Rock Chick Renegade (Rock Chick #4)(34)

“Jules?”

With effort, I cleared my head. “Um, I just wanted to say…” I lost it then got it back again, “thanks. You didn’t have to go that far with Roam and I appreciate it.”

The air changed. Vance’s macho man forcefield clicked on and, I could swear, my body leaned into him a bit.

Then his eyes got soft and sexy. My belly fluttered.

His voice came at me, smooth as silk. “You want to thank me, you ever want to thank me, you don’t say it to me. You show me.”

I stared. “Sorry?”

He didn’t explain, he just said, “Come here.”

Without hesitation, I went to him such was the power of the forcefield.

When I made it to him, one of his arms went around my waist, his other hand twisted around and around in my ponytail, fisted and he pulled my head back gently.

Then he said, “Kiss me.”

My belly plummeted.

“Sorry?” I repeated, this time in a whisper.

His face came so close I could feel his lips against mine. “Kiss me,” he said there.

Oh crap.

I wasn’t sure I even knew how to kiss someone.

“Vance –” I breathed.

“Kiss me. Now,” he ordered.

I kissed him. I had no idea what I was doing but I just went for it. I figured it was better to get it over with because I was learning fast that Vance wouldn’t let it go.

I put my arms around his neck, grasping my right wrist in my left hand; I lifted up on my toes a bit, just as I put pressure on his neck. I opened my mouth under his, going for the gusto, but in the back of my head wondering if I should start small.

Apparently I made the right choice. His mouth opened immediately, my tongue slid inside and that was all I had to do. That was the extent of “my” kiss.

He walked me back quickly. I slammed against the wall, his fist tightened at my hair and his other hand slid down over my bottom and pressed me against him. He forced my tongue out of his mouth and slid his in mine.

It felt so damned good, I fit my body to his, pressing in close, one hand curling around his neck and the other hand pushing inside his jacket, my arm wrapped around his waist then it went tight.

It got a little hot and heavy after that. There was some groping (on Vance’s part) and maybe a few throat moans (on my part) and then his mouth tore free.

He pulled back, just an inch, and he stared at me, his eyes intense, something strange there, almost like surprise.

I stared back. We were both breathing heavily.

Finally he muttered, “Jesus.”

He could say that again.

I felt hot, everywhere, and I was pretty certain my stomach had evacuated my body.

“I should have broke in last night, woke you up, f**ked you until you couldn’t breathe. I thought about it. I should have f**kin’ done it.”

Oh my God.

He said this like he was talking to himself, still, I heard it and it flipped me out.

“Vance –” I whispered.

“Save it,” he cut me off. “Tonight. Six thirty.”

Then the tractor beam switched off, his chin lifted, he kissed my forehead and he said, “Wear something nice.”

He let me go but his hand wrapped around mine. The warmth of his hand in mine, the strength I felt there, the intimacy of the gesture took me off guard.

Okay, so we’d necked, groped, laid in my bed (of all places) and talked. I’d held him at gunpoint and he’d beat me at wrestling. Even though this had all passed between us, his holding my hand made a statement that went beyond the cat and mouse game we seemed to be playing since we laid eyes on each other.

I didn’t know if you held hands with a woman you intended to sleep with and then leave which Crowe had a reputation for doing. He saw, he conquered, he left.

Furthermore I had no girlfriends to ask. I didn’t expect this was a topic of conversation that either Zip or Heavy would be delighted to get into with me.

Though, if I were to guess, my answer would be no.

I didn’t know what to do with this and I was struggling to process it when he turned us to the door and in the window to the room that faced the hall we saw several kids (and I could swear May as well) quickly move away. We heard movement and giggling and then nothing.

“God dammit,” I muttered under my breath.

Vance just looked down at me wearing his arrogant, shit-eating grin.

And all of a sudden I had new things to worry about. This made my list include my soon to be f**king by Vance Crowe; everyone at King’s hearing about our make out session; what it meant that Vance held my hand; and the fact that I had absolutely nothing “nice” to wear on our date.

* * * * *

Later that afternoon I cornered Roam and Sniff. Roam was looking at me funny. Sniff was grinning.

“Hey Law,” Sniff said.

I pushed his shoulder and then swung my gaze between the both of them. “I got a favor to ask you two.”

“Anything Law,” Sniff said immediately.

“Depends on what it is,” Roam said cautiously.

I sat down on the arm of the chair that Sniff was sitting in. “You hear anyone talking about going out at night –” I started.

“We ain’t snitchin’,” Roam broke in.

I shook my head. “I don’t want you to snitch. I want you to tell them it’s a bad idea. Talk them out of it. They’ll listen to you.”