Chapter Five

Kenzie

I call my sister Iris continuously for what feels like forever. I've had no success the first thousand times, but this time will be different.

Voicemail… again.

I call repeatedly with no remorse for interrupting whatever she's doing. I need to talk to her.

Finally, the line connects, and she answers, albeit groggily, "What? It's almost midnight."

"Nope. It's not even eight yet. Why are you sleeping?"

She sighs. "I had a long day."

I have so much to tell her, but I let her talk first given the fact that I've rudely woken her up. "Why?"

"Cooper was with Bryan tonight. They invited me to play pool down at Mullet's bar, and I wanted to go, but I know if I do, everything will be weird. So, I put myself to bed early instead. Thank you, NyQuil."

I can't help but laugh. Iris has been in love with our older brother's best friend for as long as I can remember, and it's tortured her for years that he doesn't share that emotion. At least that's what we assume, given the fact that he's so much older than her. I don't envy Iris. That whole thing is weird. Then again, what I just did isn't much more rational.

"How long have you been asleep for? You're going to be all messed up now."

"I don't know, but at least when I wake up, they won't be at the bar anymore and I won't have to worry about doing something impulsive."

"Like what?"

"Like running down there and acknowledging my undying love for Cooper's big, hot, handsome body."

Now I'm cackling as I say, "You've lost it."

"What's up with you? Aren't you at class?"

"That's the thing. You know the giant, weird, grumpy dude that I started working for?"

"James?"

"Yeah. Well, he's been like… following me. He came down to the studio tonight and bought the last two hours of my evening."

"What?"

"Yeah, but that's not the weird part."

"Okay…"

I sigh as drops of rain fall heavily on my windshield. "I just let him finger me in the parking lot."

"Wow! And you're giving me shit about going to bed early?"

I roll my eyes. "I know. It's weird, but he's like so mysterious. He got all brooding and jealous, then came inside and told off my professor, bought two hours of time, and took off his shirt. I was massaging him and he's so big and strong and… masculine. I don't know…"

I can hear her judgment before she speaks. "The same dude that hasn't said a word to you in weeks? That guy?" She says it as though I've lost my mind, and I probably have. I don't know what's come over me. This isn't something I'd normally do. I don't fall for weird guys. Hell, I don't usually fall for anyguys. You can't be a virgin when you're giving in to every hot ass in jeans you see. But that's me, a twenty-four-year-old, weird, pent up, virgin. That's probably why I let him touch me. That's probably why I think his possessive aggression is hot. I'm clearly desperate.

"Yes, that guy. He's following me home right now."

"Wait… so you just gave a weird stalker permission to follow you home?"

I hadn't thought of it like that. "I didn't give him permission, and I don't think he's following me all the way to my home. He's just following me back to town. He wanted to make sure I got back okay or something."

"Right… because he's in control of you now?"

"What? No. He's not in control of me."

She hums under her breath as though she's filling in the space where critical words would go. When that doesn't satisfy her, she says, "I'm coming over. You shouldn't be alone tonight."

"No! That's not why I called."

"I appreciate that, but I'm still coming. Besides, you woke me up, and now I need purpose or I'm going to make some bad decisions of my own."

"It's that bad? Do you think maybe you should try dating someone else? If you get him off your mind, that might help."

"I don't want anyone else. Cooper is the only guy I think about. He's perfect."

Cooper is most definitely not perfect. He's cocky, aggressive, and he wouldn't know a feeling if it were biting him in the ass. Apparently, we both have a thing for that.

"Okay, fine. Meet me at my place, but if the beast follows me home, you have to be polite. Oh, and don't tell him any of this stuff I told you. I don't want to be that loser."

She laughs. "Right. I promise to be polite to your stalker and keep your dirty, filthy, bad girl secrets to myself. Scout's honor."

"You were a girl scout, weren't you?" I laugh.

"Is a Daisy a girl scout? I was a Daisy, but I only remember drinking weird milk and having to guess which animal it came from."

"What? Gross!"

"Yeah. Why didn't Mom make you do it?"

"I don't know. Maybe she should've. Clearly, I need to learn right from wrong."

Iris laughs. "I have a feeling you know right from wrong, but you prefer wrong."

"I have a feeling you're right."

I glance up into the rear-view mirror to see James' truck still trailing me. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me, but my clit is still throbbing. No, it's aching. I need this man. I want him to shoot out my tire, pull over, and fuck me on the side of the road like he needs me so bad that he can't control himself.

Maybe that's the allure. The desperation of it all.

I may never have an explanation. Maybe, I'm just a filthy, dirty slut that likes things I'm not supposed to like.

"You okay?" Iris clears her throat.

"Yeah. I'm just wondering how I'm going to afford therapy."

"So, what are you going to do? You going to quit your job?"

I haven't even thought of work, how awkward tomorrow morning will be, or how I'll ever look at James again.

Shadowed pine trees pass as I get closer to the mountain, and with Iris' question my mind, I get lost in the details of tomorrow's breakfast. What will we say? How will we act? What will he do? Will he toss the dishes off the table and fuck me right there? Will he take me out to the barn and tie me up like one of the horses before he spanks my ass for touching other men? Will he make me get on my knees and suck his cock until I'm covered in his come?

My thighs ache and my clit thrums harder. What the hell is wrong with me?

"Earth to sister. Are we still talking?"

"Sorry." I'm breathless and Iris notices.

"Umm… are you okay?"

"Yeah. I, ugh, I should probably go. I'll see you when I get to the cabin."

"You sure? You're acting funny all the sudden. Oh, and you never said if you are going to quit or go in tomorrow?"

Sure, I need the money. That's a real thing, but I know I could quit and get help from my family if I really needed it. "That's the thing, I don't feel threatened by him. It's different. I really believe he wants to protect me."

"What's he protecting you from? You're a massage therapist. You're going to touch all kinds of people. It's your job, and it's professional."

I swallow hard. "I know. I know." When she says it like that, he sounds unstable. The kind of unstable I shouldn't me messing with. I've worked too hard to have someone come in and ruin all that. Is this what being an adult looks like, because I hate it.

I sigh as I say, "I should probably tell him tomorrow morning that tonight was a mistake, and that I quit."

"Wow!" I hear her grin through the phone. "You're so smart! Good job deciding to avoid the stalker!" The sarcasm in her tone isn't meant to hurt, but it does for some reason.

I blow out a breath. "Tomorrow morning I'll tell him."

"And I'll go with you."

"No, you're not going. He's not going to hurt me."

She pauses. "Would you let me go alone?"

"Yes," I lie.

"Yeah, right!" she huffs. Iris is younger than me, and while I know she wants to play big sister for once, I can't let her. Whatever happens with James tomorrow needs to happen on myterms. Trouble is, with my clit throbbing and my nipples hard, I'm not one hundred percent sure my terms want an audience.