Eventually we wound up in a mess of limbs. I let her stay on my shirt, while I laid on the forest floor—leaves, sticks, and probably insects galore were not my idea of a comfortable spot, but I was riding cloud nine, so I made do just fine.
She sighed as she rolled over to me, draping one of her legs over my lower stomach. “That was nice. We should do it again sometime.”
“I agree, although it would be nice to take off the mask and kiss you—”
Laina didn’t say a word as she reached for the mask, her fingertips gingerly curling around the chin of it. She tilted it up, lifting it off my face, and she leaned over me to place her lips on mine. I met her halfway, kissing her in the desperate way I’d been dying to kiss her ever since catching her.
Her lips were soft and luscious, and her tongue slipped through and collided with mine. I weaved my hand in her hair as I got reacquainted with that wonderful mouth. Truly, the only thing that would’ve made tonight better would have been if I could’ve showered that body of hers with as much attention as it deserved.
A minute passed, and she pulled her mouth off mine, grinning in the darkness as she rested her head on my shoulder,absentmindedly drawing shapes on my chest. The night air was chilly, yes, but we were both running hot after all that.
“I suppose,” I started, “we should think about getting back to the car.”
“Hmm. Luckily you’ll know the quickest way there.”
She meant I’d know because of me tracking her phone. She never really complained about it, which was good. That was one line I wouldn’t back down from, not after everything that had happened to this girl, to us. Of course, it really only helped when she had her phone on her—something which my dad made sure to leave at her and Kelly’s house when he’d kidnapped her.
Shit. I shouldn’t be thinking about my dad at all, but I couldn’t help myself. I knew Laina, and I knew her type, and as much as I hated to admit it, my dad was that type to a capital-T. I loved the girl, I did, and I could handle sharing her with Fang and Mike, but mydad? My freaking father? That might’ve been asking too much of me.
It was all pointless to think about, though. Just because she had a little crush on him didn’t mean anything. He’d have to return said crush, and I genuinely didn’t know if she was his type. If the man knew what was good for him, he’d say she was too young and shut her down if she ever brought it up to him.
Then again, I supposed some people would say the same thing about me and my love for her, along with Fang and Mike. To some people, we were all too old for her.
“Tracking you has come in handy on more than one occasion,” I reminded her as she rolled off me and grabbed her clothes. We were both unhurried in getting dressed. “You should thank my stalker side, actually.”
Laina laughed softly, and the sound was music to my ears. Such a wonderful, melodious sound that filled me with a degree of happiness nothing else could. “I don’t think I’ll do that, although I am appreciative of it.”
I supposed that was enough. Apparently I’d gotten my stalker side from my father; who knew the guy was that good at following someone? I didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I knew he was capable, that he wasn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty, but I didn’t think… well, I just didn’t think Tessa would resort to asking for his help.
Against me, for fuck’s sake.
Once we were fully dressed, I grabbed her hand and pulled out my phone to lead us back to the car. Walking was a lot different than running, although we weren’t in a rush anymore, so we took our time. Based on the way she walked, I could tell she was a little tired, maybe even sore after all that sex. I, myself, felt a little exhausted, but I could push through.
Tonight was everything. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It was what I’d been waiting all these months for, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Laina and I—and, by extension, the others—we were on our way up. The situation with Tessa would be handled one way or another, and then we could figure out our lives together.
Oh, yes. Things could only get better from here.
Chapter Eighteen – Laina
I fell asleep in the car on the way home, so Kieran made the decision to stop by a hotel so we could sleep in an actual bed for a few hours. I didn’t mind. Laying down on a bed, albeit a slightly uncomfortable bed, was better than sleeping while sitting up in a car. I’d take a bed over that any day.
Plus? I was a little sore after all that on the ground.
It was about eleven in the morning when Kieran finally dropped me off at home, and though it had been hours since our hunt in the woods, my body was still buzzing with the high. I felt so freaking good, it was unreal.
Kieran offered to walk me in, but I declined, not wanting to anger my dad. He might’ve now known we were seeing each other, but Kieran’s and my relationship wasn’t one I wanted to rub in his face.
“I’ll see you later,” I said before leaning over the car and kissing him, and he mumbled that he loved me before I got out. He made sure to stay until I was safely in the house, and only then did he drive off.
I slipped off my shoes near the door, still smiling to myself. I went straight for the stairwell and headed to my room, where I grabbed a new set of clothes and hopped right in the shower. Kieran’s shirt protected much of me from the forest floor, but the feeling of leaves and sticks and God knew what else beneath my legs and ass was still on the forefront of my mind.
After my shower, I texted my guys. Nothing crazy, but Fang and Mike should know I was back and everything went well. Mike had probably rooted for something terrible to happen, if only so he wouldn’t have to keep sharing me with Kieran—but, frankly, the big guy was better at sharing than he let on. Little oldme was definitely scheming on when I could get him and Fang together again.
I didn’t know how long I laid there, on my bed, messaging back and forth with my guys, but eventually something dawned on me: the house was quiet. My dad hadn’t come to check on me, you know, make sure I was still in one piece and all that. Maybe he was avoiding me and my relationship with Kieran, or maybe he wasn’t home and had to run out for something. He was always ducking in and out of the office downtown, even on the weekends.
I decided to give him a call as I went downstairs to make myself some lunch. Nothing huge, just a little something to tide me over until dinner. Walking down the hall, my dad’s phone rang on the other line—and right when it did, something a good ways away in the house came to life, ringing in tune.
