Tempting (Inked Hearts 1)

I flip her off.

She smiles as she returns the gesture.

I take her hand. Lead her across the small, neighborhood street. All the way to the main drag.

No lights or cross walks in any direction.

No cars either.

I turn to Kaylee. "You ready?"

She nods. Squeezes my hand and takes the first step into the street.

We run across the major road. Through the tuft of Eucalyptus trees on the other side. Over the wet green lawn.

Kaylee clutches her stomach as she doubles over with laughter. "You run fast."

"It's called exercise."

"I exercise. Just not running. Running is the devil."

"No wonder I like it so much."

She laughs. "That was bad. But funny too. I must be tired." She pushes herself up. Wipes her wet hands on her jeans.

I take them. Wipe them on my t-shirt.

Her palm lingers against my chest. She drags it over my torso as she pulls it back to her side.

Her eyes meet mine.

Her lips part.

I can see the words on the tip of her tongue.

And I'm not praying for her to hold them back.

I'm desperate for every fucking syllable.

Tell me you want me, angel.

Tell me you want me to fuck you so hard you get grass stains on your skin.

Tell me you want me to throw you on that bench, rip off your jeans, and lick you until you're screaming.

Her eyes go to the building to our left. One of the science buildings. "It's different than before."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She leads

me across the campus. "It feels real. Like this is really happening tomorrow."

We move onto the sidewalk. Past the science building. "It is." Toward the foreign languages building. "I remember the first time I walked into a shop looking for a job."

"It wasn't Inked Hearts?"

"No. I met Ryan at this dive in Downtown LA. He knew Manning. Invited me to Inked Hearts. He invited Dean and Dean invited Walker."