Break My Fall (5 page)

Cam had said he and Derek were best friends.

I didn’t care.

I shouldn’t care.

Kyle smiled, and leaned against the counter; the same counter as last night.

“I was away for a few days, didn’t know we had a new room-mate. You know Cam well? I’m Kyle by the way.”

His smile was friendly but his eyes were guarded.

I wasn’t sure what to make of him.

He was behaving as if he hadn’t kissed me last night…maybe he didn’t remember.

He could have been drunk.

I eyed him nervously.

“Uh yeah, I just moved here from Louisiana. I’ve known Cam my whole life; she used to live next door to me. She moved away when I was twelve, but we kept in touch. I’m Lee.”

I held out my hand, but he made no move to shake it.

Instead, he studied my outstretched hand, and burst out laughing.

He was laughing at me and worse, his laugh was making me blush.

My cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

What was so funny?

“It’s a little late for formalities princess, considering I was closely acquainted with your mouth last night”

Princess?

What a jerk.

“My name is Lee. I would appreciate it, if you addressed me by my Christian name,” I said through gritted teeth.

That only made him laugh more.

“Princess it is then.”

Uh, another nickname, that was just lovely.

What was it with the guys here?

He ran his hand carelessly through his dark hair.

It looked amazing, tousled in such a sexy way.

Good grief, was happening to me?

I was drooling over a man, who obviously seemed to enjoy tormenting me.

“How well do you know Cam?” I snapped, partially because I wanted to change the subject, mostly because I was desperate to know if he had been one of Cam’s flings.

His mood changed quickly, from mischievous to cold.

“Careful princess, keep talking like that and I’m gonna think you’re jealous, and there’s nothing worse than a desperate chick.”

I could think of things a lot worse, like my foot up his butt.

“Desperate?” I practically shouted, appalled at his accusation.

“You’re the one who kissed me last night Kyle, and then took a completely different girl to bed with you.”

He grinned widely; his dimple deepened.

What a dog.

His eyes twinkled, as he prowled towards me.

Standing in front of me, I felt tiny.

He was at least six feet two if not more.

With my five foot three frame, I was a midget compared to him.

“And you enjoyed every second of me kissing you, didn’t you princess? You upset I didn’t take you to bed?”

He stroked the space between my breasts with his finger, “Because I can render that right now.”

I gaped at him, backing up closer to the table.

“My God you are in love with yourself aren’t you?”

I laughed darkly.

“Believe me Kyle, not every girl in the world wants to fall into bed with you.”

He stepped further into my personal space.

His hand snuck out and brushed a piece of my hair back from face.

I wobbled, and leaned against the table for support.

His fingers trailed from my temple to my chin. I shivered. He tipped my chin up toward him.

His blue eyes pierced through me, and my eyes fluttered closed, my lips parted.

I felt his lips touch against mine ever so gently, but he wasn’t kissing me; he was challenging me…

My heart rate spiked and my breath quickened.

He ran his tongue across my lower lip, and I caved.

I pressed my lips hard against his, wanting him to feel as disturbed by me as I was by him.

His tongue slipped into my mouth and I groaned in unfamiliar pleasure.

My hands snaked around his neck as he hoisted me onto the table.

Spreading my legs, he grabbed my hips and pulled me roughly against him.

His lips moved to my neck and I was lost in the moment, pressed against his hard chest of muscle.

The sound of him chuckling brought me down to earth with a crash.

I gasped, and pushed him away from me, disgusted with myself for my weakness.

What was wrong with me?

He rubbed his lower lip with his thumb and smirked.

“You keep telling yourself you don’t want me princess, see how long that lasts.”

He moved to the door and I felt like throwing something.

“I wouldn’t sleep with you if you… if you… I just wouldn’t okay,” I shouted, but that made him laugh louder as he sauntered out.

KYLE

Christ she was a curvy ball of temptation.

I nearly lost it, when I saw her barefoot in my kitchen.

Her peachy ass looked damn tempting in those pajama shorts.

I couldn’t wait for her to give in.

I knew there was only time in it.

I could feel she wanted me when I had my tongue down her throat; her hard nipples pressing against me, her wanton moaning and groaning,

I had to have her.

“Dude, you want me to deal you in?” Derek asked as soon as I walked into the living room.

Derek, Cam, Mo and Dixon sat in a circle around our coffee table, playing poker.

I usually played too, but tonight I couldn’t focus, and a man needed to be on form when playing with Cam.

That little shark could fleece the best of them.

I plopped down on the couch and began flicking through the channels, but my head wasn’t in it.

It was upstairs in Lee’s room imagining her undressing…Fuck.

. I shifted, arranging myself against my jeans.

Jesus she was going to be bad for my health.

“Well well well, aren’t you grinning like the cat that got the cream?”

Cam looked up from her cards, and eyed me suspiciously.

I hadn’t realized I was grinning.

I shrugged uncomfortably.

I was pleased with myself. I had felt guilty over the way I had treated her last night, and strangely off kilter, but after her little princess tantrum in the kitchen, I was more amused than anything.

