a dirty fuck.
Not a lot of women go up to a guy with confidence. There’s a shyness, but also a playfulness in this one I find interesting. It’s something I want to explore, and judging by the way she’s acting, I’m guessing she’d like to explore some shit too.
There are buckle bunnies everywhere I go. I’m not saying Maesyn is one. Hell, I don’t even know if she knows me. My point is when I do take one back to my room, or wherever we happened to be, I go for the blondes. I won’t go as far as to say they’re more fun. I could argue that, sure, but in my experience, theyarehotter. It’s a fact and one I’d argue until I’m blue in the face. And have, only to be punched in the face by Reid, my brother, who always goes for the redheads.
The sky around us, once cloudless, rumbles and growls. The scent of rain is dark and heady. Stillness falls over the party as the pattering of tiny raindrops pings on trucks and rusted metal. For a moment, everyone scrambles, but Maesyn and her friend, they laugh, twirl and dance around despite no music. She winks at me, and I know then I want her wearing my shirt with messy hair and sleepy eyes. I want the taste of my kiss on her skin and the lingering sensation of my touch between her legs. I want more. I want every part of me on her.
I take a drink of the whiskey, only I’m drunk on the sight of her, not the alcohol in my hand. This girl, she could be labeled poison and I’d still drink straight from the bottle.
Like she knows what she’s doing, wild and carefree, she watches me, dancing around in the rain like it’s the most refreshing sensation she’s ever experienced, barefoot and rain-soaked. It’s when she looks at me, and even the wind holds its breath, we’re locked in a stare, neither one of us completely understanding the draw to one another. A streak of hot silver splits the sky. She jumps, laughing, and grabs onto me when the crack bellows through the valley.
Knowing I shouldn’t, but unable to stop myself, I lean over. “Wanna get out of the rain?” I whisper.
She gives me a side-eye with a slanted smile and I give her a charming grin back. Works on buckle bunnies. Could work on her too, right?
Her teeth sink into her bottom lip and she blushes. That only makes me want her more.
She nods, breathlessly laughing and I open the door for her, and then walk around the front to the driver’s side. The boom of thunder rolls across the valley, the rain picking up. Her friend disappears into the barn, a guy wrapping his arm around her.
“Are we safe in here?” she asks, looking to me. “With the lightning. . . .”
“Yeah, it’s fine. That’s miles away.” And then I ask, “What’d that guy do to you?”
Snorting, she takes her hat off and sets in on my dash, all the while looking at me with an expression that tells me she doesn’t know how to answer.