The nickname was staying.

“One guess who put that stupid grin on his face; Lee.” Derek joked as he tossed a card down on the table.

“Oh man, is that you’re new roommate’s name?” Mo asked, “Because hot damn she’s fine.”

Cam’s eyes tightened and she glared over at me.

“Cat that got the cream,” Dixon scoffed, “More like the cream got the pussy.”

The guys cracked up laughing.

I was on my feet and had the bastard by the throat, “Watch your fucking mouth.”

Cam stood, her eyes narrowed towards me, as she nodded towards the hallway.

She stalked out and I dropped my hand.

“Keep your perverted thoughts to yourself,” I warned.

I followed Cam out into the hall.

That creep made my skin crawl.

Mo was all right, but Dixon was just another example of Cam’s poor choice of friends.

Speaking of Cam, she was now glaring at me like I stole her last condom.

What in the hell?

“Stay away from her Kyle,” Cam said quietly, “She’s vulnerable.”

I studied Cam for a minute, shit she looked serious.

“Cam, you’re looking at me like the spawn of Austin Powers, Christ I’m not a serial womanizer.”

She smirked, “Aren’t you?”

I grimaced, okay fair point, my past was pretty colored.

But then so was Cam’s.

Sighing, she looked at me dead straight in the eyes, “Look Kyle all I’m saying is Lee is sheltered and new to the city. She’s not used to our lifestyle, and doesn’t need the drama that comes from being with you.”

Well that was a warning if there ever was one.

No girl deserved the drama that came from being with me.

“Lee’s a good girl and she has had a really shitty life. I don’t know why she chose to come to me, but I’m glad she has. She needs my help Kyle, and I don’t want her running again.”

Okay point taken.

I had never heard Cam talk so passionately about anyone before, not even Derek.

Lee was important to her, and she was running from something.

What was she running from?

A weird possessive feeling came over me, thinking that someone had caused little Lee to hide.

Awh shit…

“In other words, don’t touch her?” I muttered, stomping down the disappointment.

Cam smiled sweetly, “Exactly. Well, you can be friends with her, but be a doll and try to keep it in your pants. That girl is nothing like us,” Cam patted my shoulder, “She needs this place right now, more than you know. So just, be gentle with her.”

Be her friend. Keep it in my pants.

“I can do that,” I promised, and I hoped I could.

Chapter Three  

LEE

I touched my hands to my mouth, my face flamed when I thought of Kyle kissing me.

Never in my life had I been kissed like that.

I heard footsteps approach, grabbed my bowl and spoon from the table and moved to the sink to clean up.

I felt guilty enough having barged in on my roommates, without eating their food as well.

I didn’t usually eat at the house; my meals were free at work.

But I was starving when I woke up this morning.

I had some change in tips and decided I would go grocery shopping after work this evening.

I dried my bowl and turned to put it the press, freezing on the spot when I took in Kyle’s half-naked body.

Kyle stood in the doorway of the kitchen, dressed only in black trousers.

He was waving a white shirt in front of him.

I hadn’t seen him three days, and I was drooling.

My breath hitched, as my gaze locked on his chest, those pecs, those abs, that dusting of hair from his bellybutton trailing under his pants…

“I think we may have gotten off to a bad start,” he said, grinning sheepishly. “So, how about a truce?”

I couldn’t stop the nervous giggle that escaped my mouth.

I wanted to stay angry with him, but he was making that close to impossible, standing there waving his ‘peace flag’.

I forced my eyes away from his ribbed stomach and pulled my nightdress down, suddenly feeling very naked.

Even though I was covered to the knee, it wasn’t enough around this man.

“A truce?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant and not to let the nervousness I was feeling in his presence, slip into my voice, “I didn’t realize we had waged a war?”

He grinned even broader, his dimple deepened.

Oh god…

He moved away from the doorframe and strolled over to me.

“Well, maybe not full on war, but we definitely had a little wrangling going on,” he chuckled, “So let’s call it a truce for any foreseen battles that may develop into full scaled war.”

What?

He took the bowl I was holding, went and poured some cereals into it.

“You’re weird,” I said.

He laughed harder.

The gentleness of his smile made the sharp angles of his handsome face soften.

My stomach clenched.

He poured some milk in the bowl, and grabbed a spoon.

Leaning against the counter, he scooped some up in his spoon.

“You’re honesty wounds me princess,” he said before shoveling a spoon of cereal into his mouth.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized.

He was trying to be nice, and I insulted him.

My heart rate spiked when he called me that.

“Don’t be,” he said in between bites, “You were being honest.”

He shifted off the counter, tossing his bowl in the sink after a few spoons, and walked across the room.

What a waste of good food.

“I was being weird,” he said, opening the refrigerator door, “And I was an asshole to you.”

Huh. I wasn’t sure what to say to that.

He had been an asshole, and it had taken him three days, but admitting it so honestly threw me.

I didn’t know what to make of him.

I stared at Kyle’s backside as his bent down, rummaging inside the fridge.